The Book For All Mac People
581968
This book promises killer tips and that's just what you get:  every possible tip, shortcut, convenient action that the Mac user might need - and won't find anywhere else!

A great book with an interesting presentation!
4436165
There's a dirty little secret about the Mac that nobody talks about.  Not your friend who insists that you'll be much happier with a Mac, and certainly not the Apple Genius who assures you that you're going to love the Mac just like you love your iPhone.

The secret is that if you really want to understand why people love their Macs, there are some things you'll want to learn. The best way to learn those things is to find a good book.

Lynn Beighley has written such a book in "OS X Mountain Lion:  A Quick Reference Guide to Mastering Your Mac".

Lynn understands that what makes the Mac powerful is all the everyday things that it handles so gracefully.  She covers the concepts that expert Mac users use every day.

I like the format.  It's task-oriented with lots of illustrations that make it easy to follow.

This is not an exhaustive book on how to do everything you might ever want to do on your Mac.  This is not a book for power users.

My one complaint: I wish the book had a little more of the author's mischievous personality which I've enjoyed  in her lynnbeighley twitter account.  But my guess is that that's what you get when you read a book written for an established series.
2217188
I started going over to a MAC. I have a lot to learn but there is no turning back. I go on line but also this book is a big plus for  me. Great Book!
3773652
Answers all questions of one going from PC's to Apple
2139022
I regret to say that my copy of Switching to the Mac, the missing manual, Mavericks Edition never reached its intended destination which means I've had to read it at a local bookstore in order to review it. And it's worth noting that despite my being able to negotiate my way around Windows (and, for that matter, Linux), I've owned only Macs, although I learned computing on DOS. I chose Switching to the Mac because I've been a David Pogue fan ever since he helped me to acclimate when I bought my first Mac, a Wall Street PowerBook. Although I pretty much knew what to expect, I really wanted to see how he would handle a work dedicated to those looking to make The Big Switch.

Needless to say, no surprises here. He opens with what might strike some as a fan boy explanation of why it's good that the reader is switching over, but that's to be expected (I've loved the Mac platform since the OS 8.2 days). He then launches into sections that anticipate and address every possible question a Windows user could possible have about "how to" in OS 10.9 Mavericks, including how to painlessly deal with the situation. Obviously, in order for this method to be effective, an author needs to be extremely familiar with Windows as well. No problem --Mr. Pogue undoubtedly knows whereof he writes. I can't imagine a Windows-to-Mac situation that can't be dealt with successfully (and elegantly) in this work. Mr. Pogue is a gifted writer who's able to convey a concept directly and enjoyably and like all of his previous work, Switching to the Mac is a fun read.

No sense in belaboring the issue here. The missing manual series is invaluable for familiarizing oneself with any Mac software, e.g. the iPhone, and Switching to the Mac is stellar. I can't imagine that there's any more enjoyable and less painful method by which a Windows user can make the transition to a Mac. Even if you're not ready to take the plunge, Switching to the Mac is worth the investment so that you can dip your toe into Mac waters. C'mon in--the water's fine, I promise, and Switching to the Mac confirms it.
3909996
It's been over two years since I switched over to the Mac platform, and this book filled in many of the gaps of knowledge I had regarding OSX.

After working for over a decade as a Microsoft server admin, I decided to try out OSX when Apple finally went over to Intel CPUs.  I purchased a brand new iMac and haven't looked back since.  Macs are a dream!  A few years later, I now use a Macbook Air for travel, and I will be purchasing a MacPro for work soon.

Unfortunately, there was always a feeling that something was missing when I was using a Mac.  Whereas I knew which applications to pick to help my productivity in Windows, with Macs I always had to scour through resources, both in print and online, to find solutions.  Although I found many answers over the years to the questions I had regarding Macs, I knew that that knowledge wasn't perfect, and in places just downright missing.

With the purchase of this book, my problems are over.

Not only does this book succinctly show methods for Macs to work like Windows machines, it also shows how OSX and Mac programs can do things that simply blows Windows out of the water!  I wish I had this book when I first switched over; it would have made my life so much more pleasant.

This book is one of the best and practical purchases I have made in a long time.
506369
I have had this book for just about a month now and have used it to upgrade my processor, level 2 cache, video memory, RAM, and change my clock battery. I am fairly proficient with Macs (14+ years) and I own 4, which I keep in excellent shape. This book is an excellent reference for the do-it-yourselfer who is not afraid to "get under the hood" of their Mac.
After skimming through other sections, I found many more tips on improving MacOS performance and Web browsing performance. When I think about an upgrade to any of my Macs, I look through my book to see what is involved, and if it is worth the trouble. When my Macs start "acting up" I can usually find the solution to the problem in my book.
All in all, this is an EXCELLENT book for any Mac product owner. It comes with its own CD of demo software and is well worth the cost.  If you can find the "Mac Manuals 2.0" CD from James Engleby, you have a pretty complete collection of the tools, manuals, specs, and software you'll need to fix-up ANY Mac.
862581
Book:  The Mac OS X Panther Book

Publisher:  Wiley Publishing, Inc

Author:  Andy Ihnatko

Phone:  800-762-2974

Web:  [...]

Price:  $29.99

Pros:  Easy to follow step-by-step instructions with plenty of

  graphics and examples. Fully explains everything about

  Panther that you need to know.

Cons:  None

Rating:  5 Moose

Reviewer:  Arthur Arnold

If you are procrastinating about upgrading to OS X Panther because you think it will be too difficult to learn, or if you recently upgraded or purchased a Mac with Panther installed, then this book is for you. This comprehensive "how to" book explains everything you need to know to set-up and to become proficient in using OS X Panther. The information presented on each page is double spaced and uses easy to follow step-by-step instructions with examples just like you see on your monitor. Plus, there are many sidebars and notes that provide added information to help you understand the many features of Panther. This book thoroughly covers installing, configuring, and customizing your Mac. It explains the Dock, Finder, Desktop, Files, Folders, and Applications, such as, Mail, Address Book, iCal, iSync, iChat, Safari, Grab, and much more. It also covers printing, networking, multiple users, and security. For the more proficient Mac user, there are chapters on Applescript and Unix. The bonus material containing questions and answers, troubleshooting, and online resources is invaluable. The table of contents and the index makes it easy to find specific topics that interest you. This is definitely an easy to read book that is filled with expert advice and useful information, a multitude of graphics, and a sense of humor. I found this book to be one that was hard to put down.
4422367
Just a great easy to understand foundation knowledge book on the subject matter. It will take me months to sort through and learn. With an OS as complex as this one is, this book sits right next to the Mac mini to solve my issues and learn more every week.
3904319
I have purchased and read 4 different Mac OS X books. This is by far, the best of them all. Every hot key is outlined, several chapters are dedicated to command line/terminal. Easy to read, good humor. Outstanding details.
4333284
David Pogue is one of the best technical authors of our time, and once again he hits a homerun!
I've been using Mac OS X as my primary operating system for the last month, and I've had absolutely no trouble learning Mac OS X in record time.  It's such a great operating system... so elegant, so user-friendly, so intuitive, so crash-resistant.
And so I wondered, "Okay... do I really need to purchase David Pogue's manual on Mac OS X?  I mean, I have a really firm grasp on the OS to begin with!"
And as I started reading the book, the answer became a resounding YES!  Before I had even finished the first chapter, I had already learned dozens of new tips, tricks, secrets, explanations, and reasonings that I did not know!  Stuff that I didn't REALIZE I wanted to know until I read them in Pogue's book.
And as always, Pogue's breezy, friendly, & cheerful writing style makes this manual read like a gripping novel.  You can read this from cover-to-cover without ever losing interest.
This book is a must read.  It should come bundled with every copy of Mac OS X.
370858
I had not used a Mac regularly since my 512k model some time ago, so Leopard and a Macbook Pro were new in many ways.  This book provided easy to read and understand guidance, especially to features not readily apparent to a PC user.

It is also helpful to have a book beside you while you try what you learn on the computer, rather than switching between screens.
4908725
Along with Matisse Enzer's Unix for Mac OS 10.4/Tiger, this is just about the best available title introducing Unix to the Mac user. There are lots of other great *Nix titles oriented variously at different levels of experience and user needs, but for the Mac Power User this is an excellent starting point. The book assumes both a level of confidence and good sense (RTFM!) that isn't always that common. You know who you are. The organization of this book into "projects" is one of its big strengths. It claims to proceed from simple to complex, from common to obscure, though I don't really see that.

*Each chapter presents a small topic (such as aliases and functions), and treats it in pretty great depth, with examples, exercises, and especially terrific cross references to other chapters/projects. This makes it easy to find the section matching what you want and need to do. On the other hand, topics are not all grouped intuitively right next to each other in series, though it is a remarkably easy to navigate book.

*You could read this book through, trying everything out as you went, but that would be tedious. Having the book on your desk for reference when needed, and also taking a crack at new subjects for fun and education's sake when you have a few free minutes, Mayo has put together a really terrific resource that I strongly recommend.

*Nearly exhaustive, what this book doesn't cover falls into the realm of the truly advanced and specialized, and what it misses in depth it fully admits to and refers the reader on to sources that can aid him. This book does not cover Leopard specifically (though it does cover the PPC/Intel differences, in areas such as nvram and sysctl, among others), but fear not.

*Although Leopard is a huge leap forward, most things Unix have not appreciably changed since Panther/10.3.x, and even if not revised again this title should continue to be a great tool going forward even into Snow Leopard (whenever that arrives. . .)

UPDATE 4/20/10:

I upgraded my Macs to Snow Leopard earlier this month when the 10.6.3 update came out, and have reviewed this book again, and have found that ALL commands and projects I tried (about 10% of the total) continue to work 100%, and exactly as noted in this book, input and output. Quite a statement since the book was written for Tiger/10.4.x (with the author having a developer's beta of Leopard 10.5) over three years ago. Recommended now MORE than ever, now that with the help of this title in part, I have graduated to full-blown Mac-Unix geek from almost rank beginner when I bought Mayo's book.
2805292
Very good intro book here. Some of the basics were amazingly basic, but after the first few chapters, there was some serious meat to chew into. I commend this highly, especially to those new to the Mac fold (and to us old Mac dogs trying to figure out this *nix stuff).
Best bet is to play with your Mac while reading. Nothing beats hands-on while you are learning. Can't wait for the rest of the Apple Certification stuff to come out.
3163797
So far I have only had a quick glance through the pages but immediately I was blown away by the photos, as I expected I would be. I am an old school Apple user, since the age of nine and the Apple 2, so this book is a great overview running parallel with most of my life. As far as I am concerned this book is a definitive overview that no one that has known the true joy of using Apple products, should be without.

Side note: I bought my copy directly from the author. It was excellently packaged and looked as pristine as when it came off the press.
2179487
The MacBook for Dummies is just the book I needed. I am new to the iMac and in my haste to get a "manual" (which did not come with the computer ),I ordered this book for Mac laptops for my Kindle. It serves the purpose. It explains the Apple computer in detail so that I can understand it and make it work for me. I was overwhelmed with my new iMac, but  now I have settled down to enjoy it and I really do love the book for making it so easy. It truly is the only "dummy" book you will need.
3624692
This is the best written book I have purchased to help with my new Apple iMac and its operating system Leopard (10.5). It is concise in detail and explains each aspect of the system in easy to follow steps. It is easy to find the different or revised updates if you are familiar with OS Tiger.
If it has one drawback that would be that it does not cover hardly any of iLife '08 Application. iLife '08 is included free when you purchase the OS 10.5 but you will need some other source to help with this new application.