Mac OS X: The Missing Manual by David Pogue

Review by Rory Bowman

O’Reilly computer books have long been the gold standard for alpha geeks, from the ?Nutshell? quick-reference series to detailed tomes on PERL, emacs (the Unix text editor) or packet-switching. Imagine my delight a few years ago when O’Reilly began publishing the amazing Pogue Press Missing Manual series of ?books that should have been in the box.?

The “missing manuals” are beginning computer books emphatically NOT for dummies. With crystalline tables of contents, clear structure and deep indices, they provide accessible intelligence for adults who know how to read. Witty and irreverent without being cheeky, the missing manuals provide a thorough overview for beginners with precise technical detail for dippers: those who occasionally grab a book to “dip in” for a nugget of knowledge. In the tradition of Robin Williams’ _Little Mac Book_, missing manuals provide a sound introduction but also stand up as references for years to come.

At over 700 pages (including a twenty-page index), the OS X Missing Manual second edition is divided into six logical sections of twenty-some stand-alone chapters and appendices, dramatically increasing its worth. The simplest tasks are covered early with many useful tips, while other chapters address such esoterica as Windows networking, SSH, VPN and web sharing. There is a handy appendix on OS X troubleshooting, and even special “Where’d It Go” appendices for OS 9 veterans and those switching to Mac OS X from Windows.

If you want to use your new Wacom tablet with OS 10.2’s amazing Inkwell technology, for example, there is a section on handwriting recognition and “gestures” which would make a Newton loyalist weep, while other sections introduce the basics of setting system preferences, using iCal, .Mac or simple electronic mail.

Power users will love the detailed explanation of bundled programs, a tour of basic Unix and advanced customization using the mysterious Developer Tools CD. Find the free word-processing power of WorldText.app or regain ResEdit-level control of your interface. Replace your dock’s blue with a city skyline, for example, create custom animations for your own dock-removal “poof” cartoons or use the tips on page 498 to put your friends’ heads on the game pieces in Chess. OS X Missing Manual 2 even includes overviews and details on relatively new consumer technologies such as IP firewalls, bluetooth, iCal and iSynch.

For introductions, nothing beats Robin Williams’ _Little Mac OS X Book_, but for those who want more technical detail and depth, this Pogue’s new OS X Missing Manual is definitely a step up. Even those who bought the first _OS X Missing Manual_ will find enough new content here to justify another $30. The only improvement I can think of would be to add handy thumb-tab coloration along the book’s right-hand edge, as in Robin Williams’ _Little OS X Book_, making it easier for the casual user to see the book’s clear structure or for new users to find the superb introductions to parts of OS 10.2 so richly scattered throughout.

As with all O’Reilly books, a table of contents, sample chapter and PDF version of its index may be found online at http://oreilly.com/catalog/macosxmm2. More general information on the missing manual series may be found at http://missingmanual.com. Most O’Reilly books are available locally at Powell’s Technical bookstore, better computer stores or directly from O’Reilly. When ordering directly from O’Reilly, PMUG members may use the group discount code “DSUG” for a 20% savings.

Whether as a gift or for your own power-user library, Pogue’s second Mac OS X Missing Manual is definitely one upgrade worth having.

Mac OS X: The Missing Manual, second edition
by David Pogue, ISBN 0-59600-450-8, $29.95
Book review by Rory Bowman, rory@pmug.org