Others say...

"Save your time -- This is the only book you need"
I recently decided to make the switch from PC to Mac. The last time I had a Mac was 1997, which was the era of System 7. I have browsed seven -- count them, seven -- books now on Mac OS X Panther, and I can tell you without a doubt that this is the only book you need if you're new to Mac and/or switching from Windows (or Linux, for that matter).

Most of the other books (including Mastering Mac OS X and the Robin Williams Mac OS X Book) provided nothing more than ancillary, high level information that a third grader would know. None told you anything that 15 minutes playing around wouldn't, and 85% of most targeted new users. Seriously, do you really need to know the top of the mouse is called the "button" (graphic included) and how to "click" and/or -- wait for it -- double-click this button? Seriously, it sounds crazy, but these other books actually spend chapter after chapter on elementary concepts such as how to click the mouse and how to drag-and-drop an icon.

The Missing Manual (this book), instead seems to target the average computer user. I found the writing much easier to read (mainly because I didn't have to browse through pages of elementary instruction), and important information like keyboard shortcuts and using the terminal were easier to find. When I'm reading a 700+ page book, it's very important for me to be able to browse (or speed read) quickly. I found this book very condusive for that.

If you're a software developer (like me), I might suggest two other books that build on the foundation covered by this book. Learning Unix for Mac OS X Panther is a great book for transitioning to the terminal/console included in OS X. Mac OS X Panther in a Nutshell is another great book because over half of it is spent on Unix tools like vi and bash, and includes a full reference of commands at the end. Like all the books in the Nutshell series, the sections are tabbed on the side, making it very easy to flip to a particular section. However, I do not recommend either of these books for non-developers or for someone looking for a foundation of Mac OS X.

If I could give this book ten stars and burn the rest, I would.
I hope the information proves useful.

"still missing"
......................................................................

This book is as much an advertisement for OSX as it is help. Pogue starts by introducing OSX as "the best personal-computer operating system on earth" - which it very well might be - and keeps on singing his ode to Apple on the remaining 750 pages of the manual.

Don't get me wrong: I am an Apple fan myself. After having used Windows for over a decade, two years ago I finally got myself a G4 Powerbook and I swear by it. I am now a walking ad for Apple, short of tattooing one on my forehead. I have learned to use OSX without a manual and decided to get myself one just to be on the safe side.

I spent a whole day reading through different OSX manuals in the store before picking "The Missing Manual" and, unfortunately, as of today do not have an alternative recommendation. I am also aware of how hard it must be to write a good manual. However, in absolute terms, this one still sucks.

OSX is mainly self-explanatory and, where it is not, this book rarely helps. It is not useless, just very incomplete, full of praise and poorely organized.

I use my Powerbook for video-editing, I network, use AirPort and a few other gadgets and usually manage with the help of my regular genius brain and Apple's resources. I did learn a few tricks from this manual as well. However, I would need a manual that helps me (just a tiny bit) with troubleshooting. This one does not.

I am glad I bought this volume and it may very well be the best on the market. But who cares? The fact that there may be no better book out there does not mean we have to waste all our stars on this one. If you find the manual we are still missing, please let us know your name - the place on my forehead is still vacant.

"Mac aint so easy and this book helps"
Contrary to popular belief, the Macintosh operating systems is not so intuitive, especially Mac OS X.

Fortunately, David Pogue comes to the rescue with Mac OS X: The Missing Manual. This is a very helpful reference.


"Indispensible for the Mac newbie"
This book payed for itself in the first 20 pages as far as I'm concerned. My first few days with my new iMac (before I got this book), were far more frustrating than I'd anticipated. As soon as this beauty arrived however it was like the honeymoon really began. I'm sure there are others out there that are very good, but for my taste this book has the perfect balance of depth and brevity. Just for reference sake, I generally find QuickStart books from PeachPit a bit too brief.

"Nice manual, only covers version 3 of iDVD and iMovie"
The manual has some insightful tips but I was disappointed to find that it covers version 3 of iDVD and iMovie and not version 4 of these apps.