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Issue link: https://digital.macdirectory.com/i/798
BOOK REVIEWS
46 MacDirectory
Mac OS X Leopard on
Demand
With the massive 10.5.2 update, the Mac
faithful who have not made the jump to
Leopard (both of you) have pretty much
run out of reasons to hold off the move.
But even with its familiar look and feel,
Apple's latest cat has a bundle of new
features. Some of the important essentials
have undergone some moves and
changes that may be cause for
experienced users to spend more time
than they want groping around. And,
based on the latest numbers from the
analysts, there are a bunch of new Mac
users who have come over from the
"other" platform. In either case, Steve
Johnson's
Mac OS X Leopard on
Demand
will be a most useful resource.
What makes
On Demand rather unique is
its task-based approach to learning the
OS. Starting with the basics of the Finder
and concluding with an introduction to
Automator and AppleScript, its color-
coded chapters are set up to guide you
through specific operations in the new OS.
Johnson's approach is more visual than
verbal — quite apropos for the Mac
interface. The bulk of the book is
comprised full-color renditions of screens
and windows, with the concise, step-by-
step tutorials referencing numbered call-
outs on the illustrations. Each section is
preceded by an introduction that can be
from a couple of paragraphs to a few
pages in length. They help to get you
oriented and provide the essential
background. Then Johnson will take you
through the basic setup, when needed,
and then get started on how to use the
features and basic troubleshooting.
Leopard's new features are highlighted
clearly in the table of contents, but are
not always immediately obvious in the
page's text. And sometimes, in the
interest of brevity, some of the
descriptions can be a little too terse at
times. But the author does manage to
cover pretty much all the bases, even if he
runs through some topics a bit quickly.
In the book you'll find some links to online
updates (particularly useful considering
the interface enhancements that
appeared with 10.5.2) and one of the
better keyboard shortcut indexes we've
run across. But, we're a bit perplexed why
this useful appendix didn't make it into
the published version.
Mac OS X Leopard
isn't necessarily a volume that most
readers would be tempted to go through
cover-to-cover. However, there are a lot of
Mac users, old and new, who will want a
copy at hand as they learn how to get
around in Leopard.
Mac OS X Leopard on Demand
by Steve Johnson
554 pages > $39.99
Que Publishing