This enormously helpful book, part of an excellent new series of Tips books, gives you the skills needed to make the most of Mac OS X. It isn't a user manual, but rather a compilation of valuable tips that make your work more productive. For example, drag the Delete icon from View/Customize window to the Toolbar and click it to delete any selected file or folder. This is a lot easier than pressing Command/Delete or manually dragging an item to the Trash. Hundreds of useful tips like this for making Panther roar make this book an absolute must for anyone working seriously in OS X. Browsing through this book is like eating peanuts. I found myself saying, “One more tip. Only one more tip.” With lots of screenshots and full color images, each page will make you smile and say, “No kidding?”
|
 iPhoto 2: The Missing Manual, by David Pogue, Joseph Schorr, and Derrick Story. Pogue Press, O’Reilly, $24.95
Starting with photography essentials, especially as they apply to digital cameras, the book moves to editing basics where you learn how to touch up using iPhoto’s new image editing commands. Displaying your photos on screen, on the Web or as a QuickTime movie for burning on a CD are also covered, giving you a comprehensive course in taking digital photos. The menu-by-menu chapter is especially helpful in learning how iPhoto works. With it breezy style, heavy visuals, and invaluable tips, this is the book that should be packed with every OS X package.
|
 Adobe Creative Suite Idea Kit by Katrin Straub. Adobe Press, $24.99 w/ CD; Mac OS and Windows
Annoyed because your CS package came without a printed manual? For users familiar with Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Acrobat, and GoLive, this book is better than any manual. The author takes you through these applications (frequently together) with step-by-step instructions for creating more than a dozen projects of varying complexity. All the files needed for the projects are on the CD, letting you concentrate on learning a technique without having to create text and graphics. After an overview of the applications, the book covers projects such as creating a postcard and CD label, designing a newsletter, creating a slide presentation with InDesign and Acrobat as well as Web projects such as designing a Web site and creating animations. Since many users work with more than one application, this book, which emphasizes integration along with functionality, is a wonderful introduction to the power of the Creative Suite.
|
Mac OS X Killer Tips by