Review: Brilliant Windows 7 for the Over 50's
Ian Waugh tries to imagine what it's like to be 50...
| Product | Brilliant Windows 7 for the over 50's |
|---|---|
| Company | Prentice Hall |
| Web | www.pearson-books.com |
| Price | $19.95 £14.99 |
| We like | Full colour, covers most basic operations |
| We don't like | Condescending, not enough detail in some sections |
| Rating | 7/10 |
| Requirements |
Over the past year or so, an increasing number of computer tutorial books have been published, supposedly aimed at the 'older generation', in recognition of the fact that not everyone was born with a laptop in their cot. We've reviewed several here and, in truth, most would be suitable for anyone wanting to learn about computing, not just Silver Surfers.
Brilliant Windows 7 For The Over 50s lays its cards on the table with its title and, just in case you're in any doubt as to the target market, there are copious references inside about the 'over-50s user', 'your over-50s eyes', grandchildren and asking teenagers for help!
Each section, of which there are 12, is colour-coded, and features step-by-step instructions, with screen shots. It's quite well done apart from the yellow sections which feature box-outs of lemon (or maybe off-white) text on an orange background. Not so good for 'your over-50s eyes'.
Packing 'em in
With that niggle out of the way, the book packs a lot of information into its pages. It covers the new features in Windows 7, basic functions and operation, and personalising Windows. There are chapters on managing files, using Windows' applications such as Wordpad, the Calculator and Disk Cleanup. There's a chapter on using Live Mail for email, and one on Internet Explorer.
Another chapter on networking explains how to connect to other computers, and Windows 7 makes this fairly easy although it's one of the most difficult things to troubleshoot if it doesn't work.
There's also a useful chapter on staying secure - user accounts, using passwords, parental controls and so on. Early in the book in the section 'What's Missing In Windows 7' you're told that you'll need to install some anti-virus software such as AVG and it says this will be covered in the Security chapter, but it's not. It only mentions Windows Defender which is included.
A large chapter on media applications covers ripping and burning CDs, editing and sharing photos, watching and burning DVDs, watching and recording TV, and online media. You should not be stuck for entertainment!
Covering All The Bases
The book tries to cover all the main things a computer user might want to do. However, it's quite a list and inevitably, in spite of the step-by-step approach, some areas are quite complex and don't get the number of pages they really need for a thorough job. In such cases you are referred to the Windows Help.
One odd piece of advice is to suggest that you leave a desktop machine on and set it to sleep, as turning it on and off can be hard on its 'internal parts'. That may be true to a degree but most people turn their machine off when not in use, certainly overnight, with little ill effect. The cost implication isn't mentioned - in our eco-friendly world - and it's also beneficial to restart a computer to let housekeeping tidy up its files.
As an overview, an introduction and general How To guide, the book works well. So, who would benefit from it? First, you don't have to be over 50. Most readers would want to ignore the ageist references and, needless to say, if you know your way around a PC there'll be little here that's new. It's not a book to get to learn about Windows 7.
However, if you're totally new to Windows and computing, if you're moving on from Windows XP, if you're upgrading from Vista and never really got to grips with it, then it's certainly worth a look. It will get you up to speed on basic computer operations and then you can explore other aspects of Windows 7 as you need.
Check out the Amazon links, too, where you'll find the book currently discounted by up to 40%.
