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Technical Reading Recommendations

Ever wonder what technical books grace the shelves of folks who themselves write books, technical manuals, and journal articles? Folks who use, develop add-ins for, and critique the same software you're using?

Here are the recommendations we feel will get you the most mileage for your book dollar. Do we recommend our own books? You bet, and we think you'll be glad we did. But we also recommend the books that we ourselves buy, read, study, markup, dog-ear, and pore over in the small hours of the morning while we're trying to solve some sticky computer problem or other.

Hot Picks!
	The Unofficial Guide to PCs by T. J. Lee, Lee Hudspeth, and Dan Butler (QUE), ISBN 0-78971-7972. TUGPCs is written for all the PC neophytes who are unexpectedly blasted out of the water when they buy their first computer, and for all the experienced PC users who are disappointed every time they get a new computer. We ride up like the cavalry and explain how not to be disappointed anymore, or for the first time, or ever again, whoever the reader may be... how to fight back, how to get some return on one's PC investment, and to have fun reading along to boot. This book is rife with PC ownership issues that nobody ever writes about, but that everybody experiences. Order from Amazon.com Order from Barnes and Noble SAVE $3.60!
	The Visual Display of Quantitative Information by Tufte (Graphics Press), ISBN 0-96139-210X. If you create charts or graphs in Excel, or any graphics or charting software whatsoever, or even if you draw pie charts on cave walls, GET THIS BOOK! No one should be allowed to click on a chart wizard button unless they've read this amazing book on the visual display of quantitative data. There is much more to charting than you might suspect. This is an incredible book. Order from Amazon.com
Programming References
	Building Applications with Microsoft Outlook 97 (Microsoft Press), ISBN 1-57231-536-9. This book is primarily for developers interested in building groupware or enterprise solutions using Outlook 97 and its programming language VBScript. Order from Amazon.com
	Debugging the Development Process by Maguire (Microsoft Press), ISBN 1-55615-650-2. Steve explains in a friendly, humorous, and very intelligent style the practices he implemented at Microsoft to deliver large-scale programming projects on time. What you read in this book about time management techniques in an over-loaded, over-stimulated work environment can easily apply to your personal life too. Pass this book around once you've read it! Order from Amazon.com
	Hacker's Guide to Visual Basic by Chen and Montgomery (Addison Wesley), ISBN 0-201-87042-8. Yes, this book covers VB4 not VB5, but there's no other guide like it. Vince and John take you through the language in Reference Manual style with a merciless commando flair. They point out common and not-so-common problems, features, and undocumented issues, and supply the workarounds. Order from Amazon.com
	Hacker's Guide to Word for Windows (Second Edition) by Leonhard, Chen, and Krueger (Addison Wesley), ISBN 0-201-40763-9. This book covers the inner workings of Word 95 and how the beast thinks. And it covers WordBasic in detail, Reference Manual style. No other book has ever so completely and thoroughly revealed the good -- and the bad -- about Word and WordBasic. Word 97 with VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) has been out for a while now, but the vast majority of the bugs and workarounds suggested in this book still apply. You'll simply have to code them in VBA instead of WordBasic. Order from Amazon.com
	Inside the Windows 95 Registry by Petrusha (O'Reilly), ISBN 1-56592-1704. Ron Petrusha takes you through the dark labyrinthine that is the Windows registry and brings you out again unscathed. He sheds light and dispels the mists that obscure this critical part of Windows. Don't try to tackle Windows development without it. Order from Amazon.com
	Learning VBScript by Lomax (O'Reilly), ISBN 1-56592-247-6. If you're interested in using VBScript to create active content on the Web, start here. The book's focus is on client-side scripting for Internet Explorer, and it's an excellent, fast-paced, introductory tutorial. Order from Amazon.com
	Webmaster in a Nutshell (Deluxe Edition) by Spainbour & Quercia (O'Reilly), ISBN 1-56592-3057. The Deluxe Edition comes with a CD-ROM that contains the full text of HTML: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Edition, JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Edition, CGI Programming on the World Wide Web, and Programming Perl, 2nd Edition. This book is the single best investment that a beginner, seasoned, or veteran Webmaster can make. Order Deluxe Edition from Amazon.com Order Standard Edition from Amazon.com
	The Windows Interface Guidelines for Software Design (Microsoft Press), ISBN 1-55615-679-0. This indispensable tome covers a wide range of topics: the fundamentals of designing user interaction, Windows interface components, design specifications and guidelines, plus awesome appendixes. If you need to know how to build a form or dialog box or any other graphical part of an application, this book will tell you what you need to know. Order from Amazon.com
Operating Systems
	Windows 95 in a Nutshell by Tim O'Reilly & Troy Mott (O'Reilly), ISBN 1-56592-3162. A comprehensive, compendium of calculated clues to enlighten the Windows guru inside each of us. Densely packed with everything you ever wanted to know about Windows 95 this book is a must have reference for everyone running Windows. Order from Amazon.com
	Windows 95 Annoyances by Karp (O'Reilly), ISBN 1-56592-2662. The premise of Windows Annoyances is that Windows 95 and Windows NT are pretty dreadful until you've performed a healthy amount of customization work. If you are a long-time supporter of this premise, you'll appreciate this eclectic grab bag of techniques for fixing major weaknesses, curing minor annoyances, and boosting overall performance. Order from Amazon.com
Back Office
	Microsoft Exchange User's Handbook by Mosher (Duke), ISBN 1-88241-9529. If you are an administrator for Microsoft's Exchange Server, whether you have 5 mailboxes or 5,000 you need this book. Solid stuff from Sue Mosher. Order from Amazon.com
Application Books
	Woody Leonhard Teaches Microsoft Office by Woody Leonhard (MacMillian), ISBN 0-78971-7050. An introduction to Microsoft Office by best-selling author Woody Leonhard. If you're trying to get your feet wet with Microsoft's market leader software suite, this is the book that will get you up to speed in a hurry. (Due out in September 1998) Order now from Amazon.com
	Outlook Annoyances by Woody Leonhard, Lee Hudspeth, & T. J. Lee (O'Reilly), ISBN 1-56592-384-7. Microsoft's premier and long-awaited PIM is now in its second version. In our estimation, Outlook 97 was more like a beta release, and Outlook 98 is really a version 1.0 product. In this book we show you why Outlook is a frustrating, annoying, yet incredibly useful piece of software. And we show you how to work around or avoid the vast majority of its annoying gotchas. Covers both Outlook 97 and 98. Order from Amazon.com
	Office 97 Annoyances by Woody Leonhard, Lee Hudspeth, & T. J. Lee (O'Reilly), ISBN 1-56592-310-3. Microsoft Office and the applications therein are powerful, feature-rich, powerhouses. And as annoying as all get out. If Access, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word have you doubting your sanity this book was written for you. Order from Amazon.com
	Excel 97 Annoyances by Woody Leonhard, Lee Hudspeth, & T. J. Lee (O'Reilly), ISBN 1-56592-309-X. Excel can be quite annoying. A lot of times it just doesn't work like it should. Many features within its powerful but complex and enigmatic structure could be a darn sight easier to use than they are. Beginners, advanced users, and even full-blown spreadsheet gurus get annoyed with Excel. Find out what's right, what's wrong, most important, what you can do about it. Order from Amazon.com
	Word 97 Annoyances by Woody Leonhard, Lee Hudspeth, & T. J. Lee (O'Reilly), ISBN 1-56592-310-3. We don't think you have to be a dummy to toss up your hands in despair and curse the computer gods now and then when working with Word. We've collectively been working with this program since the beta of version 1.0 and we're here to tell you that some aspects of this program are not fully understood by the very people who developed it. Order from Amazon.com
Families and Computers Kids and computers... a great teaching breakthrough or recipe for disaster? Most of us here at PRIME have kids and we've found that kids and computers are going to get together. Whether that's a good thing or not depends on how closely you supervise and work with your kids as they venture out on the electronic frontier. Here are the book recommendations we feel you should consider to find out the best way to integrate your kids and your computer.
	Online Kids: A Young Surfer's Guide to Cyberspace by Gralla (John Wiley & Sons), ISBN 0-47113-5453. A great collection of online service information that explains the World Wide Web, newsgroups, online chatting, and email. Site information is organized by topic and has clear useful descriptions of sites that will be of great interest to kids and parents alike. The tone is outstanding and is written in a manner to speak to kids without being condescending. Order from Amazon.com
	The Family PC Guide to Cool PC Projects (Hyperion), ISBN 0-78688-2077. Over 60 computer projects for kids between the ages of 3 to 15, this book provides clear, step-by-step instructions for each project. The book gives quick details on each project--materials needed, how long the project should take, and preparation required. Order from Amazon.com
	The Family PC Guide to Homework by Kiezer, Raskin and Kot (Hyperion), ISBN 0-78688-2069. Probably the best all round book on helping kids utilize the family PC for useful pursuits like homework and furthering their education. Order from Amazon.com