去年，我回顾了Tony Northrup的《Windows 8 Inside Out》，发现这是一本很好的参考书，很好地解释了Windows 8的新界面，让新手很容易理解。现在有一个涵盖Windows 8.1的新版本。这次的方法有什么不同吗？这本书仍然做得很好吗？这本书符合我的期望吗？(Did)让我们在这(Let)本书的评论(book review)中找出答案。
注意：(NOTE:)我正在查看电子书版本(ebook version)。由于它有很多非常有用的附加功能（例如指向有用视频的链接），我认为值得购买它而不是印刷版(print edition)（请参阅文章末尾的购买选项）。
Windows 8.1 由内而外(Out)- 一个良好的开端
Windows 8 .1 清理了 Windows 8 中的许多烦恼，(Windows 8)改进了它的功能并增加了很多。Windows 8.1 由内而外(Windows 8.1 Inside Out)的一章开始讨论这些变化，并引导读者了解所做的工作。可以这么说，从Windows 8(Windows 8)升级的人应该已经站稳脚跟，但是从其他版本的Windows升级的人可能不会觉得这部分很有趣，因为显然他们的重点是学习这个新界面的工作原理。
与其前身一样，Windows 8.1 Inside Out从一开始就很好地引导读者通过新界面，并专注于人们最想使用的功能。一旦人们尝试了新界面，它就不会像乍一看那样陌生。本书的结构与上一版相同。它首先概述了Windows 8.1中的新功能，然后继续提供购买和安装它的详细说明，包括从以前版本的Windows升级的过程。自从从Windows XP(Windows XP)升级（微软(Microsoft)之后很多人都会这样做）停止支持 XP）是一个比从 XP 升级到Windows以前版本的路径更复杂的过程，描述此过程的部分特别有用。涵盖了所有可能的问题。这应该让新人放心。还详细描述了从一台计算机迁移到另一台计算机的过程。这是非常重要的信息。任何可以减少从一个转移到另一个转移的时间和复杂性的东西都值得一读。(time and complexity)
我也喜欢双引导的说明。不是每个人都想这样做，但知道这是一件好事。这是在您适应新操作系统的同时保留旧操作系统(operating system)的一种方法。尽管卸载Windows 8.1的说明仍然存在，但作者再次鼓励读者在做如此激烈的事情之前给新操作系统一个公平的试验。(operating system)
自定义Windows 8.1 界面(Interface)
我在Windows 8中发现的一大烦恼是缺少自定义界面的选项。Windows 8 .1 修复了其中的一些问题，Windows 8.1 Inside Out提供了大量说明和示例，让您的界面真正属于您。虽然自定义锁定(Lock)和开始(Start)屏幕的选项仍然有些限制，但与过去的方式相比，这是一个重大改进。还有一个很好的视频可以展示一切是如何工作的。
Windows 8.1 改变了应用程序(way apps)的显示方式，将管理工具从“开始(Start)”屏幕中移除（因为更少的人需要定期访问这些工具）。如果您希望显示这些应用程序，您可以在书中找到简单的说明。还有添加关机和重启磁贴(power-off and restart tile)的说明，但我们的快捷方式更好。桌面(Desktop)总是比开始(Start)屏幕有更多的选项，Windows 8.1增加了更多。桌面(Desktop)自定义部分有一些很棒的想法，包括指向开始菜单的链接(Start Menu)替代那些不能放弃的人。如果您不想一直返回“开始(Start)”屏幕来启动应用程序，Windows 8.1 Inside Out通过在(Windows 8.1 Inside Out)桌面(Desktop)上放置一个特殊文件夹来演示一种解决方法。
使用 Windows 8.1 应用程序
与上一卷一样，我建议您先跳到设置网络连接(network connection)的章节，然后再处理添加应用程序的章节。毕竟，除非您的互联网连接(internet connection)正常，否则您将无法从Store获得任何东西。涵盖网络的部分非常全面和详细，包括应该解决最常见问题的故障排除说明。设置好网络连接(network connection)后，是时候跳回“添加、删除和管理应用程序”("Adding, removing and managing apps")一章了，这应该让几乎任何人都有信心(anyone confidence)从商店(Store)中找到并安装任何类型的应用程序。商店(Store)_对于从Windows 7(Windows 7)、Vista 或 XP(Vista or XP)来到 Windows 8.1 的人来说，这可能是一个陌生的领域，因此即使商店(Store)很直观，能够阅读说明也很好。再一次，有很多关于应用程序的技术信息，我认为很多人实际上并不需要，但它是为想要深入了解并使用这些不常见功能的高级极客提供的。
以新的方式做事，解释
我不认为只有我一个人没有意识到微软(Microsoft)在Windows 7和Windows 8和 8.1之间做出了巨大的设计改变。(design change) 处理文件和应用程序的整个方式与以前的工作方式完全不同。虽然您当然不必知道这一点才能成功使用Windows 8或 8.1，但了解不同的方法可以使事情变得容易得多。Windows 8.1 Inside Out在新版本(Windows 8.1 Inside Out)Windows中采用基于应用程序的方法方面与其前身一样出色容易明白。有很多关于处理文件的好、可靠的信息，包括组织、备份、保护和存储。阅读标题为“文件管理(File Management)”的部分本身就是一种很好的教育。一旦你理解了微软(Microsoft)所做改变背后的哲学，新的做事方式就不再那么陌生了。寻找Puppy Linux和使用 live CD 修复任何使Windows 8.1失去理智的损坏的极其有用的说明仍然存在，读者应该在其中粘贴书签（物理或电子）以供将来参考。
处理媒体应用程序的部分同样彻底地解释了事情。我认为任何关注Windows 8.1 Inside Out的人都不会在音乐、视频、(Windows 8.1 Inside Out)电视和电影(TV and movies)方面遇到任何问题。而且对流的解释也做得很好。尽管自从他们填满房间并吃打孔卡以来，我一直在使用计算机，但对于家用计算机媒体使用我还是一个相对较新的人，读完这本书后，我觉得自己的脚更加坚定了因此，除了普通的旧文件和应用程序之外，做更多事情会更容易。
安保、安全(Safety)和新技术(New Technology)
涉及安全的章节与之前的版本几乎相同，增加了涵盖Windows 8.1中的更改的内容。大多数讨论应该已经很熟悉了，因为长期以来微软(Microsoft)的内置安全措施或多或少都是一样的。然而，这并不是说人们应该跳过阅读本节。这些天没有太多的安全性。对于刚刚获得闪亮的新Windows 8.1的人，绝对应该推荐阅读涵盖触摸屏设备上的安全措施的部分(Windows 8.1)药片。触摸屏界面对许多人来说是新的，很高兴看到有一个单独的部分考虑到这一点。许多人可能没有意识到面向触摸的密码可能并不像他们应该的那样安全，因为屏幕上的污迹和指纹可以很容易地泄露密码。Northrup 先生(Mr. Northrup)再次对图片密码进行了清晰而详细的描述，最后告诉读者不要使用它们。
维护，Windows 8.1 方式
处理维护和故障排除的部分从对Windows 更新(Windows Update)的全面讨论开始。有些人仍然没有认识到Windows Update提供的更新的重要性，或者因为被它打断而感到恼火，然后将其关闭。坏主意(Bad idea)，Windows 8.1 Inside Out解释了原因。它还解释了如何自定义更新过程以减少烦人的方式，因此您也可以拥有安全性和便利性(security and convenience)。本节附带的视频值得一看。Windows Experience Index已从Windows 8.1中删除，因此Windows 8.1 Inside Out推荐一些第三方基准测试工具，对其系统性能感兴趣的人会发现它们很有用。描述任务管理器(Task Manager)许多用途的部分非常出色。我们中的一些人多年来一直使用这个工具，但没有完全理解它可以做什么。在维护和管理计算机方面，了解得越多越好。
再一次，帮助读者找出(reader figure)启动问题和崩溃的最后部分非常值得这本书本身的价格。将读者直接带到描述任何给定问题的解决方案的页面的广泛索引再次成为一个瑰宝。
判决
Windows 8.1 Inside Out与它的前身一样好。它写得很清楚，插图很好，很容易看出作者知道他在说什么，以及如何将它传达给读者。它将以一些不常见的方式帮助大多数人更好地理解 Windows 8.1。这是一个很好的指南和参考(guide and reference)，非常值得拥有。我真的认为购买Windows 8.1 Inside Out不会出错，无论是印刷版还是电子书格式(print or ebook format)。这本电子书使获取随附视频变得更加容易，并且比在 39 页的综合索引中查找内容要快一些。无论哪种方式，您都可以找到几乎所有Windows 8.1的答案(Windows 8.1)问题，以及在此过程中尝试新事物的大量鼓励。
Book Review - Windows 8.1 Inside Out, by Tony Northrup
Last year, I reviewed Tony Northrup's Windows 8 Inside Out and found that it was an excellent reference that did a fine job of explaining the then-new interface of Windows 8, so that it was easy for newcomers to understand. Now there's a new edition that covers Windows 8.1. Is the approach different this time around? Does the book still do a great job? Did the book live up to my expectations? Let's find out in this book review.
NOTE: I'm reviewing the ebook version. Since it has lot of very useful extras (like links to helpful videos) I think it's well worth buying this instead of the print edition (see purchase options at the end of the article).
Windows 8.1 Inside Out - Off to a Good Start
Windows 8.1 has cleaned up a lot of the annoyances in Windows 8, improved its features and added a lot more. Windows 8.1 Inside Out begins with a chapter that talks about these changes and walks the reader through what's been done. People who are upgrading from Windows 8 should already have their feet on the ground, so to speak, but people upgrading from other versions of Windows might not find this section so interesting, because obviously their focus is on learning how this new interface works.
Like its predecessor, Windows 8.1 Inside Out does a great job of walking the reader through the new interface from the beginning and focuses on the features people will want to use most often. Once people try the new interface, it won't look as alien as it does at first glance. The structure of the book is the same as the previous edition. It starts with an overview of what is new in Windows 8.1, and then goes on to give detailed instructions for buying and installing it, including the upgrade process from previous versions of Windows. Since upgrading from Windows XP (which a lot of people are going to be doing after Microsoft stops supporting XP) is a somewhat more involved procedure than the upgrade path from XP to previous editions of Windows, the section that describes this process is especially useful. All the possible problems are covered. This should be reassuring to the newcomer. The process of migrating from one computer to another is also described in detail. This is really essential information. Anything that reduces the time and complexity of a transfer from one to another is well worth reading.
I also liked the instructions for dual booting. Not everyone will want to do this, but it's a good thing to know. And it's one way to keep your old operating system while you're getting used to the new one. Although the instructions for uninstalling Windows 8.1 remain, the author once again encourages the reader to give the new operating system a fair trial before doing something so drastic.
Customizing the Windows 8.1 Interface
One of the big annoyances I found in Windows 8 was the lack of options for customizing the interface. Windows 8.1 has fixed some of this, and Windows 8.1 Inside Out gives plenty of instructions and examples for making your interface truly yours. While the options for customizing the Lock and Start screens are still somewhat limited, it's a major improvement over the way things used to be. And there's a good video available to demonstrate how everything works.
Windows 8.1 changed the way apps are displayed, taking the administrative tools off the Start screen (since fewer people need access to those on a regular basis). If you'd like to have those apps displayed, you can find simple instructions in the book. There's also instructions for adding a power-off and restart tile, but our shortcuts are better. The Desktop has always had more options than the Start screen, and Windows 8.1 has added even more. There are some great ideas in the section on Desktop customization, including a link to a Start Menu replacement for people who just can't give that up. And if you would rather not have to keep going back to the Start screen to launch apps, Windows 8.1 Inside Out demonstrates a way around that by putting a special folder on the Desktop.
Getting to the Windows 8.1 Apps
As with the previous volume, I suggest skipping to the chapter on setting up your network connection before you tackle the chapter on adding apps. After all, unless your internet connection is working properly, you're not going to be able to get anything from the Store. The section that covers networking is very thorough and detailed and includes troubleshooting instructions that should solve most common problems. Once your network connection is set up, it's time to skip back to the chapter called "Adding, removing and managing apps", which should give just about anyone confidence to find and install any kind of app from the Store. The Store may be unfamiliar territory for people who've come to Windows 8.1 from Windows 7, Vista or XP, so even though the Store is intuitive, it's good to be able to read the directions. Once again there is a lot of technical information on apps that I don't think many people will actually need, but it's there for the higher level geeks who want to dig inside and use those uncommon capabilities.
Doing Things the New Way, Explained
I don't think I'm alone in not realizing what a huge design change Microsoft made between Windows 7 and Windows 8 & 8.1. The whole way files and apps are dealt with is radically different from the way things worked before. While you certainly don't have to be aware of this to use Windows 8 or 8.1 successfully, knowing about the different approach can make things a lot easier. Windows 8.1 Inside Out does just as good a job as its predecessor in making the app-based approach in the new editions of Windows easy to understand. There's a lot of good, solid information on working with files, including organization, backup, protection, and storage. Reading through the section titled File Management is an excellent education in itself. Once you understand the philosophy behind the changes Microsoft made, the new way of doing things doesn't seem so alien anymore. The extremely useful instructions for finding Puppy Linux and using a live CD to repair any damage that's made Windows 8.1 lose its mind are still there and still something the reader should stick a bookmark (physical or electronic) in for future reference.
The section that deals with media applications explains things just as thoroughly. I think anyone who pays attention to Windows 8.1 Inside Out will have no problems whatsoever with music, video, TV and movies. And the explanation of streaming is also well done. Despite the fact that I have used computers since they filled rooms and ate punch cards, I am a relative newcomer to the media uses for home computers, and after reading this book I feel I've gotten my feet a little more firmly on the ground so it will be easier to do more with things other than just plain old files and apps.
Security, Safety, and the New Technology
The chapters dealing with security are pretty much the same as in the previous version, with additions that cover the changes in Windows 8.1. Most of the discussion should already be familiar since Microsoft's built-in security measures have been more or less the same for a long time. This is not to say that one should just skip reading this section, however. There's no such thing as too much security these days. The section covering security measures on a touchscreen device should definitely be recommended reading for people who've just gotten a shiny new Windows 8.1 tablet. The touch-screen interface is new to many people and it was good to see that there's a separate section that takes this in mind. Many people may not realize that the touch-oriented passwords may not be as secure as they're supposed to be since smudges and fingerprints on the screen can give the password away surprisingly easily. Once again, Mr. Northrup goes through a clear and detailed description of picture passwords and finishes by telling the reader not to use them.
Maintenance, the Windows 8.1 Way
The section that deals with maintenance and troubleshooting starts with a thorough discussion of Windows Update. Some people still don't recognize the importance of the updates that Windows Update provides, or get annoyed by being interrupted by it, and shut it off. Bad idea, and Windows 8.1 Inside Out explains exactly why. It also explains how to customize the update process to be way less annoying, so you can have security and convenience too. There's a video that goes along with this section that is worth watching. The Windows Experience Index has been removed from Windows 8.1, so Windows 8.1 Inside Out recommends some third-party benchmarking tools that people who are interested in their system's performance will find useful. The section that describes the many uses of Task Manager is really outstanding. Some of us have used this tool for years without fully understanding what it can do. The more one knows, the better, when it comes to maintaining and managing your computer.
And again, the final section that helps the reader figure out startup problems and crashes is well worth the price of the book in itself. The extensive index that takes the reader directly to the pages describing the solution to any given problem is once again a gem.
Verdict
Windows 8.1 Inside Out is every bit as good as its predecessor. It is clearly written, well illustrated, and it's easy to see that the author knows what he's talking about and how to convey it to the reader. It will help most people understand Windows 8.1 much better, in some uncommon ways. It's an excellent guide and reference and well worth having. I really don't think you can go wrong buying Windows 8.1 Inside Out, in either the print or ebook format. The e-book makes it much easier to get at the accompanying videos and can be searched a little faster than looking things up in the comprehensive 39-page index. Either way, you can find the answers to almost any Windows 8.1 question, and plenty of encouragement to try new things along the way.
