Windows 8现已发售，其界面与以前的任何版本都截然不同。有一些全新的功能，与之前的版本不同的功能，以及几乎相同的功能。在Windows 8(Windows 8)上运行的最佳方式是什么？Windows 8 Step By Step是该系列的一部分，该系列以一种几乎任何人都可以理解的简单、直接的方式解释事物，并帮助新用户或缺乏经验的用户快速获得信心而享有当之无愧的声誉。Windows 8 Step By Step是否适合这种模式？让我们来了解一下。
免责声明：(Disclaimer:)我在写这本书的时候阅读了一些章节，但直到我拿到成品之前，我对这本书的整体没有形成任何意见。
入门
您会注意到的第一件事是，这是一本非常大的书。对于技术书籍，这可能是好是坏。要么作者花了足够多的篇幅来以正确的方式解释所有事情，要么他们费尽心思，以至于看起来他们是靠言传身教的。我从一开始就可以看出这本书属于“尽可能多地解释事物”的("Take as much space as you need to explain things")类型。前 30 页左右介绍了Windows 8的概述，对本书约定的解释，以及一些关于修改功能区以适合您自己的风格的有用建议，这让读者有了一个良好的开端。
然而，令我惊讶的是，当本书开始出版时，作者假设读者拥有一台已经安装了Windows 8的计算机。(Windows 8)在本书的最后，它们包含了大量关于安装Windows 8的信息（以升级或与现有操作系统(operating system)双启动的形式）。我认为在“介绍 Windows 8”("Introducing Windows 8")一章中简要提及该部分是合适的。不过，这只是一个小问题，因为这本书解释了新用户开始使用时需要知道的一切。由于此版本的Windows如此不同，许多新用户（如我）会欣赏作者引导读者完成初始步骤的方式。了解“开始(Start)”屏幕的工作原理尤为重要，因为这是每个人第一次打开Windows 8时都会遇到的问题，就像微软(Microsoft)以前从未做过的一样。Windows 8 Step By Step还解释了如何使用“开始(Start)”屏幕上的磁贴，以及如何根据最适合每个人的方式自定义其外观。我希望对Charms(Charms)是什么进行更彻底的解释，但是对它们的工作原理和出现位置的描述非常好。作为一个仍然发现开始的外观的人(Start) 屏幕震动(screen jarring)，我发现警告不要将桌面(Desktop)用于所有内容，“因为应用程序将成为常态，尤其是在手机和平板电脑上”有点奇怪。这假设大多数人将从传统的台式电脑转向手机和平板电脑，我怀疑情况会如此。截至目前，许多熟悉的程序只能在桌面(Desktop)上运行，因此人们将不得不切换到它以继续使用他们习惯的软件。现在敦促人们放弃它还为时过早。“关键点”("Key Points")部分承认这一点：“传统桌面可从开始屏幕访问，并且仍然是您完成大部分工作的地方。”
对如何“结束计算会话(computing session)”的解释似乎是对微软(Microsoft)新思维方式的赠予：“因为鼓励其他选项，所以关闭计算机的选项更难访问”。让平板电脑或手机睡觉或休眠是一回事，但在台式机上它仍然会消耗电力，而且很多人（比如我）喜欢在一天结束后关闭计算机。
应用或不应用
为了与“使用开始屏幕(Start screen)”理念保持一致，有一个非常详细的章节专门用于使用和自定义开始(Start)屏幕上的应用程序。我认为在阅读本节之后，几乎任何人都会对这些应用程序和添加其他应用程序感到自信。很高兴看到有关自定义“开始(Start)”屏幕以仅显示想要查看的磁贴的大量说明，并包含比最初出现的应用程序更多的应用程序。不过，我仍然对究竟什么是应用程序感到有些困惑。本章将Microsoft Office描述为可以包含在Start中的“应用程序套件”(Start)屏幕。没有迹象表明其他第三方软件（如果有的话）可以出现在“开始(Start)”屏幕上。对于尚未在其他软件方面获得太多东西的新用户来说，这应该不是问题，但对于有更多经验且好奇是否可以平铺非微软浏览器的人来说，没有一种或另一种方式的信息。(information one)不幸的是，Windows 8 Step By Step并没有谈到在桌面(Desktop)上安装软件。这很可能是因为从这个角度来看并没有真正改变。该过程与以前版本的Windows相同。但是，一些新来者可能会从这一提醒中受益。
调查内置软件
专门介绍文件、文件夹和库的一章是最详细的一章，它应该为几乎每个人提供关于这些东西如何工作的清晰解释。已经熟悉Windows以前版本的人会发现本章也是有用的参考。Windows 8 的界面明显不同，但基本流程与(Windows)Windows 7大体相同。练习文件（可从Microsoft 网站(Microsoft website)免费下载，本书开头提供的链接）应该使学习如何使用文件资源管理器(File Explorer)几乎没有痛苦。关于Internet Explorer 10(Internet Explorer 10)的章节特别好。浏览器进行了重大更改，在学习过程中手头有详细的说明和插图是很好的。重点是可从开始(Start)屏幕获得的全屏版本，这看起来微软以前没有做过任何事情，但也有使用(Microsoft)桌面(Desktop)版本的详细和完整说明的说明（是的，有两个独立且不同的版本Windows 8中包含的浏览器）。我认为作者建议尝试两个版本然后选择一个作为默认版本是非常明智的。
新手可能不太了解“云计算”，所以介绍微软(Microsoft)SkyDrive的章节也会派上用场。这很清楚，并且应该让任何人快速启动并运行。还有一个关于“社交应用程序”的好章节，尽管我不确定为什么像相机、日历(Camera, Calendar,)和邮件(Mail)这样的东西被认为是“社交应用程序”。真正具有社交性的People应用程序应该会吸引几乎所有人，而且我怀疑它将成为屏幕上使用最多的应用程序。Windows 8 Step By Step应该让每个人都使用这个应用程序，并使其使用起来顺畅而轻松。得知Windows Media Center不是从一开始就使用Windows 8(Windows 8)，但获取它的说明很清楚，本书引导新用户完成各种媒体的使用和创作(use and creation)。当然，还有一章专门介绍寻找、购买和玩游戏，包括使用Windows 体验指数(Windows Experience Index)来确定您的计算机是否具备运行当今游戏所需的说明，以及连接到 Xbox（如果有）的说明一。
连接(Connecting)、共享、安全等
专门用于设置家庭网络(home network)、连接到互联网、通过网络共享数据和设置用户帐户的章节清晰而详细，应该让新用户有信心(user confidence)去做这些事情。我特别喜欢在解释诸如设置Windows Live/Microsoft account和为多人使用的计算机创建单独的用户帐户等内容时对细节的关注。我怀疑即使是一些更有经验的Windows用户也可以使用有关管理用户帐户的进修课程。(refresher course)如今，安全性比以往任何时候都更加重要，本章讨论如何保持Windows 8计算机安全和安全很好地解释了Windows 8的内置安全措施。
我不确定一个绝对的新手是否有理由摆弄防火墙设置，特别是如果他或她只使用Windows 8附带的应用程序，但在时机成熟时手头有说明将是必不可少的。我也不确定一个新手会想多多摆弄Windows Defender，但在这里，说明再次清晰且有很好的说明，将成为未来的一个很好的参考。多年来发现有多少新人对Windows Update的实际作用有误解（我的母亲从来没有，曾经允许在她的(Windows Update)Windows ME 计算机(Windows ME computer)上运行更新，因为担心她会感染病毒，你可以想象造成的混乱），我找到了常识性的方法(Windows Update)Windows 8中的Windows Update一步一步(Windows 8 Step By Step)是本书最有价值的部分之一。处理Windows 8备份和恢复信息方式的章节也很不错。操作中心(Action Center)对新手来说可能有点吓人，但是对它的作用以及如何阅读和自定义其通知的解释应该会使使用它变得更加容易。有孩子的读者会喜欢家庭安全(Family Safety)的解释，尽管我认为这可能应该包含在处理安全的章节中。有一个很棒的部分专门介绍了“轻松访问中心”(Ease of Access Center)。我不确定我是否会调用“使我的计算机可访问”一章(Making My Computer Accessible)， 尽管。对我来说，这听起来像是确保其他人可以使用计算机的说明，而不是让残障人士更容易使用Windows 8。不过，这是一个小问题。
鉴于Windows 8的触摸屏友好界面，我很惊讶地看到使用触摸屏设备的章节排在列表的最后。但鉴于触摸屏设备的可用性，新手很可能会首先在更传统的台式机或笔记本电脑上使用Windows 8 。我特别喜欢名为“改善 Windows 8 计算体验的 20 条技巧”("20 Tips for Improving Your Windows 8 Computing Experience")的章节。作者清楚地考虑了这一点，并提出了很好的建议。我认为能够将关机快捷方式(Shut Down shortcut)添加到开始(Start)屏幕将是最吸引人的，但我也喜欢使用“隐藏系统菜单”的说明(system menu)”，其中出现了许多非常有用的工具。这是许多有经验的用户会特别欣赏的补充。当然，没有故障排除部分，任何一本好的(troubleshooting section)计算机书籍(computer book)都是不完整的。由于Windows 8与其前身完全不同，我怀疑本章将在人们开始涉足时得到大量使用。它有很多好的、常识性的建议(sense advice)。
加起来
Windows 8 Step By Step延续了一步到位的(everything one)系列理念(series philosophy)。它是为新手设计的，作者需要时间来解释一切。我一直很欣赏那些不认为每个人都已经知道一切的书。当然(Sure)，有些人已经知道其中的一些内容，但是与大多数计算机书籍一样，这本书旨在以任何顺序阅读。作者清楚地知道他们在说什么，并且能够与新人交流，而不会低声说话或忘记面对新事物的感觉。我认为使用过其他版本Windows的人(Windows)广泛的人可能会发现这本书对他们的信息有点少，尤其是在使用第三方软件时。但是，由于这不是本书的主要读者，因此我不会为此进行标记。
判决
不要被这本书的大小吓倒。相信我，你买的不是装绒毛和填料的容器。(fluff and filler)这个新版本的Windows中的所有内容都进行了详细的解释，并配有插图来展示所有内容。这是一本可以放在电脑上方便参考的书，因为它会让你有信心做任何事情都正确。这是一个胜利者！
Book Review - Windows 8 Step By Step, by Ciprian Rusen & Joli Ballew
Windows 8 іѕ now on sale, and the interface is something radiсally different from аny previous version. There аre features that are entirely new, features that work differently from their рreviouѕ incarnations and features that are prettу much the same. What's the best way to hit the ground running with Windows 8? Windows 8 Step By Step is part of a series that has a well-deserved reputation for explaining things in a simple, straightforward manner that nearly anyone can understand, and for helping new or inexperienced users gain confidence quickly. Does Windows 8 Step By Step fit this pattern? Let's find out.
Disclaimer: I read some of the chapters while this book was being written, but I formed no opinion of the book as a whole till I got my hands on the finished product.
Getting started
The first thing you will notice is that this is a very large book. With technical books, this can be either good or bad. Either the authors have taken as much space as they need to explain everything the right way, or they've shoveled in so much fluff that it looks like they're being paid by the word. I could tell right from the get-go that this book was of the "Take as much space as you need to explain things" variety. The first 30 or so pages present an overview of Windows 8, an explanation of the book's conventions, and some helpful advice about modifying the ribbon to suit your own style, which gets the reader off to a good start.
I was surprised, however, to see that when the book gets underway the authors assume that the reader has a computer with Windows 8 already installed. They included plenty of information about installing Windows 8 (in the form of an upgrade or a dual-boot with an existing operating system) at the end of the book. I think a brief mention of that section in the "Introducing Windows 8" chapter would have been appropriate. That's a minor quibble, though, because the book explains everything a new user will need to know to get started. Since this version of Windows is so different, many new users (like me) will appreciate the way the authors walk the reader through the initial steps. It's especially important to understand how the Start screen works, because this is what greets everyone when they first open Windows 8 and it's like nothing Microsoft has done before. Windows 8 Step By Step also explains how to use the tiles on the Start screen and how to customize its appearance according to what works best for each person. I would have liked a little more thorough explanation of what Charms are, but the description of how they work and where they appear is very good. As someone who still finds the appearance of the Start screen jarring, I found the warning not to use the Desktop for everything "because apps will become the norm, especially on phones and tablets" a bit odd. This presumes most people will switch from traditional desktop computers to phones and tablets, which I doubt is going to be the case. As of right now, many familiar programs only work on the Desktop, so people are going to have to switch to it to keep working with their accustomed software. It is far too soon to urge people to give it up. And the "Key Points" section acknowledges this: "The traditional desktop is available from the Start screen and is still where you will do most of your work. "
The explanation of how to "end a computing session" appears to be a giveaway to Microsoft's new way of thinking: "Because other options are encouraged, the option to turn off the computer is more difficult to access". Sleeping or hibernating a tablet or a phone is one thing, but on a desktop it still consumes power and many people (like me) prefer to shut the computer down when we're done for the day.
To app or not to app
In keeping with the "use the Start screen" philosophy, there is a very detailed chapter devoted to using and customizing the apps that come on the Start screen. I think after reading this section, just about anyone will feel confident with those apps and with adding others. It was good to see extensive instructions for customizing the Start screen to show only the tiles one wants to see, and to include more apps than those that initially appear. I'm still a bit confused about what exactly is considered an app, though. This chapter describes Microsoft Office as a "suite of applications" that can be included on the Start screen. There's no indication of which, if any, other third-party software makes the grade for appearing on the Start screen. For a new user who hasn't acquired much in the way of other software yet, this shouldn't be a problem, but for someone with more experience who's curious about whether, say, a non-Microsoft browser could be tiled, there's no information one way or the other. Unfortunately, Windows 8 Step By Step doesn't talk about installing software on the Desktop. Most probably this is because nothing has really changed from that perspective. The process is the same as in previous versions of Windows. However, some newcomers might have benefited from a reminder of this.
Investigating the built-in software
The chapter devoted to files, folders, and libraries was one of the most detailed, and it should provide a clear explanation for nearly everyone of how these things work. People who are already familiar with previous versions of Windows will find this chapter a useful reference as well. Windows 8's interface is noticeably different, but the basic processes are much the same as in Windows 7. The practice files (free to download from the Microsoft website, link provided at the beginning of the book) should make learning how to use File Explorer nearly painless. The chapter on Internet Explorer 10 is especially good. The browser has been changed in significant ways, and it's good to have detailed instructions and illustrations on hand during the learning process. The focus is on the full-screen version available from the Start screen, which looks like nothing Microsoft has done before, but there are also detailed and fully illustrated instructions for using the Desktop version (yes, there are two separate and distinct versions of the browser included in Windows 8). I thought the authors' advice to try both versions and then pick one as the default was very wise.
Newcomers will likely not know much about "cloud computing," so the chapter that describes Microsoft's SkyDrive will also come in handy. It's clear and to the point and should have anyone up and running quickly. There's also a good chapter on "social apps," although I am not sure why things like the Camera, Calendar, and Mail are considered "social." The People app, which really is social, should appeal to just about everyone, and I suspect it will be the most used app on the screen. Windows 8 Step By Step should get everyone going with this app and make using it smooth and easy. I was surprised to learn that Windows Media Center isn't part of Windows 8 from the get-go, but the instructions for obtaining it are clear and the book walks the new user through all kinds of media use and creation. And, of course, there's a chapter devoted to finding, purchasing, and playing games, including instructions for using the Windows Experience Index to determine whether your computer has what it takes to run today's games, and instructions for connecting to your Xbox if you have one.
Connecting, sharing, security and more
The chapters devoted to setting up a home network, connecting to the internet, sharing data across a network, and setting up user accounts are clear and detailed and should give a new user confidence to do these things. I especially liked the attention to detail in the explanation of things like setting up a Windows Live/Microsoft account and creating separate user accounts for computers that will be used by more than one person. I suspect even some more experienced Windows users could use a refresher course on managing user accounts. Nowadays, security is more important than ever, and the chapter dealing with how to keep a Windows 8 computer safe and secure does a good job of explaining Windows 8's built-in security measures.
I am not sure that an absolute newcomer would have a reason to fiddle with the firewall settings, especially if he or she is only using the apps that come with Windows 8, but having the instructions on hand will be essential when the time comes. I'm also not sure how much a newcomer would want to fiddle with Windows Defender, but here again, the instructions are clear and well illustrated and will be a good reference for the future. Having found out over the years how many newcomers have a distorted view of what Windows Update actually does (my mother never, ever allowed an update to run on her Windows ME computer, out of fear she'd get a virus, and you can imagine the mess that caused), I found the common-sense approach to Windows Update in Windows 8 Step By Step one of the most valuable parts of the book. The chapters dealing with the ways Windows 8 backs up and restores information are also very good. The Action Center might be a little intimidating to a newcomer, but the explanation of what it does and how to read and customize its notifications should make using it a lot easier. Readers with children will appreciate the explanation of Family Safety, although I think this should probably have been included in the chapters dealing with security. There's a great section devoted to the Ease of Access Center. I'm not sure I would have called the chapter Making My Computer Accessible, though. To me it sounded like instructions for making sure other people could use the computer, rather than making it easier for people with disabilities to use Windows 8. That's a minor quibble, though.
Given Windows 8's touch screen-friendly interface, I was very surprised to see the chapter on using touchscreen devices so far down the list. But given the availability of touchscreen devices, it is likely that a newcomer will be using Windows 8 on a more conventional desktop or laptop computer first. I particularly liked the chapter called "20 Tips for Improving Your Windows 8 Computing Experience". The authors clearly thought this one through thoroughly and have come up with excellent suggestions. I think being able to add the Shut Down shortcut to the Start screen will be most appealing, but I also liked the instructions for using the "hidden system menu," where many very useful tools show up. This is an addition that many experienced users will especially appreciate. And of course no good computer book would be complete without a troubleshooting section. Since Windows 8 is so radically different from its predecessors, I suspect this chapter will get a lot of use while people are getting their feet on the ground. It's got a lot of good, common sense advice.
Summing up
Windows 8 Step By Step continues the series philosophy of taking everything one step at a time. It is designed for newcomers and the authors take time to explain everything. I have always appreciated books that don't assume everybody knows everything already. Sure, some people will know some of these things already, but as with most computer books, this one is designed to be read in any order. The authors clearly know what they're talking about and are able to communicate to newcomers without talking down or forgetting what it's like to be facing something new. I think people who have used other versions of Windows extensively may find this book a little short on information for them, especially when it comes to using third-party software. However, since this is not the book's primary audience, I don't mark it down for that.
Verdict
Don't be intimidated by this book's size. You're not buying a container for fluff and filler, believe me. Everything in this new version of Windows is explained in careful detail and with illustrations to show everything along the way. This is the kind of book to keep handy by your computer for reference because it will give you confidence that you can do everything right. It's a winner!
