books tagged “dummies”

C++ for Dummies, like all of the Dummies books, is an exercise in edutainment. The book is littered with cartoons, one-liners, cute symbols, checklists, and hints. Beneath all of the fun, author Stephen Davis provides a handy road map of C++ complete with warning signs to help beginners avoid stylistic and conceptual mistakes. The book contains useful pointers for programmers who use Microsoft and Borland C++ compilers and highlights some of the nonstandard features of these compilers. C++ for Dummies is full of apt metaphors that bring some of the more difficult-to-grasp concepts to life. [via]

It was inevitable, thank goodness, that the Dummies series would give us an introductory chess book. The light touch is perfect to offset the sober aura of mystery that surrounds the game in many people's minds. And the extras that reach beyond the well-written move explanations, strategies, and pattern-recognition make the book a real winner. It won't take much playing for readers to appreciate the section on chess etiquette, for example, or the one on uncommon moves, subtitled, "The Ones That Start the Fights." Informative tips and amusing bits of trivia add to the fun. [via]

If you think dating is a simple process--meet someone, ask him or her for a date or get asked out yourself, try not to come off as a drooling moron, then arrange to get together for a second date or cut your losses and work to meet someone else--well, lucky you. For many people, it's far more complicated than that, and Dr. Joy Browne addresses those complexities in Dating for Dummies. Exactly how do you meet a potential date? How do you present yourself in the most favorable light? How do you negotiate that first date? (One interesting story Browne tells is of a couple who negotiated a weekend together, deciding whether or not they'd have sex, and under what conditions they'd consider marriage and children--all before their first date.) And how do you proceed from there? The process still comes down to chemistry, but Browne shows how many ways there are to make sure you get your best possible chance with Mr./Ms. Right. [via]

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Starting off with ultrabasics, like "how do I get my plants to live rather than die?" Gardening for Dummies is a terrific textbook for the novice gardener. Explanations are laid out simply, and all terms are defined as soon as they are first used--if you've never grown so much as a houseplant, this is the book to get you started. Emphasis is on choosing proper plants for your zone (it's OK--the color map will show you which zone you're in) that are fairly low-maintenance and high-success. Large sections on both seeds and bedding plants will give you lots of options and specific instructions for getting good results--seeds, especially, are treated as persnickety little critters that require some extra effort in exchange for low cost and large variety. The big downside to this book is its lack of pictures. There are lots of line drawings, but they tend to show particular stages of a process, rather than each step. Color photos are limited to two sections, and most of them are close-ups of various plants. While it's nice to see what the bark of a paperbark maple looks like, it doesn't particularly add to the value of the book. For folks who learn best with straightforward reading, the sections on mulching, pruning, soil preparation, and tool choices are all extremely helpful. With bullet-point lists, icons for highlighting categories like ecofriendly or time-saving, and simple tables and charts, how-to photos aren't essential, but if pictorial aids are what you need for learning, look elsewhere. --Jill Lightner [via]

If you don't know the difference between a lob wedge and a lemon wedge, check out Golf for Dummies, by CBS commentator Gary McCord, one of the game's most colorful--and knowledgeable--characters. It's a wonderful, often hilarious, never boring introduction to the game. Don't let the foreword by Kevin Costner or the afterword by Hootie and the Blowfish confuse the issue; this is a terrifically sound, easy-to-follow primer. McCord's potato-chip drill--yes, potato-chip drill--will revolutionize your swing, and your thinking, with overtones that could spill directly into off-the-course existence, as well. [via]

This may be the best comprehensive guide for home buyers. Home Buying for Dummies is coauthored by Eric Tyson, author of several other books in the For Dummies series, and Ray Brown, a long-time real estate professional. Like other books in the series, this one is an easy and even entertaining read. But it does not gloss over details in pursuit of simplicity. Home Buying for Dummies covers all the bases, providing clear explanations and reasonable judgments on how to select a mortgage, hire a real estate agent, find the right house, and negotiate a good deal. The book goes further than most in providing helpful, specific information. For example, in discussing ways to save money for a future down payment, Home Buying for Dummies even includes the phone numbers for various mutual funds appropriate to different investment time frames. --Barry Mitzman [via]

Even if you're not a dummy, the sixth edition of The Internet for Dummies is one of the best user's guides to the Internet now available. Many so-called Internet books are nothing more than printed collections of Web addresses, but John Levine, Carol Baroudi, and Margaret Levine Young recognize that deciding to use the Internet involves financial commitments and computer-hardware decisions as much as it does looking at neat pictures. That said, don't expect to set up your own e-commerce site with this book, and don't expect to find step-by-step instructions for starting your computer. But do expect to get some good advice about picking an ISP (Internet Service Provider), protecting your privacy (and your kids), and connecting with Windows or a Mac. The authors also do an exceptional job of explaining such terms as PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol) and what it is for, and they even talk about the old Unix shell account (with a Lynx text browser) for those not getting a PPP account. You'll find tips for optimizing your browser for speed, building your first Web page, managing e-mail, subscribing to mailing lists, and, yes, shopping. What is most impressive, however, is the balanced approach the authors take in evaluating Web sites (they do give some Web addresses), online services, and browser software. They offer the pros and cons and let you sort it out. They also include their own Web address so you can look for updates to the book and check on their latest favorites. --Patrick O'Kelley [via]

Even if you're not a dummy, the sixth edition of The Internet for Dummies is one of the best user's guides to the Internet now available. Many so-called Internet books are nothing more than printed collections of Web addresses, but John Levine, Carol Baroudi, and Margaret Levine Young recognize that deciding to use the Internet involves financial commitments and computer-hardware decisions as much as it does looking at neat pictures. That said, don't expect to set up your own e-commerce site with this book, and don't expect to find step-by-step instructions for starting your computer. But do expect to get some good advice about picking an ISP (Internet Service Provider), protecting your privacy (and your kids), and connecting with Windows or a Mac. The authors also do an exceptional job of explaining such terms as PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol) and what it is for, and they even talk about the old Unix shell account (with a Lynx text browser) for those not getting a PPP account. You'll find tips for optimizing your browser for speed, building your first Web page, managing e-mail, subscribing to mailing lists, and, yes, shopping. What is most impressive, however, is the balanced approach the authors take in evaluating Web sites (they do give some Web addresses), online services, and browser software. They offer the pros and cons and let you sort it out. They also include their own Web address so you can look for updates to the book and check on their latest favorites. --Patrick O'Kelley [via]

Even if you're not a dummy, the sixth edition of The Internet for Dummies is one of the best user's guides to the Internet now available. Many so-called Internet books are nothing more than printed collections of Web addresses, but John Levine, Carol Baroudi, and Margaret Levine Young recognize that deciding to use the Internet involves financial commitments and computer-hardware decisions as much as it does looking at neat pictures. That said, don't expect to set up your own e-commerce site with this book, and don't expect to find step-by-step instructions for starting your computer. But do expect to get some good advice about picking an ISP (Internet Service Provider), protecting your privacy (and your kids), and connecting with Windows or a Mac. The authors also do an exceptional job of explaining such terms as PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol) and what it is for, and they even talk about the old Unix shell account (with a Lynx text browser) for those not getting a PPP account. You'll find tips for optimizing your browser for speed, building your first Web page, managing e-mail, subscribing to mailing lists, and, yes, shopping. What is most impressive, however, is the balanced approach the authors take in evaluating Web sites (they do give some Web addresses), online services, and browser software. They offer the pros and cons and let you sort it out. They also include their own Web address so you can look for updates to the book and check on their latest favorites. --Patrick O'Kelley [via]

This 1998 version of The Internet for Dummies will help you convert your isolated personal computer into a globally connected information-gathering machine. Best of all, the book gives you the information you need in the readable, friendly style typical of the Dummies series.

After singing the praises of the online world and offering some information about Internet risks (such as pornography), Levine, Baroudi, and Levine Young show you how to get connected. They explain America Online, Microsoft Network, CompuServe, and even WebTV in considerable depth, but surprisingly don't say much about the Internet Setup Wizards in Windows 95 and Windows 98.

Once the authors have you hooked up, they take you on a tour of Internet resources, including the Web, electronic mail, chat, and file transfers. While not all of the information on personalized Web resources is completely useful, the coverage is clear.

This book's real value is in its commentary on technical procedures. For example, when explaining the ins and outs of Internet shopping, the authors give you their opinions on the security of online transactions (claiming that they are generally safer than giving your card to a waiter in a restaurant).

The Internet for Dummies covers Internet Explorer 4, Outlook Express, Netscape Communicator 4, and Eudora Light. These programs appear on the companion CD-ROM along with software that helps you set up an account with MindSpring, an Internet service provider. --David Wall [via]

Its been said, and too often quoted, that the only certainties in life are death and taxes. To these can be added one more: being confused by investing. But remember that no one is born with financial knowledge. It's acquired over time.

If youve succeeded in accumulating some money to invest, congratulations! Youve already accomplished a feat that the majority of people havent done yet. But with the increased coverage of the investment world, you may think that investing times have changed. But to a large degree, things havent changed all that much. Investments that were lousy years ago are still considered lousy today. But the best investments for building wealth  stocks, real estate, and small business  havent changed.

Whether you have a modest or immodest economic means, this easy-to-use guide can help you understand how to increase your wealth by

• Living within your means and systematically saving and investing money, ideally in a tax-favored manner.
• Buying and holding stocks, ide ally through the best mutual funds.
• Building your own small business or career.
• Investing in real estate.

Equally, if not more, important is understanding and choosing investments compatible with your personal and financial goals. Nearly every professional athlete, movie star, or business big shot that gets on the evening news by making an investment blunder and losing considerable money could have  and should have  avoided the error. With Investing For Dummies, 3rd Edition, you'll discover how to do just that. You'll also

• Cut through the jargon and get to the heart of what investments are.
• Figure out what rate of return you can expect and how much risk you should take to get it.
• Explore the financial markets and how you can participate.
• Research stocks and how to best buy them.
• Uncover the best resources to use and the experts worth listening to.

You dont need a fancy college degree or a rich mom or dad to invest money. What you do need is a desire to practice simple yet powerful lessons and strategies. This book can help by showing you everything you need to start and maintain an investment program. [via]

Geared to casual users who want to install Linux on a personal machine--in other words, hobbyists--Linux for Dummies walks the reader through installing, configuring, tuning, and using each version of Linux. While the book includes a useful comparison of various Linux distributions, the companion CD-ROM holds Red Hat Linux 5.0 and the book uses that distribution in its examples.

This clearly written text begins by helping you prepare your system for Linux, going so far as to recommend you get it a special hard disk. The authors then show you how to install the system--including the mechanics of selecting file systems and setting up hardware--and then help you log on for the first time.

Next, Linux for Dummies explains elementary commands, including those used to traverse directories and to copy and move files. The book then explores storage issues, detailing how to install and configure a new hard drive in excellent detail. Shells, such as bash and X Windows, get cursory coverage (but adequate, considering the purpose of the book). Linux for Dummies also includes information on certain applications (including vi and emacs) and a guide to tuning and customization that sadly lacks much about shell programming. Internet services, including WAIS, FTP, and Gopher, get their due, but the Apache Web server gets slighted. Overall, this is the best user-lever Linux guide available. [via]

NLP has a simple premise: take someone who's good at something, model how they do it and learn from them. This way it is possible to understand the thought processes common to excellence in any field and weed out negative or habitual thinking.  Neuro-Linguistic Programming techniques extremely popular in many areas including business, education, sports, coaching, counselling, personal development and relationships. Neuro-linguistic Programming for Dummies avoids the jargon of many other books and provides both the basic essentials for the beginner and advanced theory for experienced NLP readers

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Explaining the fundamentals of personal computing to those who would rather read words than look at pictures, PCs for Dummies tells you everything you need to know in order to use an IBM-compatible PC running Windows 98. Dan Gookin's prose is technically astute and fun to read.

This isn't the book for you if you're looking through a computer catalog and wondering what all the jargon means (Buying a Computer for Dummies covers that). Rather, this book will help you when you've gotten the machine into your home and you need to know what to do next. Starting with the process of unpacking the box and plugging in all the cables, this book shows you what to do with your new machine.

After assembly is out of the way, Gookin shows you how to get around in Windows 98 (and Windows 95, which is almost identical). He explains concepts like files, directories, and applications, and frequently explains the exact procedures involved in common tasks like adjusting screen resolution. Once you've heard all about the basics, Gookin goes on to explain modem configuration, printer problems, productivity software, and a fair amount about Internet use. --David Wall [via]

If you arent a proficient PC pro and you want to get answers and get going, this is your practical reference. In a concise, no frills style, it gives you the vital information on:

• Setting up and connecting your PC and peripherals, including your keyboard, digital camera, joystick, modem, monitor, printer, scanner, wireless gizmos, and more
• Installing hardware and software
• Creating, managing, naming, opening, saving, and finding files
• Organizing your stuff, with info on folders, Windows Explorer, Compressed (ZIP) folders, and more
• Networking, including accessing another computer or a shared folder, connecting to the network, and workgroups
• Creating your own CDs, including building and burning a playlist, importing music, and more
• The printer, keyboard and the mouse

With step-by-step instructions and lots of screen shots, this book helps you walk the walk. In case you want to talk the talk, theres a glossary with clear definitions of common PC terms. A detailed index helps you find the how-to you need fast. If you want to know the history of the PC and all of its intricacies, get a big book. If you want to know how to get your PC to do what you need it to do, get this handy little reference and get to work fast. [via]

This book cuts through the hype and jargon, giving you the real story on credit cards, savings, taxes, real estate, spending reduction, mutual funds, retirement, and insurance -- all in a fun and easy-to-understand style. Also recommends the best financial products to meet your specific needs. [via]

This book cuts through the hype and jargon, giving you the real story on credit cards, savings, taxes, real estate, spending reduction, mutual funds, retirement, and insurance -- all in a fun and easy-to-understand style. Also recommends the best financial products to meet your specific needs. [via]

Philosophy at its best is an activity more than a body of knowledge. In an ancient sense, done right, it is a healing art. Its intellectual self-defense. Its a form of therapy. But its also much more. Philosophy is map-making for the soul, cartography for the human journey. Its an important navigational tool for life that too many modern people try to do without.

Philosophy For Dummies is for anyone who has ever entertained a question about life and this world. In a conversational tone, the book's author  a modern-day scholar and lecturer  brings the greatest wisdom of the past into the challenges that we face now. This refreshingly different guide explains philosophical fundamentals and explores some of the strangest and deepest questions ever posed to human beings, such as

• How do we know anything?
• What does the word good mean?
• Are we ever really free?
• Do human beings have souls?
• Is there life after death?
• Is there a God?
• Is happiness really possible in our world?

This book is chock full of all those questions you may have long wanted to think about and talk with someone about, but have never had the time or opportunity to tackle head on. Philosophy For Dummies invites you to discuss the issues you find in the guide, share perspectives, and compare thoughts and feelings with someone you respect. You'll find lots of material to mull over with your friends or spouse, including thoughts on

• When to doubt, and when to doubt our doubts
• The universal demand for evidence and proof
• The four dimensions of human experience
• Arguments for materialism
• Fear of the process of dying
• Prayers and small miracles
• Moral justification for allowing evil

The ancient philosopher Socrates (fifth century, B.C.) thought that, when it comes to the Ultimate Questions, we all start off as dummies. But if we are humbly aware of how little we actually know, then we can really begin to learn. Philosophy For Dummies will put you on the path to wising up as you steer through the experience called life. [via]

• Shows Web developers how to use two popular open source technologies, the PHP scripting language and MySQL database, to build Web database applications
• This updated edition covers changes in PHP 5 and the latest version of MySQL, including programming techniques for the new PHP default setting, methods for handling MySQL security problems, and extended information about Apache Web Server and Mac OS X versions of PHP and MySQL
• Explains how to install Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X versions of PHP and MySQL
• Includes two complete sample applications: an online catalog and a members-only Web site
• Features a companion Web site with code examples from the book and links to the author's successful site
• Kevin Beaver has more than fifteen years of experience in security and information technology, specializing in security assessments and incident response
• Features a companion Web site with links to various utilities discussed throughout the book and practical security checklists

Visit us at dummies.com Discover how to track expenses and payments with ease
Packed with expert tips to increase your profits
Take control of your finances and keep your business in the black If you're like most small-business people, accounting is the last thing you want to spend lots of time on. That's where this friendly guide comes in. Written by a CPA, it quickly walks you through bookkeeping basics - and shows how QuickBooks can put your accounts in order and help keep the cash flowing.
Discover how to: Customize QuickBooks for your business Set up online banking and bill paying Keep track of receivables, payables, and cash Monitor inventory levels Produce income statements and financial reports Handle payroll and print checks
The Dummies Way(TM) Explanations in plain English "Get in, get out" information Icons and other navigational aids Tear-out cheat sheet Top ten lists A dash of humor and fun
Get smart! www.dummies.com Register to win cool prizes Browse exclusive articles and excerpts Get a free Dummies Daily(TM)e-mail newsletter Chat with authors and preview other books Talk to us, ask questions, get answers [via]

Here's what you need to become your own accountant! If you love running a business, but despise keeping the books, this is the book for you! Revised throughout to cover the latest updates and enhancements made to QuickBooks, Quickbooks 2005 For Dummies covers the basics, walks you through the software installation, and guides you step-by-step through various accounting functions, including:

• Creating invoices and credit memos
• Tracking accounts receivable and payable
• Paying bills
• Monitoring and managing inventory
• Balancing the books
• Printing checks or paying with plastic
• Doing your banking online
• Processing payroll

Written by Stephen Nelson, the author of more than 100 books, including all editions of QuickBooks For Dummies, Quickbooks 2005 For Dummies takes you beyond everyday accounting tasks and helps you use information to boost your productivity and profits by:

• Generating and sharing financial reports
• Building budgets
• Efficiently estimating, billing, and tracking jobs

To expedite your bookwork and grow your business by the numbers, you dont have to hire expensive consultants or become a CPA; just become a QBEa QuickBooks Expert. With this book and your QuickBooks software, everything you need to know is at your fingertips! [via]

Create a "KickButt" resume that gets your foot in the door!

Show employers what you've got and why you're the one for the job! Careers expert Joyce Lain Kennedy provides step-by-step guidelines for creating a resume that powerfully presents your skills, experience, and personality -- to get you the interview you're after! Whether you're a recent graduate after your first big job or a seasoned professional looking to expand your career horizons, Resumes for Dummies, 2nd Edition, will help you create a resume that won't take "no" for an answer.

Make a lasting first impression: Find your most marketable self with easy worksheets Choose a format that plays up your best features Draft cool summary statements that sizzle and sell Goof-proof your resume for picky computer scanners Go digital with your resume -- online strategies that really work! Use effective key words and avoid rookie rhetoric Put a positive spin on tough issues like demotion and gaps in employment [via]

Do you have a habit of coming to work early, staying late, and working on your weekends? How many times have you used the excuse "There's just not enough time in the day to get everything done?" Probably more often than you'd care to admit! Well, now you don't need any excuses for not accomplishing everything you've set out to do -- not when you have Time Management For Dummies, 2nd Edition, as your trusty resource. You'll be amazed at what you can get done each and every day when you discover the timesaving tips, techniques, ideas, and strategies in this book.

If you want to become more effective, efficient, and productive, then this book is one of the best time investments you can make. Dubbed ?Mr. Neat the Clutterbuster? by USA Today, author Jeffrey J. Mayer gives you hundreds of timesaving tips that can help you save at least an hour a day. You also find the latest word on time-management tools as well as valuable tips on organizing your life at home and improving your ability to communicate effectively. So if you want to be more productive, get better organized, and still make it home in time for dinner, then discover how to pace yourself with Time Management For Dummies, 2nd Edition. [via]

The title of this book invites comment. "Some things weren't meant for dummies and Unix is one of them," you might say. Wrong! Levine and Young take advantage of the Dummies format's strength with command-line operating systems. They flatten the learning curve and have even the greenest beginner doing useful work with Unix in mere hours.

Once you get past a couple of pointless chapters about offering pizza to Unix experts in exchange for help, you'll find conceptual explanations of files, directories, permissions, and redirection. Command explanations take a hybrid form; they mix "type this verbatim" statements with tables showing switches and parameters.

Much of Unix for Dummies is task-oriented. You'll find a whole chapter on printing, for example, that covers the commands you'll need to know to format and print a document on the right printer. Other chapters cover file searches, software installation, and X Windows navigation. The book also provides cursory coverage of four text editors--ED, vi, Emacs, and pico--but you learn little more than how to enter and save text in each.

Levine and Young include an eminently useful "DOS-to-Unix Rosetta Stone" that immediately tells you, for example, that the approximate Unix equivalent of DOS's copy is cp. DOS experts who are new transplants to a Unix environment will appreciate this translation guide. The authors wrap up with a wealth of basic troubleshooting information and a command reference.

This book, along with its companion, More Unix for Dummies, is the perfect choice for those who have no knowledge of Unix and need to learn it quickly. [via]

Yoga for Dummies proves that this 5,000-year-old Indian discipline can be all things to all people--the athlete striving for more-limber limbs, the stressed-out professional needing mental calm, peace, and clarity; the pregnant mom-to-be looking to keep herself toned and her emotions balanced, the spiritual seeker wanting to access the higher planes of consciousness.

Georg Feuerstein, Ph.D., and Larry Payne, Ph.D., are internationally recognized yoga experts. After explaining how to prepare your body and mind for yoga--including warnings about how to practice safely--they jump straight into the postures (asanas), instructions for which make up the meat of book (relaxation, breathing, movement, sequencing, compensation, sitting). Feuerstein and Payne carefully and in great detail lead the reader through every step, although they do advise first-timers to supplement the book with actual classes until they have the basics down. Throughout the book, clear explanations accompany black-and-white photos and drawings. (Unfortunately, following the written instructions is hard enough when your feet are in the air or your head's down by your ankles, and the book would have been improved if the pictures always appeared on the same page as their instructions.)

Readers then learn about tailoring a yoga program to their needs; using props; practicing "Yoga Throughout the Day"; incorporating yoga into sex, meditation, menopause, and pregnancy; using yoga to treat back problems and PMS; and practicing yoga with kids. The book also covers yogic ethics, philosophy, and resources. It's not all asanas and pranas, though--Yoga for Dummies is sprinkled with the humor characteristic of the For Dummies series (a section explaining that the ego is the ultimate source of stress is titled "Wherever ego, I go") and practical advice (the Forgiving Limbs maneuver allows you to bend your legs and arms a bit rather than try to fully extend them, so that you can perform postures you're not yet quite limber enough for). This is both an excellent beginner's guide and a good reference for more advanced yoginis who want a brush-up course. --Stefanie Durbin [via]