I’ve done stupid things to my computer, things I would never admit. But I’ve also saved its life and dealt with accidental reformatting (not my fault!). Every PC is different like our fingerprints. We customize options, install applications, remove default settings and do different things to it. So, a solution may not be the same for two PCs experiencing the same problem. This means trying out various workarounds and fixes.
I rarely have trouble addressing the problems I run into with my PC. If I can’t do it, then I go to the other pro in the house whose job relates to tech support. Usually between us, the problem gets solved. On rare occasions, we call the manufacturer. Still, we find found in the book tips that we hadn’t tried. Others in our shoes might find it useful as well and if someone comes to us asking for help, we can loan them the book when we can’t assist.
Throughout the book the authors share horror stories, which are good teaching tools so you can learn the lesson from someone else’s mistake and avoid making your own. Not only are computers covered, but also PDAs, cell phones, digital cameras and scanners. This is a well-rounded book with coverage on theft, backup and recovery, viruses, spam, junkware and fraud.
If you’re not into techie things, but want to keep your computer healthy–the book won’t bore you. Quite the opposite, as the authors write with humor and down-to-earth feel. An example: after attempting to rescue a hard drive which continues to sputter, try the “defibrillator” method. It states to unplug the computer and remove the computer’s cover, and then “yell ‘CLEAR!'” and lightly tap the face of the hard drive. How can you not like a book with stuff like that?
The authors clearly explain networking and wireless networking. Anyone befuddled by such topics will appreciate the book for those chapters alone. Some problems have simple answers such as, “Is the monitor turned on?” Hearing this from tech support might be embarrassing, but the authors don’t talk down to anyone whether or not a solution is super easy or complex.
The sections use a handwriting style font adding to the book’s friendly nature and engaging writing style. It feels like a buddy helping you figure out the problem or having your own personal support person nearby. In addition to hardware and software troubles, the book includes advice for being proactive such as how to avoid spam and junkware and evade fraud and identity theft.
The text is easy to scan for quickly finding things, the contents are well-organized with topics covering almost everything we deal with when it comes to gadgets. When we hit a roadblock, it’s painful and frustrating. You can rely on the book to get you through any situation without the attitude that we sometimes face when we ask for help.
Title: Surviving PC Disasters, Mishaps, and Blunders
Author: Jesse Torres and Peter Sideris
Publisher: Paraglyph Press
ISBN: 1932111980
Date: January 2005
Format: Paperback
Pages: 416
Cover Price: USD: $19.79
CDN$: 30.79
UK£: 15.61
