I recently made up a list of recommended books to give to a designer who was just getting started on the Mac. She needed to familiarize herself with basic Mac operating system usage and computer typography conventions, as well as the major Mac design applications: FreeHand, Photoshop, and QuarkXPress. After listing eight or ten books, I made a surprising discovery: all of the books on my list were published by Peachpit Press. Coincidence? What if I had to recommend books on PageMaker, Microsoft Word, Claris Works, or FileMaker Pro — or even more esoteric topics such as macros, font management, or resource editing? Holy mackerel, Peachpit Press has it all!
And they keep coming out with more. Why, just the other day I was sitting in front of my computer thinking about rubbing a balloon on my head, when — wow! — a package arrived containing Robin Williams’ new book, Jargon: An Informal Dictionary of Computer Terms. This arrival probably averted a disaster. (See the entry for antistatic device.)
Most of the computer dictionaries I’ve seen are modest books that you reach for when you encounter a new term. The definitions are usually quite terse, and you may find yourself looking up several other words contained in the original definition. Jargon, however, is different.
I haven’t had time to “read” everything yet (you don’t “read” dictionaries), but everything I’ve looked up rings true, and is delivered in typical Robin Williams style. Unlike most dictionaries, this one explains terms, rather than just defining them. If this means taking several paragraphs — or several pages — to clearly explain something, then that’s what she takes. The book is quite up to date, and it covers terminology for all computers. It has all of the warmth and quiet humor that we’ve come to expect from Robin Williams. There’s a bonus in the cartoons contributed by John Grimes. You will learn much more than why it’s a bad idea to rub a balloon on your head while working at your computer.
This is by far the best computer dictionary I’ve seen. It’s a big book (676 pages) at the reasonable price of $22. (Of course, I might be slightly biased — I’m listed on the Acknowledgments page as having contributed to some of the definitions.)
P.S. Robin will probably be willing to autograph books when she is here in October. I strongly recommend everything she has written.
Everybody who uses QuarkXPress should have a copy of The QuarkXPress Book. It’s that simple. This is the book that for several years has been the “XPress Bible” to professionals and students alike. What makes the book so outstanding is a combination of exhaustive facts delivered in a rational manner, with a dash of humor thrown in. It’s an award-winning book that is even used by Quark’s own technical support department.
The recently-released third edition has new sections covering XPress 3.2’s new features. An entire new chapter is devoted to EfiColor. If you’ve ever been driven crazy by Quark’s manuals (and who hasn’t?), get this book! $29.
Visual Quickstart Guide to Photoshop 2.5. No, this isn’t the Peachpit Press book on Photoshop everyone has been waiting for. This one’s mostly black-and-white. However, after reading it, I’ll predict that it’s going to be a hit. It’s good either for straight-through reading or as a reference, the organization of the book is logical; each chapter covers one topic (selections, color, blends, filters, etc.), and the introductory paragraphs to each chapter tell you what to expect and what you need to understand before tackling it.
The authors spend little or no time explaining how or why the program works like it does. They take a straightforward approach; if you want to obtain a certain effect, follow steps 1 – 3. A clear, no nonsense how-to book with lots of diagrams and illustrations. At only $18, it looks like a bargain.
Camera Ready with QuarkXPress is a practical guide to creating direct-to-press documents from the desktop. Many of today’s desktop publishers are entering the field with a good understanding of computer technology and software, but with little or no experience in pre-press techniques. This often results in elegant pieces that cost too much to be printed, or perhaps have to be reworked before they can be printed at all.
This book is essentially a recipe book for many common projects, including cards (business, Rolodex, and post-), invitations, letterheads, fliers, brochures, newsletters, small books, and much more. There are even templates for cassette and CD inserts. All of the illustrations in the book are merely diagrams showing sizes and placement of printers’ marks and guides to take advantage of multiple copies of a document on a single sheet, while guaranteeing room for the printer’s grippers. Included with the book is a diskette with templates.
Appendices list standard sizes for such items as paper stock, envelopes, postcards and tabbed dividers. Another section gives information on Apple File Exchange, PostScript files, RAM requirements, etc. A glossary and index are also provided.
There’s no poetry here, but there’s plenty of information that can save you time and money if you’re headed for a commercial printer. Advised for intermediate to advanced Quark users (covers versions 3.1 and 3.2). $35 list.
EDITORS: Don’t reprint the following in your newsletter, just read it and do it:
This article came from Mac Monitor, the newsletter of The Savannah Macintosh Users Group. It may be reprinted in a single issue of newsletters published by non-profit user groups. Payment shall consist of a single issue of the newsletter in which the article appears, sent to the following address:
Jim Alley
Editor, Mac Monitor
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Savannah, GA 31405
This cartoon may be reprinted in a single issue of newsletters published by non-profit user groups. Payment shall consist of a single copy of the newsletter in which the cartoon appears, sent to the following address:
