Let’s imagine that you’re installing Microsoft’s OS for the first time, and you’ve never had any encounter with it whatsoever. You’re entering your Windows 10 key, installation and initial customization is completed, and a standard desktop wallpaper shows up. Now you can start working. But how? There are many people, especially elderly, who have never used Windows 10, and are willing to learn everything that’s necessary to perform basic tasks. Comprehensively written books on this subject can be just the right solution.
Why are such books a good aid?
This type of literature is typically written in very plain and simple English, making the knowledge directly and easily accessible for beginners. They’re usually inexpensive and come in the standard form of a traditional paperback book (although there are some pamphlets, too). Some of them are even distributed online as downloadable PDFs by the authors themselves, making their content effortlessly reachable. Let’s check out some of them, starting with most condensed ones.
Windows 10 Introduction Quick Reference Guide
This is a simple, pamphlet-like publication containing all the basic information about how to communicate with Windows 10. Its key element is minimalist visual design presenting all the vital aspects of the OS — accessing notifications and running apps, configuring the Start Menu or managing the most important settings. The Guide is meant for all types of users — from beginners to pros using Windows 10 Professional or Home.
Andy Rathbone — Windows 10 for Dummies
Humorous title and substantive content — that’s a good description of this book. It’s a nearly 500 pages long issue, which explores in detail all the aspects of the system’s user experience starting from absolute basics (like navigating the OS with a mouse or using a touchscreen) and ending with more complicated tasks: media consumption, user account management, checking the activation status after entering the Windows 10 key and many more. The book is available on Amazon and advertised as “the all-time best selling computer how-to book”.
Peter Weverka — Windows 10 for Seniors (for Dummies)
You could say that this book is an altered version of the above one. It contains even more simplified language, very affordable price and practical step-by-step directions on how to perform organizational tasks (primarily setting up an email account, managing the Calendar, setting up reminders and various other useful features). Practical content goes hand in hand with clear visual instructions in the book.
David Pouge — Windows 10. The Missing Manual
This book is advertised as something that should be included to the Windows box besides the data carrier with the OS and the card with Windows 10 license key. It’s written by a well known author in the tech community — David Pouge, the founder of Yahoo Tech. He has put maximum effort into explaining how this system works, providing a multitude of screenshots and comprehensive explanations. One of the functions of this book is being a bit more like a visual guide than a traditional book, which makes its content even more clear for beginners.
Ed Bott and others — Windows 10 Inside Out
This issue is basically a source material on Microsoft’s OS. It’s written by, as the cover states, “Windows technology experts and award-winning authors”: Ed Bott (PC World), Carl Siechert (who wrote more than 20 books on tech) and Craig Stinson. The book has been licensed by Microsoft itself and contains a vast amount of knowledge on the Windows licensing policy (including info about your Windows 10 Activation key), Edge web browser, Cortana intelligent assistant, OneDrive file management and many more topics. It can be used as a good follow-up to above-mentioned books.
Paul McFredries — Windows 10 Simplified
The title basically says it all. It’s an “absolute beginner’s guide”, meant to accompany the reader in the journey starting from the very first Windows installation and ending with performing more complicated tasks, troubleshooting various system problems and providing useful tips. It has a substantial paragraph on Windows Update, which is very important nowadays — Windows 10 is going to be the last edition of Microsoft’s operating system, and regular updates basically take on the role of an entirely new release of it.
But what should you do if no book is of any help?
If you encounter any serious system issue that is not explained and solved in any of the above-mentioned books, it’s always good to check out online guides and tutorials. Any operating system release is kind of a living organism, changing its properties every now and then. That’s why you won’t find all the possible solutions for every problem in printed literature, and Internet tutorials — as they always do — come in handy.
The good news is that browsing the web and searching for them requires a certain amount of basic skill which can be learned with these publications. That’s why, with proper books on Windows 10 Professional or Home, you’ll never get lost.
