Microsoft First Generation: The Success Secrets of the Visionaries Who Launched A Technology Empire

Amazon.com

If a company's soul is defined by its employees, Cheryl Tsang's Microsoft First Generation offers the definitive look at the way one of the world's top corporations has really been shaped. In straightforward but perceptive profiles, Tsang introduces a dozen key individuals hired by Bill Gates and Paul Allen before 1990--when the primary focus was creation and development, rather than growth and maintenance. They are mathematician-programmer Bob O'Rear (hired two years before Microsoft relocated from Albuquerque to Seattle), technical writer Russell Borland, programmer Richard Brodie, senior vice president Scott Oki, chief information officer Neil Evans, CPA Dave Neir, Ida Cole (the first female VP), CD-ROM author Min Yee, technical manager Ron Harding, publishing-systems manager Russell Steele, Asian-business-development manager Paul Sribhibhadh, and senior diversity administrator Trish Millines Dziko. "The people who comprised Microsoft's first generation were exactly right for their time. They were the pioneers," Tsang writes. "The founders of Microsoft were shrewd to have hired them, for the company's monumental and continuing success would not have been possible without [their] exceptional work and passion." --Howard Rothman

Book Description

What began as a modest start-up partnership only twenty-five years ago has already surpassed all the giants of contemporary capitalism, including General Electric and IBM, and has achieved a value estimated at nearly $500 billion. How did Microsoft achieve all of this in so short a time? What was the true nature of the Microsoft environment in the beginning, and what are the secrets behind its triumph?

Find the answers here. With Microsoft First Generation, Cheryl Tsang skillfully renders recent history in bold, colorful strokes, highlighting each of the specific business qualities and entrepreneurial traits that turned Microsoft's dreams into reality. Meet the early builders of Microsoft, and step inside the famous culture of loyalty, the storied "maniacal work ethic," and the hardcore world of reckless risk-taking that remains so integral to the computer giant's matchless and ongoing success.

Here, up close and personal, Tsang introduces readers to twelve members of Microsoft's mythic first generation, each of whom has walked away from Microsoft as a multimillionaire. The collection spans a diverse collection of creative geniuses and business wizards, from Bob O'Rear, employee number seven, who joined the team in 1977 and wrote the original MS-DOS program on the first IBM PC; to bestselling author Russell Borland who, after innocently answering a help wanted ad for a technical copywriter in 1980, suddenly became the mouthpiece of an entire company, singlehandedly familiarizing the world with Microsoft products; to Trish Millines, who began as a software tester in 1988 and then blazed a trail and effected lasting change as a powerful advocate for ethnic diversity in the technological arena.

Featuring candid appraisals of the idiosyncrasies of software culture, fascinating portraits of the enigmatic Bill Gates, and rare photographs of the company's early days, Microsoft First Generation uncovers a range of surprising success secrets-and reveals, once and for all, exactly what makes Microsoft tick.

Customer Reviews:

not up to the mark.......2004-11-10

Just another book. Nothing special. As the name suggests, I wanted to have a look into the way these first guys faced compitition. That is missing. The stories lack in detail. Also its does not cover the complete Diaspora of the kind of people working at Microsoft.

Truly awful.......2004-07-14

It is such a shame. Imagine a party where everyone is telling the best reditions (often exaggerated) of their life choices and career path. These party goes will be slapping each other on the back for their good judgement, their luck, their brilliance. They are unlikely to tell the truth such that you would ever use the story as a basis for your own decision making. The story is also unlikely to provide access into what actually happened so that you get a sense of being there or give lessons to repeat it. Record these stories at your next party. Transcribe them. Publish as a book.

Does what it says.......2001-12-10

I picked this book up and I think that it is very good. I started reading it right after finishing up a book on Linus Torvalds the creator of Linux. Thus this is almost the flip side of that coin, showing how Microsoft became. One thing that surprised me was that Bill Gates was not one of the main focuses of this particular book, though he is mentioned quite frequently. Rather it shows some of the others responsible for possibly the most successful computer company ever. This is not all just programmers either, but a good selection of people from various different aspects of the microsoft realm.

Dull..........2001-08-01

Unfortunately, this book simply isn't very well written... it reads like an 8th grader's English homework. The interviewees don't really shed any light on Microsoft, and their stories are so lacking in detail as to be pointless. Read "Gates" for a far better treatment of the topic.

First Generation: A wonderful example to today's society........2000-01-13

Tsang's book, Microsoft: First Generation, display's a great example to today's society, and generation. The book focuses on 12 key members of Microsoft in it's earliest stages, which, in a way, helped create the infrastructure of the company. The interviews show how all 12 ex-ms employees ended up where they were, and what it took to be successful. I applaud Mrs. Tsang for her hard work. I recommend this book to anyone interested in business, or Microsoft itself.

Average customer rating:

He'll pitch forever in our hearts.

Essential baseball reading

Poignant description of a shameful period.

a well-done tribute to one of the best

Maybe I'll Pitch Forever
Leroy Paige
Manufacturer: Bison Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Don't Look Back : Satchel Paige in the Shadows of Baseball

I Was Right On Time

Josh Gibson: A Life in the Negro Leagues

Only the Ball Was White: A History of Legendary Black Players and All-Black Professional Teams

Beyond the Shadow of the Senators : The Untold Story of the Homestead Grays and the Integration of Baseball

ASIN: 0803287321

Amazon.com

Originally published in 1962, Paige's autobiography is as enticingly full of personality as the fabulous pitcher himself. Paige's career overflowed with legend from beginning to end; the most compelling character to come out of the Negro Leagues, he finally broke into the Majors as a relatively old man in his 40s, and continued to stymie Big League hitters on and off until he could finally sit back and collect Social Security. Paige lived large, casting a giant shadow on and off the diamond as he battled prejudice with a disarming mixture of skill--during the barnstorming era of the '20s and '30s, the white stars of game hated facing him--and an unforgettable wit: "Don't look back," he counselled, "something might be gaining on you." His breezy autobiography is colorful, spirited, conversational, and immodest, but as Satch would be the first to admit, he had very little to be modest about. The literature of the game is more vivid for its presence. --Jeff Silverman

Book Description

Satchel Paige was forty-two years old in 1948 when he became the first black pitcher in the American League. Although the oldest rookie around, he was already a legend. For twenty-two years, beginning in 1926, Paige dazzled throngs with his performance in the Negro Baseball Leagues. Then he outlasted everyone by playing professional baseball, in and out of the majors, until 1965. Struggle—against early poverty and racial discrimination—was part of Paige's story. So was fast living and a humorous point of view. His immortal advice was "Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you."

Customer Reviews:

He'll pitch forever in our hearts........2006-08-15

"Maybe I'll Pitch Forever" was written in the sixties and is in the words of Leroy (Satchel) Paige as told to David Limpman. It isn't his only book as I recall one from many years ago, but surely is the best. It is one of the best baseball books that I have had the honor of reading. Way back in August of 1948 I got to see Satchel pitch and win against the Washington Senators in Washington D.C.. They called him an old man then, however he proved to be very key to the Cleveland Indians winning the world championship in 1948. Had he been allowed in the majors when in his prime no pitcher would have a better major league record. Not even today. Great pitchers from the past like Bob Feller and Dizzy Dean all agree with that. Paige was an iron man and in the Negro Leagues would pitch many a time every game in a season. In exhibition games he struck out and defeated the top white stars in America. The book is a great baseball story that has both humor and a touch of sadness. Satchel Paige rose above racism and endured despite great hardship. He was not perfect by any means, he is quite honest about that, but beautifully talented and eventually a good family man. One wants to believe in a "Field of Dreams" and that "Hall of Famer" Satchel Paige is in the lineup with the other legends of baseball who books are still being written about to this day.

Essential baseball reading.......2004-02-20

Not only a great baseball life but a great American life is revealed in "Maybe I'll Pitch Forever," the story of Satchel Paige, one of baseball's greatest, but not best-known, pitchers.

Paige is often thought of today, like Yogi Berra, as a kind of primitive intelligence capable of spinning lines like "Don't look back, something might be gaining on you." As with Yogi, Paige's wit has obscured the magnitude of his achievement as a player. He was, by the acclaim of nearly all who played with him and against him, one of the greatest pitchers of all time, although of course he had but a brief opportunity to show his skills in the Major Leagues.

In fact, the book brings out, not only in Paige's words (he wasn't shy about declaring the peerlessness of his abilities), but in those of many others, that he should have been the first black to break the MLB color barrier, not Jackie Robinson. Why he wasn't is not precisely clear, although his strong independent streak (he was never reluctant to break contracts if it meant more money for him) may have had something to do with it.

All in all, the book offers a vivid view of the nomadic life that Paige and other black players lived in service to their sport. Paige pitched nearly year round, often every day, which of course seems nearly inconceivable to the modern fan, who is grateful when his team's starting pitcher goes seven innings with five days' rest. Paige not only pitched frequently, he did so from the East Coast to the West Coast to Mexico to Cuba. And he did it until he was into his fifties!

David Lipman allows his subject's voice to shine through, a key strength of the book. Satchel's humor, expressed in his own words, helps the reader to understand his surprising lack of bitterness at being denied an opportunity to pitch in the Major Leagues when it is obvious that he would be thought of as one of the best to ever play had he been given the opportunity from a young age.

A fine book, essential to the library of any student of the game.

Poignant description of a shameful period........2001-08-19

One of the better first hand descriptions of the Negro Leagues by one of the all time great pitchers. Satchel Paige describes this shameful period in America's history in his own unique way, with homespun language and a flair for entertainment. Paige expresses the joy of playing baseball and the pain of not being allowed to play in the major leagues until late in his career.

This book will let you experience what it was like to be a member of the Negro Leagues with all the barnstorming, year round playing all over the western hemisphere, the games against the major leaguers, and the love of the game experienced on the backroads of America and the big stadiums of the large cities. These dedicated men paved the way for the intergration of baseball and changed the United States for the better.

If you love baseball, purchase this book and learn more about the history of the game - a history that was obscured by the bright lights of the segragated country and big leagues. You will learn about great players who put it all on the line for the grand old game.

a well-done tribute to one of the best.......1999-05-18

Any baseball buff worth his or her salt has heard of Satchel Paige. This book is a reprint of a book first published in 1962, so all the language is quite dated. Enjoyment of it requires a willingness to understand that 'coloured' and 'Negro' were once acceptable terms for black people without getting bent out of shape.

The co-author to whom the book was told by Mr. Paige did a good job, it seems, in standardizing Mr. Paige's English without losing his unique and very entertaining mode of expression. It is fairly entertaining and Mr. Paige displays a good deal of self-honesty concerning his strengths and weaknesses. There is a lot about how he felt at any given time in his career that gives real insight into himself and his peers.

The reasons you want to read this book are twofold. One, there's a lot of good baseball lore being told here. Two, and more importantly, this man gave his life to the game, showing courage and determination any American can be proud of. With all Mr. Paige missed out on due to the social structure of his time, to listen respectfully to his words now is one way to pay tribute to him.

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Maybe I'll Pitch Forever : A Great Baseball Players Tells the Hilarious Story Behing the Legend
LeRoy (Satchel) ; Lipman, David Paige
Manufacturer: Doubleday & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GLQ07U

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Maybe I'll Pitch Forever
Leroy Paige , and David Lipman
Manufacturer: Blackstone Audiobooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

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ASIN: 0786115270

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Maybe I'll Pitch Forever (Baseball Hall of Fame Library)
Leroy Satchel
Manufacturer: Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound
ASIN: B000KW7SEE

Product Description

Brand new! LEATHER BOUND book accented in 22kt gold!

MAYBE I'LL PITCH FOREVER - The Legendary Hall-of-Famer Tells His Own Story

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MAYBE I'LL PITCH FOREVER - The Legendary Hall-of-Famer Tells His Own Story
Leroy Satchel (with David Lipman) Paige
Manufacturer: Grove Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GVZDKA

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MAYBE I'LL PITCH FOREVER - The Legendary Hall-of-Famer Tells His Own Story
Leroy Satchel (with David Lipman) Paige
Manufacturer: A Black Cat Book
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000U30LBK

Maybe I'll Pitch Forever: a Great Baseball Player Tells the Hilarious Story Behind the Legend

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Maybe I'll Pitch Forever: a Great Baseball Player Tells the Hilarious Story Behind the Legend
LeRoy (Satchel) | Lipman, David Paige
Manufacturer: Grove Press Z-1078-N
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KBHB06

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Maybe I'll Pitch Forever: a Great Baseball Player Tells the hilarious Story Behind The Legend
LeRoy (satchel) Paige
Manufacturer: Doubleday and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000T4BCXQ

Book Description

What has made remote, mountainous Tibet and its only real celebrity, the Dalai Lama, so abidingly fascinating to the West? In Virtual Tibet, Orville Schell, one of the preeminent experts on modern China and Tibet, undertakes a strange and wondrous odyssey into our Tibetan fantasies. He recounts the spellbinding adventures of the Western explorers and spiritualists who for centuries were bent on reaching forbidden Tibet and the holy city of Lhasa. Simultaneously, Schell embarks on a parallel present-day journey from Beastie Boys' "Free Tibet" concerts to a re-creation of Lhasa in the high Argentine Andes -- the extravagant set of Seven Years in Tibet, starring Brad Pitt.At once comic and insightful, Virtual Tibet takes us beyond the fantasies to the reality of an isolated country that has repeatedly won the West's adoration, and paid the price for believing that our allegiance is profound.

Customer Reviews:

Replace the metaphysical with humanist considerations, please........2005-12-27

In Virtual Tibet, Orville Schell demarcated the land persecuted by China and the Shangri-la of Western invention. Essentially Schell is concerned in presenting Hollywood's impact on our views of Tibet. Schell begins by unfolding a trip he made to Tibet as a consequence of perceptions based books like Heinrich Harrer's Seven Years in Tibet. The book closes with Schell visiting the set of a 1997 movie of Harrer's story, and pondering on its impact.

I could not agree more that Tibet could benefit from a more realistic representation. In Virtual Tibet, Schell does a wonderful job of tracing the multifaceted historical events that have tangled the indigenous population of Tibet with the Mongols and the Chinese. Schell tries unsuccessfully to solicit our sympathy for the Chinese occupation by indicating they have pumped over $4 billion into Tibet. Ironically, Orville that money has not to the benefit of the locals Tibetans but rather to line the pockets of the Chinese army and the Han Chinese invaders who have displaced and are ethnically cleansing Tibet.
Most of Virtual Tibet concentrates on a more elusive issue: the double bind of the Shangri-la invention by Westerners. My sense is that we will never really get rid of this invention because we are trying to fill a void which we never can fill. According to Schell, the enthrallment began with Marco Polo's. Schell offers an excellent sequential listing of succeeding works from Odorico de Pordenone in the 14th century, through several other Catholic Capuchin and Jesuit missionaries, ending with the first British intruders in the 18th century. Schell culminates his list with James Hilton's Lost Horizon, published in 1933, and Out of This World, the 1950 book by Lowell Thomas.

According to Schell, the Dalai Lama's straddles a curious divide "inaccessibility for accessibility and aloofness for involvement." However, ironically Tibet fell to China precisely because of this "inaccessibility and aloofness." This muddling of reality has done the Tibetan cause nothing but harm. There is the complication of Steven Seagal, the so called martial arts expert, actor, director, and producer has been proclaimed a tulku, a reincarnation of a high lama. Schell concludes that Seagal probably received it in exchange for a large contribution. It is this very muddling, I think, and Schell should have come out stronger that is preventing the Tibetans from gaining their much deserved independence and self-determination.

Conversely, the most intriguing issue Schell raises superficially is that "our fantasies of places on or off this earth generally reflect far more about ourselves ... than we perhaps care to know," and then stops there. It is clear that our Orientalism is really less to do about the reality of the inventions but more to do with what we aspire as a void we are trying to fill in ourselves and Schell skirts the issue, I feel he skirts the issue because the Dalai Lama and the Tibetans need these fantasies in order to keep the cause alive in the minds of westerners - mostly to seek sympathy form western sponsors - a tricky situation to be in. In closing, we should give up our fictitious view of Tibet and our insistence on Lhasa as the locus of mysticism. Instead, in its place should be the reality of Realpolitik and that rather than wishful thinking we should take concrete steps work for its freedom, less concerned with metaphysical but replaced by humanist considerations.

Miguel Llora

Virtual Realities.......2002-08-08

This is an excellent book that tells how over the years Hollywood has become just as much a propaganda mouthpiece as the Chinese media. Hopefully it will awaken those Western supporters of Tibet from their fantasies and simplistic views of the Tibetan situation.

Virtual Faddism.......2001-07-23

Orville Schell's works have always been exquisite. Written in a crisp style, penetrating in analysis, his books have never failed to breathe life into their subjects and leave the reader more informed than before. Expecting the same tour de force as found in Mandate of Heaven and Discos and Democracy, I was not disappointed with Virtual Tibet: Searching for Shangri-La from the Himalayas to Hollywood. Schell tackles a topic that receives plenty of discussion and fanfare, but has experienced precious little objective study in recent years. Tibet has labored under the political and cultural repression of the People's Republic of China since 1951. Many believe that China is slowly committing cultural genocide through its repression of Tibetan religious and cultural customs and by encouraging vast numbers of Han Chinese to settle in Tibet. With the help of a charismatic Dalai Lama and throngs of Hollywood stars, the Tibetan issue has received a disproportionate amount of attention relative to its importance in world events. Whereas one struggles to find "Free East Timor" bumper stickers on cars, "Free Tibet" stickers are far more ubiquitous. The strong point of Schell's work is his analysis of Hollywood's fascination with Tibet. He interviews many of the most visible promoters of the Tibetan cause and also provides fly-on- the-wall accounts of numerous "Free Tibet" Hollywood functions and the making of the movies Kundun and Seven Years in Tibet. Through his interviews and observations, Schell largely confirms what I have suspected for years. Hollywood's promotion of the Tibetan cause has less to do with its relative merits than it does with the fact that it has become a fashionable issue in which to be associated. The Tibetan cause has become a virtual Rohrsach test in which Hollywood supporters can use to feel better about what ails them spiritually and politically. Schell's works demonstrate an uncanny ability of meeting all the right people and convincing them to reveal their true feelings. Instead of Communist Party officials or Chinese gangsters as in his previous works, Schell is somehow able to elicit revealing quotes from otherwise elusive individuals such as Steven Seagal and Brad Pitt. Although nobody has complained about being misquoted to my knowledge, I hope this reflects Schell's skill as an interviewer. It would be a shame if a writer and journalist of Schell's quality needed to embellish his subject's words for better copy. Schell succeeds in making the subject of Tibetan history more entertaining for the general reader without sacrificing content. Schell's Virtual Tibet is an informative and well-rounded work, lifting much of the mystique from an esoteric, yet prominent subject. While Schell sympathizes with their cause, he is able to remove the veil of motivation from Hollywood's Tibetan supporters. Many readers may have expected Schell to delve deeper into the issues surrounding China and Tibet, but this would have required Schell to tread over already well- traveled terrain. In deciding to leave the debate over the relative merits of Chinese policies toward Tibet aside, Schell has produced an original and thoughtful work of journalism. Schell's portrayal of the main protagonists for the Tibetan cause are unflattering and bound to upset many people. This is the hallmark of a fine journalist.

A Sober Look at an Intoxicating Subject.......2001-07-05

Orville Schell has written a pretty good book. The basic premise of the book is that anything that Hollywood touches is going to suffer distortion. It's simply a primal fact of the beast. And what a beast it is! Equal parts whore, dreamer, cynical businesman, and hopeless idealist. Schell is very good at examining the strange interaction between Hollywood and the Tibetan exiles. And I think he does it in a not unkind manner.

The present Dalai Lama is an enormously attractive figure. He's a wonderful spokesmen for Tibetan Buddhism. His spirituality, sincerity, intelligence, and integrity seem to me to be beyond reproach. However, there is more to Tibetan Buddhism and Tibetan history than the present Dalai Lama.

Regardless of what you think of the present gang in Beijing, what type of society was Tibet before the Chinese takeover? Schell describes it, more or less, as an oppressive feudalistic theocracy. Tibet as something short of Shangri-la. Schell depicts the old Tibet as being a dark, oppressive, and decidedly filthy place. We can condemn the Chinese occupation of Tibet and the suppression of the Tibetan people without creating fantasies of the old Tibet days. Schell is essentially calling for a realistic view of the historical events. By understanding a bit of the history of the area we may come to a more realistic idea of what needs to be done. The best political solution may be the type of compromise that Schell seems to suggest. This compromise seems to be along the lines of what the Dalai Lama has proposed in recent years.

Religion and reason often do not share the same realm. This is a truism that seems to be as valid for some of the adherents of Tibetan Buddhism as well as the followers of Jimmy Swaggert and Jerry Falwell. Buddhism has a wonderful spirtual tradition--as does Christianity and other religions. However, upon what authority do people consider the Tibetan brand of Buddhism to be superior to the SE Asian, the Japanese, etc. versions of Buddhism? The 4 noble truths and the 8 fold path are the same for all the different flavors of Buddhism. The present Dalai Lama's character strikes me as impeccable. But what of the other Tibetan Buddhist religious figures that came to the West in recent decades to proclaim the dharma? It's my understanding that many of them fell victim to the temptations of our modern culture: money, sex, drugs, etc.

It's our human nature--as Schell--points out to want to think that there is some magical place or idea that will remove all of our imperfections. I think he is right in saying that Tibet is another geographic and human place with it's own attendent vices and virtues. I am of the opinion that Buddhism, like the more thoughtful and sincere versions of Christianity, is a marvelous vehicle for spirtual growth. But that growth in any religious tradition is achieved only through strong effort and practice as well as sincere devotion to the teachings.

Tibet for the American Populace........2000-09-29

I read this, because I am an Asian Studies major and know who Prof. Schell is. I wrote a Masters Thesis for my MA from Seton Hall in 1982, called Chinese Communism and Its Impact on Tibet. I am basing this review on reading the book and some of the other comments I've seen in the reviews. It is true, we have always had an fascination with Tibet, because of Lost Horizon, Seven Years in Tibet, etc. I cannot see in the book where Prof. Schell played down Chinese heavyhandedness. He also states (rightly so) that no Western Govt. backs the idea of an independent Tibet. They do back the Tibetans not being maltreated. Face it, in the modern world, Tibet does not have the resources to survive as an independent country. If anything, Dr. Schell showed just how silly, many of the Hollywood folks jumping on this bandwagon are. This is just the latest fad for them. Movies about Tibet look great on the silver screen. The same cannot be said for Kosovo, or Sudan. I gave it four stars. Hollywood Tibet would have been a better title. Tinseltown Tibet? I am glad this was written to bring it to the American people. Another drawback with this book is, how many people reading it are just reading it for the stars listed and don't understand ALL the issues. I hope this will spur Americans to read more about China as well. I want to know how far the Hollywood circuit wants to go with this. Are they going to go to Tibet themselves? Be with anti-Chinese fighters. No folks, as much as I respect the Dalai Lama, his best hope for seeing his homeland again in his lifetime is to work out a deal with the Chinese. Religious freedom for dropping independence claims. Yes, there is no more Berlin Wall. Tibet cannot make it on its own. Read the book, and as an American, gain your understanding. Want to help Tibet. Help to educate Hollywood folks in both sides of this issue. Prof. Schell shows, it is more complicated than many would like to think.

Virtual Tibet: Searching for Shangri-La From the Himalayas to Hollywood

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Virtual Tibet: Searching for Shangri-La From the Himalayas to Hollywood
Orville Schell
Manufacturer: Metropolitan Books/Henry Holt
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NW3NMW

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Virtual Tibet - Searching For Shangri-la From The Himalayas To Hollywood
Orville Schnell
Manufacturer: Metropolitan/Henry Holt & Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IWIRFK

Book Description

"This neat, little book is truly delightful...puzzles cover the domain of science from astronomy to zoology....questions are generally short...and crisply written...The answers are the same way....And, the problems can be used for lively discussions....a great value..."--School Science and Mathematics. 96 pages, 69 b/w illus., 5 3/8 x 8 1/4.

Customer Reviews:

Good collection of challenging elementary physics puzzles........1996-11-28

For a few dollars, students can now get even with their science teachers. All they have to do is challenge the professor with some of the subtle puzzles in this fine little book.

Book Description

Corporations have finally embraced portals as tools for knowledge sharing, and SharePoint, which offers easy integration with Microsoft Office, is an increasingly popular solution, with ten percent of the portal market
Shows IT developers and administrators how to get up to speed fast on SharePoint portal technology
Topics covered include building sites with SharePoint and FrontPage, setting up document collaboration and information sharing, updating custom SharePoint sites using Microsoft Office, developing an HTML viewer for Office documents, creating custom reporting forms using InfoPath, and integrating SharePoint sites using SharePoint Services

Customer Reviews:

Great for users and techies alike..........2007-02-09

I've often said that a good Dummies book allows me to get a broad understanding of a product or technology so I "know what I don't know". This title is a classic example of that... Microsoft SharePoint 2003 For Dummies by Vanessa Williams. It's a non-threatening use-focused coverage of SharePoint 2003 that is a good introduction to the topic at hand...

Contents:
Part 1 - Getting the Lay of the Land: Getting to Know SharePoint; Starting with the Basics
Part 2 - Central Portal Administration: Configuring the Portal; Accessing SharePoint
Part 3 - Portal Design: Matching SharePoint to Your Business; Managing Portal Content; Branding the Portal
Part 4 - Build It, and Hope They Come: Collaborating with SharePoint Sites; Document Libraries;
Part 5 - Power to the People - Engaging Employees with SharePoint: Managing Employee Relations; Mixing Up Your Marketing Mix
Part 6 - Throw Away the Spreadsheets: Expense Reports; Technical Uses for SharePoint
Part 7 - Maintenance: Monitoring SharePoint; Backup and Restore
Part 8 - The Part of Tens: Ten Ways SharePoint Adds Business Value; Ten Ways to Screw Up SharePoint
Index

Williams goes after two different audiences here, and I'm surprised she pulled it off. She targets the average power user who might have access to build a site on the SharePoint server. With this book in hand, I would agree that a motivated person could do quite well on their own. She also targets tech people who want an overview of SharePoint so that they can get started quickly. Normally you can't mix those two groups and come out with something that's acceptable to either. Again, I think she actually succeeded. If I were going to start building SharePoint sites for a user base, I'd have enough information here to get started with an adequate mental framework of how it all fits. I'm sure I'd quickly need the "1000 page book" (as she puts it) to start pushing the boundaries of what's possible. But for basic "I need something now" sites, I could do it with the help of this book.

I was also impressed that she dealt with the cultural issue of collaboration software. As a long-time Notes/Domino developer, I know and understand all too well that collaboration isn't something you can mandate or force on people. People who get it will gravitate around the software right away. Those who view information as power will horde it and refuse to participate. And it doesn't matter how good of a developer you are or how slick the site is. The application will fail... By addressing these issues, Williams sets a realistic picture of what to expect if and when you install SharePoint.

Good material, and a good way to get your feet wet on SharePoint 2003...

Best book of its type on SharePoint 2003.......2006-12-22

I am a Microsoft trainer that has taught numerous SharePoint classes. Vanessa's work is the most straightforward intro book out there. She goes a step farther by including simple sample solutions for common issues. All this is a real help to someone trying to get things rolling. All SharePoint admins should keep several copies available.

Two thumbs up to the author..........2006-05-11

Being given the task of constructing an intranet for our company's service desk felt a bit daunting, but then being advised you're going to use Sharepoint 2003 (which I'd never heard of) just added to the pressure...

My initial reaction was that I needed to get "one of those books for dummies" on Sharepoint...I've never really liked reading and am still not the biggest fan, but Vanessa made it easy in the way she set out "Microsoft SharePoint 2003 for Dummies". You have the option or reading it from cover to cover, or jumping to the section that you're currently having an issue with. A real well structured and informative book.

After you've finished reading comes Q&A time...yes, if you have any questions for the author, she'll respond within a few days and be as helpful as she can...forget those geeks and professors that think they're high and mighty that they've written a manual or textbook, Vanessa is down to earth and will take the time to address your questions...I was semi-shocked when I received my first response, but then to receive a second, third and fourth blew me away...

So, for all you beginners out there, or even those that just need a point of reference, this book is a must for your shelf...

Sharepoint for Dummies helped a dummy like me!.......2006-05-04

Being a Beginner and having to teach myself how to use Sharepoint, I was stymied by many of the technical books on the subject. Finding Sharepoint for Dummies helped alot! Vanessa Williams book is easy to understand and answered many of the questions I couldn't find answers to anywhere else. I still have a lot to learn about Sharepoint and Ms. Williams has been very helpful to shed extra light on difficult problems. Thank you very much for all your help!

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Microsoft SharePoint 2003 for Dummies
David McAmis
Manufacturer: HUNGRY MINDS (TWLD)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K76KGQ

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