Most Recent Customer Reviews
Date : 2008-02-28
Summary : Overpriced and Out of Date
It is my own fault that I missed the publication date under "Product Details" but future buyers should be aware that this book was published in 2000 and has not been updated. This makes the touted hardware recommendations and software reviews absolutely useless. The book is pre-Windows XP!
Apart from that, the general introduction to the subject of webcams is useful to the very new user, particularly those whose computer skills are still at the year 2000 stage.
I paid $39.38. By the time I had opened the overnight package, the price had dropped about $6. This is a large print, 288 page paperback with very wide borders on each page. Not much info for the price.
Date : 2002-12-09
Summary : Great help for beginners
I was looking at webcams for a Xmas gift for myself and didn't have any idea where to start or what to look for. This book not only helped me pick out a webcam, now I've got a whole bunch of new ideas how to use it.
Date : 2001-07-09
Summary : This book has everything!
I had received a web-cam for Father's Day and was confused about exactly what I was supposed to do with it. Went and got this book, and suddenly it is all starting to make sense. Got a webpage set up and now I talk with my daughter, who is studying abroad, almost every day with my web-cam. It looks like the authors are also redoing their website at mycamguide.com. They've got all the web references mentioned in the book online, so you can go right to them. I've been very happy with my purchase!
Date : 2001-06-24
Summary : Wow, what a great read!
I wanted to thank the authors of this great book. I am 64 years old and have NEVER used a Webcam before. The authors of this book walked me through the entire process of getting my Webcam up and running, from the way to configure my computer to the proper lighting in my computer room.
Most computer books, like those Dummies series, are way over my head. But neither author here takes themselves too seriously. They gave me the facts, and made it interesting too. Now I have weekly Webcam chats with my granddaughter in college and we both very much enjoy the time we spend together. This book made that possible.
If I can use this book to become a Webcam expert, then anyone can. I would highly recommend it to anyone.
Date : 2001-05-02
Summary : TOO MUCH FLUFF!
If you're looking for serious info on Webcams, don't waste your time here. The author includes A LOT of FLUFF that has NOTHING to do with Webcams.
The author should have realized that I'm not buying this book to learn everything there is to know about Internet connections or about System Ram or Computer processors. Although these items have a bearing on webcam performance, the author takes too much time to wade through these areas (e.g. telling me how much I should expect to pay for each connection and how not to get "taken" by a "deal" from an ISP . . . This may be helpful stuff to someone, but not to the target market of this book! More than likely, most readers already have a computer, an internet connection, etc. Just tell me about Webcams!).
I'm on page 100 now and have yet to really learn much about Webcams. So, I would NOT recommend this purchase. If you are looking for a better book, you might try "Webcams for Dummies". I don't own this one, but I did glance through it before I bought the "guide" and it appeared to have more direct info on webcams and skipped a lot of the fluff.
