Content area
Full Text
ON THE SURFACE, the books in new self - help series from two of the major computer - book publishers are similar. In both the Que VisiRef series and the Microsoft Press Field Guides, the emphasis is on quick - access and easy - to - understand, visual answers to questions about specific programs. But appearances can deceive, because while both the VisiRef books and the Field Guides seem to be aimed at the same kind of market niche - Que designates its books "Visual Quick Reference;" Microsoft Press uses "Illustrated Quick Reference" - the books in these two series are significantly different.
Of the 10 titles now available in Que's no - nonsens VisiRef series, I examined four: Word 6 for Windows, Excel 5 for windows, 1 - 2 - 3 for Windows, and WordPerfect 6 for Windows. The back cover of each of these explains the straightforward VisiRef approach to the reference game: 1. Look it up. 2. See it done. 3. Do it yourself.
Inside, most of any given page is given over to full - colour screen shots. There are really no other illustrations, and not much text. Topics are organized according to specific tasks and grouped in short, colour - coded chapters. I found it interesting that the chapter headings in the two word - processing books - Word 6 for Windows and Word Perfect 6 for Windows - were identical, as they were in the two spreadsheet books - Excel 5 for Windows and 1 - 2 - 3 for Windows. All four books start slowly, in such elementary areas as how to type, how to move around on a page, how to select...