Teach Yourself Computers & the Internet Visually (Idg's 3-D Visual Series)

Covering everything from how to click with a mouse to how to connect to an FTP site, this book tells pretty much everything you need to know to become a competent computer user. The authors don't restrict their coverage to the basics, either--the book includes plenty of information on scanners, removable disks, digital cameras, and other accessories that aren't found on every computer.

One of the great things about this book is that it provides information that other publications often leave out. For instance, many introductory Internet books describe electronic mailing lists, but few make the point (as this one does) that lists usually have an administrative address separate from the distribution address. That's the kind of important information that will save newbies from awkward moments.

A few details are misleading, but the mistakes are minor. As a whole, Teach Yourself Computers and the Internet Visually is dead-on accurate and fun to read. --David Wall