How
To Be a Geek Goddess - Practical Advice for using computers
with smarts and style
Reviewed by
Harry {doc} Babad © 2009
Author: Christina Tynan-Wood
Publisher: No
Starch Press, an O’ Reilly Imprint
http://oreilly.com/catalog/9781593271879/
Released: December
4, 2008
Pages: 338
pages, in English
Size: Soft
cover, 9.2 x 6.8 x 1.1 inches
List $25 USD,
Street $16.47 USD, List $25, Street $15.72 CND
ISBN-10: 1593271875
ISBN-13: 9781593271879
Audience: Novice PC users who fear technology; and I want be in control of my computing
life aficionados, preferably female between the ages of 24 and 45.
Strengths: Full of easy to understand and reader
friendly technical material.
Weaknesses: The book’s first impressions are both
sexist and anti-Macintosh, making me want to trash it. |
Novice PC
oriented Females – 
Novice
PC oriented Males —
Macintosh/Linux
Users —  |
Testing
of many of Christina’s Hints, reformulated for the Macintosh, was carried out
on my iMac 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 2 GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM running Mac
OS X version 10.5.6.
Product and
company names and logos in this review may be registered trademarks of their
respective companies. |
Publisher-Author’s
Introduction
This is what
her book description says:
When
it comes to technology (or anything, really), men and women rarely think alike.
Men are obsessed with acronyms and the size of their hard drives. Women just
want to get things done.
And
if they can get it done while shopping for a cute pair of shoes, even better. "How
to Be a Geek Goddess" shows you how to sort out technology decisions (and
find those cute shoes online) without ever having to ask a man.
Whether
you're buying a computer, shopping for a cell phone, trapped in the electronics
aisle, or simply lost on the Internet, author Christina Tynan-Wood explains it
all with wit, intelligence, and a minimum of geeky acronyms. You'll learn how
to:
§ Buy the right computer for your needs,
your decor, and your budget
§ Surf the Web with confidence, organize
your life, and manage your finances
§ Master your email inbox, cell phone, and
instant messaging
§ Keep yourself and your kids safe from
spyware, viruses, and online scam artists
§ Reconnect with friends, grow your
professional network, or find that special someone online
How
to Be a Geek Goddess will show you how to join the Web conversation, start your own blog, and maybe
even teach your friends a thing or two. Think of it as the tech-savvy
girlfriend you wish you had on speed dial.
In the book’s 12 chapters, Ms.
Tynan-Wood, Christina runs the gamut on everything techy, from wireless routers to digital
cameras to computer security to keep your computers healthy and your kids safe
while they surf online.
In this
book…
This book is
about becoming conversant in the very basics of Geekdom, explained with an
attempt to frame everything in terms of a woman's perspective.
In reading
the book, I was awed by its breadth and scope. I couldn't find a significant
area of home-home business computing and the new generation of electronic
wireless widgetry that Tynan-Wood missed. The book easy to read, well
illustrated but alas in black and white, and after I got over my gender digs
annoyances, entertaining.
With the
exceptions I will later note, this book ranges through the entire computer life
cycle, for the home and home-businesses. The author discusses the details of
purchasing a computer, staying safe from viruses and malware, using the
Internet to its fullest extent both for fun and profit. It enables you by
giving you greater ability and confidence to connect to the world around you
— beyond your next-door neighbors or pew –mates. There
is, of course from a female perspective, a discussion of the social aspects
computer use and possible risks of miscommunication problems. Blog-Network
truthfully but with care… the Internet has a long memory. There is
also detailed information on managing your finances on and off line, using
email, protecting your children online (male single parents take heed), and
even how to find old friends or go out on a virtual date.
There is a lot of knowledge crammed into this book. It
includes chapters with detailed by accessible information about:
- The
components of a computer system,
- Buying
or updating a new system
- PC
disaster recovery,
- Internet
dangers, come-ons and safe shopping,
- Networking
computers and entertainment centers,
- The
social networking and blogosphere scene
- Software,
searching for tool you need and the goodies you crave.
- About
viruses, and other malware, and
§ A chapter
on sex and the geek, or Internet dating provides a suitable end curtain.
Kudos and
Things I Learned
All, About
the PC Environment — Unintentionally, the book taught me a great deal about Windows PC’s; a
subject I’d avoided except when required by a client who’d force me to work in
the Windows version of Office or one of the Adobe products. Although not billed
as a manual, the author provided, in clear detail, many of the common routes or
fixes to problems in buying, setting up, enriching, networking, and trouble
shooting a Wintel a computer. As a Macintosh using male geek, I learned about
dozens of things from the book about Windows Vista and XP and the problems
Wintel users face daily in the computing lives.
However, in
all fairness almost all tasks are more intuitive and less work on an Intel
Macintosh. …And you can run that rare program that hasn’t either been made
dual platform or for which a file comparable Mac alternative version does not
exist. From my perspective, that primarily includes AutoCAD, some 3-D
architectural software, as well as some very high end engineering modeling
program moist of which perform better on a workstation that entirely avoids
Windows and Macintosh OS X. |
Links and
Recommendations —
As I read through the chapters, I found myself highlighting the various links
that Christina shares that range form electronics to adult life styles.
Although focused on PC systems almost all of the hardware and much of the
software recommended are either directly useable with OS X, or a comparable
product is readily available.
The "Dear Geek Goddess" Letters — These not only exemplify in
real life, the points the author is making, but are fun, almost entertaining
to read.
And for those who are intimidated by techy stuff, they
provide a too the point break. |
|
Internet
and Extranet Security Information — The easy to digest, bur dead serious treatment of risk associated with
surfing, and otherwise interacting with strangers on the web is exceptionally
well covered. There is an emphasis on how to think about safely navigating the
web and it large content of goodies, while protecting your self and your
family. Men could heed this to!
Non-Operating
Systems Related Items — There are plenty of topics covered that are not really OS dependent,
such as anything web related (which is a lot of the book) or the non-computer
sections covering hardware like digital cameras, monitors and PDAs. Here are a
number of things I’ve bought over the last two years that would have been a
better buy after reading the author’s guidance.
When to
Database or Spreadsheet — The portions of Chapter 3 provided the clearest rationale for the
selective focus of these two types of software. Albeit that I a spreadsheets,
the author makes a convincing vase for using and when not to use them.
Chapter 8,
Keeping it Safe —
There is much to admire and appreciate in this well written book. Never the
less, I want to call out Chapter 8 for special recognition. Safety, in the heat
of any moment, is a difficult concept to turn into a habit. Christina, this is
the best treatment of the subject I have ever read, a smile and kudos, but no I
don’t do flashlights.
Grievances,
Discomforts and a Nit
In reviewing
this otherwise excellent book, I found myself in a quandary. What could I say
that my readers would take as an objective review, and not sound condescending
toward the authors approach to female geekhood.
Do
I Detect a Malignant Case of Mac-a-Phobia Here? — Using my trained
MReye,
I believe so. The section, pages 7 & 8 and later page 11, called Apple
or Windows seems to reflect that the author has gotten infected with an anti-Macintosh
virus. Perhaps you’ve had too much exposure to Family PC, PC World and PC Magazine.
I am appalled at
the untrue concept that Macintosh users buy their computers for romantic reasons. Another slur, “You may have
heard of a new a line of Macs that can run windows too (but this isn’t really a
beginner activity.” (Page 10.) I guess that learning windows should be a
suitable activity for new PC owners either. {Catch 22}
Such
rationalization not only send a message that lowers the authors credibility,
but also does not gibe with the strong and growing dynamics for opening
computing platforms choice:
- In major business and elsewhere the
major exception being the US government’s GSA, who are years behind the
curve. Even the President Obama uses a Macintosh.
- Additionally, based on independent
surveys, fact that many PC users chose a Macintosh for their replacement
home computer.
Whether it’s the
hassle factor with windows based PC’s, or that Mac’s are just easier to use and
better to live with; Christina, you platform merit distortion is unwelcome.
Indeed for every
process, method or outreach activity the author sited throughout the book, I
could, mostly even as a newbie with the first version of OS X, do it faster and
easier on a Macintosh. That includes limiting PC side use {VM Fusion or
Parallels Desktop] to software unavailable to the Macintosh platform. Most
Macintosh users forgive the price differences, in order to get premium
performance whether it is processor speed (not really import these days to most
users other than graphics artists and gamers) and upgradeability. Apple simply
refused to stoop to the use it and toss it mass market that outfits like Dell Computer have catered
to.
Enough said,
this is not a place for a rant and others like Scott Kelby, David Pogue, Adam
& Tanya Angst and
Robin Williams have said it more eloquently than I can!
Cutesiness
Distracts — The topics covered in the book are dressed up in
analogies to what may be considered more traditional female fare, often too
cutsey for my taste. A few of the female professionals I checked with agreed,
but they are not everyday housewives or stay and play significant others.
Stereotyping
of Women Readers — As a mere
male, I may not get to vote, but perhaps projecting onto the knowledge,
self-confidence and smarts of the female graduate students, scientists and
engineers, managers and small business owners I’ve worked with— I felt
put down.
Male Put-Down
Resentment — I resent, for what it’s worth, the universal putdown of
males that pervades this book. Christina, your friends might think this is
cute, but your readers are likely to cut across a wider spectrum of tolerance
and understanding. When a manager or educator, I was delighted to acknowledge
the skills and smarts of my staff and students-a third of which were women;
they made me look great! In the words of one online reviewer, in this case a
tech knowledgeable female, …it made me want to throw the books at the wall.
Readers,
this book exasperated me in many places. Never the less, How To Be a Geek
Goddess is an excellent introductory book to computers and other electronics
wiz-bangs in this the first decade of the 21st century. Call me
humorless or at 73 old fashioned, but reading the note for men made me almost
send the book back to No Starch Press. I’m glad I didn’t but — damn…
Ground
Your Self Lady —
It’s a nit, but not reminding the readers, at least thrice on Page 32, to
ground themselves before attempting even minor surgery on their computers is
like having a death wish — a mother board or memory death wish. You
readers will not likely be singing ‘Thanks for the Memory.’
Conclusion
“The best
part of the book is that Cristina Tynan-Wood doesn't try to make the book too
technical, or to scare you into thinking that you are going to screw something
up if you don't understand it. As I often told my students and staff, no
question is considered dumb or stupid.
Despite the
feminine packaging, each section gives basic and practical and appropriate
advice on making decisions on hardware and software and where appropriate
behavior. Each section offers multiple options to suit a given readers personal
life-style needs.
Despite my
gripes about bias and sexism, some might say that the author was just being
overly sarcastic; this is an excellent book for its target audience. One female
reviewer commented “Buy the book if you are technologically-challenged (male or
female), because it is witty, and down to earth while being extremely
informative and not frightening at all.” {Mia Culpa, I lost the reference.}
Another
female reviewer noted, “I had not expected to like as much as I did. Honestly,
I thought it would be the same stuff all over again, dumbed down for the girls
but it was the complete opposite of all of my expectations.” [http://fabulouslybrokeinthecity.blogspot.com/2009/03/review-how-to-be-geek-goddess.html]
Recommendations
In this often
funny or amusing book, I’ll ignore the sarcasm; the author goes out of her way
to:
§ Present information clearly and at a
beginning or intermediate users level
§ Promote experimenting with your computer
(slowly).
§ Focus on the practical (adult and
children’s use at home and business and volunteering needs.
§ The fun uses of computers (window
shopping, staying in touch, communing with faraway or seldom seen friends,
organizing gatherings and even living a second life.
Feeling more comfortable
with your system will become second nature, even when reaching out on the
Internet. If you read the book from front to cover, you WILL become a geek
goddess or god; just don’t get off on a shoe-buying spree, but buy the book
instead. Although part the book will surely be outdated in a few years, the
core concepts and the authors advice on manners, security, and living in a
world where personal computer are ubiquitous, will be valuable even when
wireless becomes the state of the world and touch screens and your voice become
your computer GUI interface.
As noted in
his review ‘stoolpigeon’ writes “For that mass of folks out there, especially
the women, this may be the only computer book they ever find interesting.” [http://books.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/02/25/149225].
So buy it,
most of you will not only like it but also want it keep it near you Wintel
computer for reference. So with a bit of audience compartmentalization the book
is worthy of 4.5 macCs for novice PC oriented females; 4.0 macCs for novice PC oriented males and 3.5 macCs for more
experienced PC and Internet Users as well a those who use Macintosh or Linux.
About the
Author
Christina
Tynan-Wood has published hundreds of articles on technology, parenting, and
education in her 15 years as a working writer. She has written for Family
Circle, Parenting, This Old House, USA Weekend, Edutopia, Working Mother,
Scholastic Administrator, Family PC, and Popular Science
and has contributed regular columns for both PC World and PC Magazine.
PS: While
browsing the net for relevant tidbits, after completing most of this review I
found the following Gem on O’Reilly’s web site. ‘dt’ noted: “Even if you're a
guy, you should read it to find out what women really think (but only if you're
brave enough to find out). And of course, buy one for your
wife/girlfriend(s)/sisters/mothers and everyone else who bugs you for free tech
support.”
[http://oreilly.com/catalog/9781593271879/]
PPS
Checking out reviews of this book,
almost all were written by computer savvy women hmm. I at times question other
reviewers’ recommendations that the book would be appropriate for their mothers
and grandmother. I fond, mere fallible male that I am, the book almost solely
geared to the ca. 27-2 year old tribe members.
