Rating: 

Case in point--WinNT Event Logging. I am working on my MCSE, and wanted to learn the tricks, the tips, the ins and outs of Event Logging. I wanted to learn those secrets that O'Reilly knows. I wanted to make the WinNT Event log jump through hoops, dance a jig and make me breakfast.

What I got instead, was a $35 help file. The chapters that were of use to me were the first three, which were basically a rewrite of the WinNT Event Viewer help files. The rest of the book (with one exception) was absolutely worthless. I'm an admin--why would I care how you call the event logging service? What difference does it make which parameters are passed to which functions? I don't want to know the API--I want to the function. An analogy--I wanted a book about car racing and instead got a mechanic's manual.

So, if you're a programmer, grab it--please. We all need well-written event information (and stable programs). If you're a sysadmin, take the $35 and buy a couple of pounds of good coffee; the coffee will help you more than this book will.