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However, I still use Windows 9x for gaming and general day-to-day use and have always objected very strongly to Microsoft's attitude that simply assumes that you have the latest super-fast hardware and want "Active Desktop", Internet Explorer integration, animated menus, etc. without question.

As somebody who is used to optimising Linux and UNIX systems and who came from a DOS background, I have for a long time wanted to get into the real "guts" of Win 9x to do the same but have found Microsoft's web site so convoluted to get to the information I wanted that I frequently ended up giving up.

This book is therefore a GODSEND and I snapped it up the moment it appeared on the shelf of my local bookstore this weekend. I have now read it virtually cover-to-cover and I cannot speak highly enough for this book - it really is well written and has changed my attitude to Win 9x; previously, I had done some surface level optimising of 9x and just assumed that was it for what is basically a "baggage ridden" OS but having finished the book, I am eager to start re-installing machines with some of David's tips, eager to find out just HOW fast I can get it to run on them.

I don't think this book really misses not having a CD - all of the free utilities the author mentions are small and downloadable from the Internet and the "typing in" stuff is minimal (to be perfectly honest, I haven't messed around with config.sys and autoexec.bat for so long now that I welcome the chance to do some command line work again!)

In summary, it's a great book, an easy read and has a lot of interesting stuff in it - I look forward to an update that includes Windows ME which seems to be the most sluggish 9x OS of them all!