Rating: 

Mac OS X: The Missing Manual, 2nd Edition is not the first Missing Manual I've owned, so my expectations were pretty high. I anticpated clear, concise explanations and instructions given with a sense of fun. I expected an exhaustingly detailed index, an extensive "Troubleshooting" section, and several useful appendices. What I got was way more than that. The "Where Did It Go?" and explanation of folder hierarchies and permissions alone were worth the price of the book. In addition to the humor (without being silly) there is a consistent tone of (and I hate to use this buzzword) empowerment. Even the sections on topics I've never understood were clear enough to allow me to accomplish what was necessary in spite of my own mental block.

Being the "geek" (used VERY loosely) in the family means that I better know how to find or fix things for everyone else, and I was apprehensive about the major changes we'd encounter going from 9 to X.2. (Patience with a learning curve is not one of our virtues.) Not only did the Missing Manual overcome my uncertainty about upgrading, but encouraged me to take the plunge to wireless networking. I can not describe how much the separate accounts for each family member, yet the ability to share applications and the iTunes library have streamlined our computer experience. The one family member who had a phobia about computers now uses it daily.

I've used other software manuals, including those written by the developer, and they're generally awful.

If you only buy one OS X.2 manual, make it this one.