Writing a book about Windows 8 takes a peculiar combination of perseverance, insight, and a high tolerance for pain. Those who write books about Win8 get to dig into the heart of the beast -- they're exposed early and often to inconsistences and difficulties, and they're tasked with making the hard parts of Win8 accessible to regular people. Along the way, book authors acquire an enormous amount of experience with how the product actually works, going far beyond the stunted feature lists, glib reviews, and sound bites we've all come to expect.
So I thought it would be interesting to ask my fellow authors of the most popular Windows 8 books what they really thought about Windows 8. (Only Paul Thurrot didn't chime in, as he was on vacation.) Although I know many of them personally, the results still surprised me, not just because they're quite thorough, but also because they're so diverse. Like the blind men and the elephant, no two Windows authors see the product the same way -- and their combined observations lend a new dimension to the ongoing Windows 8 debate.
On the following pages, in their own words, are the 14 book authors' candid opinions about Windows 8.
-- Ed Bott
-- Jim Boyce
-- Galen Gruman
-- David Pogue
Woody Leonhard writes computer books, primarily about Windows and Office; his latest is "Windows 8 All-in-One for Dummies." He's senior editor at Windows Secrets Newsletter and a frequent contributor to InfoWorld's Tech Watch blog. A self-described "Windows victim," Woody specializes in telling the truth about Windows in a way that won't put you to sleep.
