Microsoft, Dell Releases Free Windows 8 for Dummies, More

Although we have an excellent guide for getting you up to speed with the new Windows 8 environment, Microsoft and Dell have released a downloadable "pocket edition" of Windows 8 for Dummies. This 138-page PDF takes new and experienced Windows users by the hand and dishes out enough information so that they can be productive with the new OS, not an expert.

"Treat this book like you would a dictionary or other reference text," it reads. "Turn to the page with the information you need and say, 'Ah, so that's what they're talking about.' Then put down the book and move on."

The ebook is broken down into seven chapters: The New Start Screen, The Traditional Desktop, Storage (Internal, External and in the Sky), Working with Apps, Engaging the Social Apps, Getting Connected and Having Fun through the Start Screen, and Ten Things You'll Hate About Windows 8 (And How to Fix Them). The latter chapter covers topics like avoiding the desktop, fixing the print screen command, keeping track of open windows, and more.

Also launched is the E-Book Gallery for Microsoft Technologies on TechNet. Here users can download content for ASP.NET, Office, SQL Server, Windows Azure, SharePoint Server and other Microsoft technologies in e-book formats. These include reference, guide, and step-by-step information, and range in subjects including "Deployment guide for Office 2013", "Programming Windows 8 Apps with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript", and more. All the e-books are free, and new books will be posted as they become available.

IT World points out that there are two additional "giant collections" of free Microsoft e-books now available to access, mostly in PDF format. These e-books were gathered by Eric Ligman over on MSDN, some of which are already listed on the previously-mentioned gallery. There are a total of 80 e-books spanning across collection one and collection two.

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