Microsoft SharePoint 2007 For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))

Basically, it's a review in progress. As with any "...For Dummies," product one only needs to tackle problem areas that one is unfamiliar with. In my case, it's more or less linking, and setting up a hypertext.
At the time I purchased the text, the university that I'm enrolled, has a Share Point server, called MySite. So getting a general sense of what Share Point is and how it functions, I've been pretty impressed so far. But then a very tragic thing happened last week, the Share Point server crashed, and will be down indefinitely. So right now, I'm forced to perform my Web page on Google/gmail.com. And that's a totally different animal. So, if and/or when, the server gets back up, I'll be working off Google for awhile.

This book matches the clear, concise, and practical style of all the "Dummies" books and might be very good for those who are installing, configuring, or developing SharePoint sites. However, it was not until I reached page 4 that I finally was advised that "This book isn't really intended for end users." That advisory should have appeared on page 1, or better yet, on the book's front cover. If you are an end user who is merely trying to learn how to use SharePoint's various functions, you might want to look for an actual "user's guide," e.g., Essential SharePoint 2007: A Practical Guide for Users ... (etc).

Usually Dummies Books are a great way to get into something, and I've been trying to make sense out of Sharepoint administration. Unfortunately this book put me to sleep without clarifying anything.

If you ever run out of toilet paper, don't use those old Sears catalogs, use this book. At least then it will be serving a purpose. I tend to like the "For Dummies" books, but this one was also written by a dummy. There's nothing better when doing server setup to find out about a few pages in that there are other steps you should have done first. The real kicker is that these other steps are not listed. Wonderful! I bought this book based on reviews. Not sure what the others were reading, but this one is garbage. I had it less than 2 days before both myself and the server admin went looking for other books. This book is one to avoid.

Don't by mislead by the title. This is not written by a dummy or intended for dummy readers. This book is very organized and covers important points on approaching testing, getting management on board, avoiding possible implementation problems, and so forth. This book is very practical and hands on. If you're an advanced technical admin of Sharepoint, this is not your book. But if you're someone with a decent IT background and just getting your hands dirty, this is perfect.