Word 2010 Inside Out
Katherine Murray
Word 2010 Inside Out is not a typical how-to Word book in that it assumes the reader is proficient in Word - not a power user, but someone who knows their way around the program. Like many books that have this assumption, you can flip to any chapter. However, if you're not familiar with the Word 2010 interface, the first chapter is worth checking out.
The book is organized into five parts that cover the gamut of Word features.
Part one is about how the world has changed in relation to technology and how that is reflected in the new features of Word 2010. Thanks to the web, mobile technology, email, social media, we have several options in how we distribute and share our documents. After reading this section, I had a better appreciation for Microsoft's updated version of Office, which I initially resisted. There is a great chapter on controlling pagination in this section.
The next section focuses on constructing the Word document. Building blocks are used to create reusable blocks of text, navigation is available for long documents, and updated reference tools help us polish content. The outline chapter not only offered good instruction on how to create and edit outlines, the author provides great reasons why we should put all long or complex documents into an outline format. Hmmm, a business plan comes to mind.
Part three covered everything visual and this was my favorite section of the book. Tables, diagrams, charts, pictures, screen shots and borders were all covered. I especially liked the chapter on SmartArt Diagrams and Charts. It inspired an idea that, if it works, I will present to a client as a possible solution to some reporting issues she's having. Finally, there was a good chapter on equations, text boxes and objects.
Part four discusses scrutiny issues when file sharing your documents. Covered are the new security features of Word 2010 and sharing documents. If you're not sure how to use the tracking and revision tools, the chapter on collaborating and co-authoring is very good.
The final section covers more advanced features of Word, such as tables of contents, indexes, and mail merges. Included is a chapter on Word's blogging feature and finally, there are two developer topics, content controls and macros.
Like many tech books,
Word 2010 Inside Out has repeating elements sprinkled throughout the book - blocks that offer tips or warnings. My favorite were the INSIDE OUT tips. In the macro chapter, one of these tips advised that some new Word features, such as building blocks, are better suited to certain repetitive tasks than macros. It also stated that building blocks are easier to create and edit than macros. This is a great tip for both technical and non-technical users. Who wouldn't want a better tool?
Pros
1. One of the goals of the book is to increase the scope of the way we think of documents. Planning the document, knowing the audience and considering the type of output, were key messages throughout the book.
2. I like the additional information on layout, design and branding.
Cons
1. The main font is smaller and finer than most tech books and requires good illumination.
2. The screen shots were small and pale. I realize there are page size limitations to entire screen shots, but darker ink would have helped.
Overall, Laserdog gives this book three wags of the tail - the highest rating.
The first edition of this book was published in October 2010 and has 912 pages. The price of the book is $31.49. Click here to buy the book..
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BOOK REVIEW - Word 2010 Inside Out
So, my experience with Word 2010 is limited to the few days I had her computer. 
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