Other versions by this Author
About Suzanne Weixel
Suzanne Weixel is a writer and editor who specializes in the technology
industry. Her first experience with computers was in 1974 when she learned
to play football on the Dartmouth time-sharing terminal her brother had
installed in their home. Later, she graduated from Dartmouth College in 1981
with a degree in Art History.
In 1984, after a series of jobs that included stints in the advertising
department at Inc. Magazine, and as the Quality Assurance Coordinator
at International Training Systems, a now-defunct developer of interactive
educational training courseware, she wound up in the advertising department
of ComputerWorld Newspaper. The following year she moved to the
editorial department as the New Products Editor. In 1988, Suzanne left
ComputerWorld to become a full-time freelance writer and editor. Since then,
she has written, co-written, or edited more than 40 books, including the
Power User's Guide to Windows 95, Learning Microsoft Word 2003, Learning
Microsoft Office 2003, Learning Macromedia Flash 5, and Learning Microsoft
Windows XP.
Suzanne currently lives in Marlborough, Massachusetts, with her
husband, Rick. They have two sons, Nathaniel and Evan, and a dog, a
Samoyed named Cirrus. For fun, she walks, works in the yard, hangs out with
her family, and watches television. She is a lifelong fan of the New England
Patriots and the Boston Red Sox and attends as many games as possible. She
has been known to ski and ride a bicycle, on occasion.
About John Preston, Sally Preston, and Robert L. Ferrett
John Preston is an Associate Professor at Eastern Michigan University in the
College of Technology, where he teaches microcomputer application courses
at the undergraduate and graduate levels. He has been teaching, writing, and
designing computer training courses since the advent of PCs and has
authored and co-authored over 70 books on Microsoft Word, Excel, Access,
and PowerPoint. He is a series editor for the Learn 97, Learn 2000, and Learn
XP books. Two books on Microsoft Access that he co-authored with Robert
Ferrett have been translated into Greek and Chinese. He has received grants
from the Detroit Edison Institute and the Department of Energy to develop
Web sites for energy education and alternative fuels. He has also developed
one of the first Internet-based microcomputer applications courses at an
accredited university. He has a BS from the University of Michigan in Physics,
Mathematics, and Education and an MS from Eastern Michigan University in
Physics Education. His doctoral studies were in Instructional Technology at
Wayne State University.
Sally Preston is president of Preston & Associates, which provides software
consulting and training. She currently teaches computing in a variety of
settings, which gives her ample opportunity to observe how people learn, what
works best, and what challenges are present when learning a new software
program. This diverse experience provides a complementary set of skills and
knowledge that blends into her writing. Prior to writing for the GO! Series,
Sally was a co-author on the Learn series since its inception and has authored
books for the Essentials and Microsoft Office User Specialist (MOUS) Essentials
series. Sally has an MBA from Eastern Michigan University. When away from
her computer, she is often found planting flowers in her garden.
Robert L. Ferrett recently retired as the director of the Center for
Instructional Computing at Eastern Michigan University, where he provided
computer training and support to faculty. He has authored or co-authored
more than 70 books on Access, PowerPoint, Excel, Publisher, WordPerfect,
and Word and was the editor of the 1994 ACM SIGUCCS Conference
Proceedings. Before writing for the GO! Series, Bob was a series editor for the
Learn 97, Learn 2000, and Learn XP books. He has a BA in Psychology, an MS
in Geography, and an MS in Interdisciplinary Technology from Eastern
Michigan University. His doctoral studies were in Instructional Technology at
Wayne State University. For fun, Bob teaches a four-week Computers and
Genealogy class and has written genealogy and local history books.
About Shelley Gaskin
Shelley Gaskin, Series Editor, is a professor of business and computer technology
at Pasadena City College in Pasadena, California. She holds a master’s
degree in business education from Northern Illinois University and a doctorate
in adult and community education from Ball State University. Dr. Gaskin
has 15 years of experience in the computer industry with several Fortune 500
companies and has developed and written training materials for custom systems
applications in both the public and private sector. She is also the author
of books on Microsoft Outlook and word processing.