CNU students published in book on Microsoft's latest operating system

News Release - Feb. 13, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media contact:
Carolyn Cuthrell
Office of Communications and Public Relations
carolyn.cuthrell@cnu.edu
(757) 594-7331

(NEWPORT NEWS, Va.) — Two seniors at Christopher Newport University recently wrote chapters in "Special Edition Using® Microsoft® Windows Vista™", a book by Robert Cowart and Brian Knittel for users of Microsoft’s latest operating system. Brent Thal and Everette Beatley, computer engineering majors at CNU, had been testing Windows Vista for Microsoft for two years prior to its public release into the market last month.

Cowart, on a temporary visit to Virginia from California, discovered Beatley while the student was at work as manager of computer systems for Southern Electronics, Inc., in Kilmarnock, Va. Because of his extensive experience and familiarity with Windows Vista, Beatley was able to provide invaluable expertise to the authors who had only begun to work with the program. Cowart contracted Beatley as a consultant and later to write step-by-step operating instructions in two chapters: Chapter 8, Windows Media Player and Chapter 22, Connecting Your Network to the Internet. Beatley also created an accompanying 80-minute CD presenting an overview of Windows Vista and will soon begin preparing more video lessons for higher-level users for download through brainsville.com.

Because of a tight publishing timetable, Beatley suggested that his friend and fellow computer expert Thal write two chapters as well. Thal wrote Chapter 29, Keeping Windows and other Software Up to Date and Chapter 41, Tablet PC Features.

Cowart has written more than 40 books on computer programming and applications, with more than a dozen on Windows. "Special Edition Using® Microsoft® Windows Vista™" was released in December 2006.

Beatley and Thal will graduate from CNU next December after pursuing summer internships in their field.

“It was a lot of work and hard to manage the time to do the book and school work,” said Thal. “But it was worth it to see [the book] first hand and say, ‘That’s what I wrote.’”

“It is definitely something I will use as a starting place in the future whenever I go to do more in the field,” said Beatley.