BKAPCHDG.RVW   970507

"Apache: The Definitive Guide", Ben Laurie/Peter Laurie, 1997, 1-56592-250-6,
U$34.95/C$49.95
%A   Ben Laurie ben@algroup.co.uk
%A   Peter Laurie
%C   103 Morris Street, Suite A, Sebastopol, CA   95472
%D   1997
%G   1-56592-250-6
%I   O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
%O   U$34.95/C$49.95 800-998-9938 707-829-0515 fax: 707-829-0104 nuts@ora.com
%P   274
%T   "Apache: The Definitive Guide"

For those who wish to set up their own Web server, Apache has one undisputable
advantage: it's free.  On the other hand, you can't call up technical support
and yell that you aren't getting what you paid for.  In fact, you can't call up
technical support at all, unless you go to one of the commercial firms that
provides it.  So, unless you are the type of person who learned UNIX by reading
the source code, you probably want some help in getting set up.

This book provides detailed, stepwise instructions on getting Apache,
installing it, and making it work for you.  The authors assume that you have a
C compiler, and some familiarity with it, but very little else.  Topics include
basic introductions, minimal Web sites, CGI (Common Gateway Interface),
authentication, content arbitration, indexing, redirection, proxy servers,
server-side includes, server status and information, extra modules, the Apache
API (application Programming Interface), writing Apache Modules, and security. 
Appendices list support organizations, compatibility, and the SSL (Secure
Sockets Layer) protocol.

A wry sense of humour pervades the book, enlivening the text throughout.  It is
hard to say that the jokes aid in the explanations of esoteric material, but
the comedy never gets in the way or degenerates into mere sarcasm.

The authors have an abiding concern for security that surfaces again and again
in the book.  Tips and useful pointers are included in almost every section,
and the chapter on security is a fine tutorial on the vulnerabilities and
loopholes to which all Internet applications are subject.  Most non-specialist
works are satisfied with telling you to choose good passwords: Laurie, pere et
fils, are willing to go to the trouble of giving the reader solid and complete
advice.

Overall, this book may be another strong reason to choose Apache.

copyright Robert M. Slade, 1997   BKAPCHDG.RVW   970507