BKCINSIN.RVW   950223
 
"The Complete Idiot's Next Step with the Internet", Kent, 1994, 1-56761-524-4,
U$19.95/C$26.99
%A   Peter Kent pkent@lab-press.com 71601.1266@compuserve.com
%C   201 W. 103rd Street, Indianapolis, IN   46290
%D   1994
%G   1-56761-524-4
%I   Alpha Books
%O   U$19.95/C$26.99 800-858-7674 75141.2102@compuserve.com
%P   373
%T   "The Complete Idiot's Next Step with the Internet"
 
Kent's book has some miscellaneous stuff for those who have gotten past the
first hurdles of learning what the Internet is, and how it works.  The chat and
game material will depend on your taste, and the UNIX tips will depend on what
you do.  Chapter five is a helpful introduction to quick ways to get known on
the net (aside from spamming).  There is a very useful discussion of mail and
newsreaders in chapter six which could be of great help to those who get
charged by the hour, or are limited to a certain period online per day.
 
The thing that really sets this book apart from the pack, though, is the
coverage of SLIP (Serial Link Internet Protocol) and dial-up IP connections
(known in the book as "dial-up direct").  CSLIP (Compressed SLIP) and PPP
(Point to Point Protocol) are also discussed, but SLIP gets the most ink.  This
is the most detailed coverage I have seen in any Internet book to date
(although I have high hopes for Gilster's forthcoming "The SLIP/PPP
Connection") and the *only* one deemed to be of any real use in setting up a
SLIP link.  Not all Internet providers who supply SLIP accounts are forthcoming
with details:  if you are looking at getting a dial-up IP connection, this book
is definitely worth looking at.  The contact information for commercial,
shareware and freeware IP software will be *very* useful.
 
It's not perfect.  (Big surprise.)  It covers both DOS and Windows, but not the
Mac.  (Mac users *may* find the discussion helpful anyway, since there is
little else.)  The organization could use some work.  A disk with the book
provides "Pink SLIP" software for the Pipeline Network (presumably similar to
the SLIPKnot software which is more widely available).  The discussion of SLIP
installation and operation is quite terse.  Enquiring minds would still like to
know, for example, how to set up a dialer for Microsoft's own WINSOCK.DLL,
whether UMSLIP sends its initialization before or after the one I specify, or
why Kent doesn't mention KA9Q.  For most beginning users, Kent's directions
should be sufficient, so long as nothing major goes wrong.  And, if it does, at
least you have a basis for asking informed questions.
 
If you want more information on mail readers, news readers, or dial-up IP, this
is a good source.
 
copyright Robert M. Slade, 1995   BKCINSIN.RVW   950223

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