BKINDMQR.RVW 950516 "The Internet For Dummies Quick Reference", John Levine/Margaret Levine Young, 1994, 1-56884-168-X, U$8.95/C$11.95/UK#7.99 %A John Levine dummies@iecc.com %A Margaret Levine Young %C 155 Bovet Road, Suite 310, San Mateo, CA 94402 %D 1994 %G 1-56884-168-X %I IDG Books %O U$8.95/C$11.95/UK#7.99 415-312-0650 fax: 415-286-2740 kaday@aol.com %P 165 %S ... for Dummies %T "The Internet For Dummies Quick Reference" This is a quick reference, but not necessarily to the Internet, itself. The largest portion of the book is dedicated to Internet tools and specific applications -- and, contrary to the cover blurb, those are primarily the UNIX versions. It is interesting to compare this book with "Zen and the Art of the Internet" (cf. BKZENINT.RVW) which is of similar size and which *does* provide general information about the Internet. "The Internet for Dummies Quick Reference" is much closer to Adam Gaffin's "Big Dummie's Guide to the Internet" (printed as "Everybody's Guide to the Internet", cf. BKEVBINT.RVW) -- again, very similar in size, but also directed at the keystroke level of specific programs. The chapters are divided logically, but sections within the chapters can be wildly disorganized. An introductory list of means to access the archie program comes after three of them have already been covered. A discussion of search modes divides a list of servers from the discussion of how to access the servers. A blurb of the Usenet archive at MIT suddenly pops up in the middle of the archie coverage. Navigating the World Wide Web comes before you sign on to it. There are some good bits of Internet info. For example, the lists of archie and ftpmail servers are quite useful. If you are using the standard UNIX tools, this reference does give you the basics in a concise form. (Do note that there are numerous typos in command examples.) As an overall guide to the Internet, however, this book makes a lengthy sales pitch for something called "The Internet for Dummies" (cf. BKINTDUM.RVW). copyright Robert M. Slade, 1995 BKINDMQR.RVW 950516 ============== Vancouver ROBERTS@decus.ca | "A modern US Navy cruiser now requires Institute for Robert_Slade@sfu.ca | 26 tons of manuals. This is enough Research into rslade@cyberstore.ca| to affect the vessel's performance." User rslade@sfu.ca | "New Scientist" article Security Canada V7K 2G6 | on the "paperless office"