BKINTBSP.RVW   960123
 
"The Internet for Busy People", Crumlish, 1996, 0-07-882108-8, U$22.95
%A   Christian Crumlish xian@netcom.com
%C   2600 Tenth St., Berkeley, CA   94710
%D   1996
%G   0-07-882108-8
%I   McGraw-Hill Osborne
%O   U$22.95 510-548-2805 800-227-0900 pmon@osborne.mhs.compuserve.com
%P   304
%T   "The Internet for Busy People"
 
The Internet *is* for busy people.  Learning the Internet is not.  The are
concepts, functions, cultures, facts, FAQs, lists and sites to learn before it
starts to become useful.  Therefore, a book teaching the Internet to busy
people is a problematic proposition.
 
Crumlish makes a reasonable stab at it.  The "for Busy People" format is well
designed.  The material is not too bad, and presents the bare minimum basics
well enough to get people started.
 
The trouble is, "bare minimum" on the Internet is just enough to get you into
trouble.  (I suppose we can be thankful that those reading this book are
unlikely to be able to set up much of a Web page.)  The fundamental functions
of Internet applications still don't tell you where to go to get the
information you want.  Crumlish points to some fun sites, but few that are
likely to be of use to "busy people".
 
There is also a hefty Windows 95 bias to the book.  The Microsoft tools get
lots of space while the question of connecting Win95 to anything but MSN goes
unexamined.
 
copyright Robert M. Slade, 1996   BKINTBSP.RVW   960123

======================
roberts@decus.ca    slade@freenet.victoria.bc.ca    Rob_Slade@mindlink.bc.ca
          The secret to enjoying your job is to have a hobby that's 
                          even worse - Bill Watterson
Author "Robert Slade's Guide to Computer Viruses" 0-387-94663-2 (800-SPRINGER)