BKINTEML.RVW   961214
 
"The Internet by E-Mail", Clay Shirky, 1994, 1-56276-240-0, U$19.95/C$27.95
%A   Clay Shirky clays@panix.com
%C   201 W. 103rd Street, Indianapolis, IN   46290
%D   1994
%G   1-56276-240-0
%I   MacMillan Computer Publishing (MCP)
%O   U$19.95/C$27.95 http://www.mcp.com info@mcp.com
%P   220
%T   "The Internet by E-Mail"
 
Getting closer.  This book does provide descriptions and explicit directions on
how to use a variety of Internet resources, all using only email.  MIT's rtfm
server gets extensive coverage.  ftp by mail is discussed quite well, and
mailing lists are explained thoroughly.
 
Unfortunately, there are still areas missing.  Access to gopher and the World
Wide Web via email are not mentioned at all.  Usenet gets a lot of space, but
ultimately only those groups which are mirrors of mailing lists are part of the
discussion.  There is no reference to true mail-to-news gateways, which can be
used to post to the broader range of newsgroups, nor of news-to-mail services
which allow one to "read" news.
 
There are a number of areas addressed in the book which get shortchanged in
other titles.  Compression and archiving is covered, although some common
formats are missed.  The (brief) section on viruses is *very* good: much better
than in most general works.
 
copyright Robert M. Slade, 1996   BKINTEML.RVW   961214

======================
roberts@decus.ca         rslade@vcn.bc.ca         slade@freenet.victoria.bc.ca
link to virus, book info at http://www.freenet.victoria.bc.ca/techrev/rms.html
Author "Robert Slade's Guide to Computer Viruses" 0-387-94663-2 (800-SPRINGER)