BKINTINS.RVW 940302 "Internet Insider", Ruffin Prevost, 1995, 0-07-882084-7, U$14.95 %A Ruffin Prevost ruffin@cerf.net %C 2600 Tenth St., Berkeley, CA 94710 %D 1995 %G 0-07-882084-7 %I Osborne McGraw-Hill %O U$14.95 510-548-2805 800-227-0900 lkissing@osborne.mhs.compuserve.com %P 284 %T "Internet Insider" Going strictly by the title, one might think this is a collection of PR puff pieces, or the enthusiasms of "instant experts". It's a collection, but not that kind. Going by the cover, evocative of the more lurid of the checkout- stand tabloids, one might think this is a send-up of the net. There is a lot of send-up here, but that is not all. As Prevost, himself, says in the introduction (labelled "read.me.first"), where it is impossible for a phalanx of academicians to give a fair, accurate and complete picture of the Internet, it *is* possible for a "single smartass" to offer a personal view that's nearly as enlightening, and probably a bit more fun. He has succeeded, in my view, admirably. It isn't complete. (What could be?) You won't learn a lot about the "how" of the information. The book is disorganized. (So is the net.) You may find a preponderance of items from "minor" sources (in this case, Nerdnosh, the Oracularities and White House Press conference transcripts to do with Socks), but that tends to be what you remember from net surfing, anyway. (Did you know, by the way, that the "whitehouse.gov" machine is named "socks"?) You won't learn about the shareware archives, computer or professional support resources, or the other computers to which you can connect. You *will* learn about the net community: ragged, disjointed, funny, cruel, arrogant, helpful, spiteful and sensitive. No, that description is not neat. Neither is the book. Neither is the net. Netizens will likely find fun and fond memories in these pages. Those who have not yet explored the net, and who would like a taste, should read this. If you dislike the book, you will probably dislike the net. copyright Robert M. Slade, 1995 BKINTINS.RVW 950302 ============== 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"