BKINTLKT.RVW   960612
 
"The Internet Tool Kit", Nancy Cedeno, 1995, 0-7821-1688-4, U$16.99
%A   Nancy Cedeno nac@sirius.com
%C   2021 Challenger Drive, Alameda, CA   94501
%D   1995
%G   0-7821-1688-4
%I   Sybex Computer Books
%O   U$16.99 510-523-8233 800-227-2346 Fax: 510-523-2373 info@sybex.com
%P   418
%T   "The Internet Tool Kit"
 
Reviewing technical books can be frustrating.  Popular topics tend to attract a
lot of mediocre treatments: a waste of good paper.  Important topics tend to
generate bad books, both because a lot of good technical people can't write,
and because those who can make a buck off writing won't do proper research. 
And then there are overhyped works where the advertising budget far outweighs
the value.
 
It is, therefore, a positive joy to come across a genuinely good book in an
important topic area.  Cedeno's text is a lost jewel in the Internet library. 
Internet application clients--the tools of the title--are the face of the
Internet to most users.  This work explains the basic functions of ftp, telnet,
mail, news, gopher, the World Wide Web, and more.  However, the author has also
collected basic information on a whole host of client programs, from the text
based tools of the UNIX shell accounts to the Winsock based front ends.  Where
to get them, how to install them, and how to get started using them.
 
Cedeno's material is clear and straightforward for the newcomer.  The content
is reliable.  Given the volume of programs she deals with, there cannot be full
documentation on every title.  Still, even those who have worked with the
Internet for years will find a great deal of value here, either in terms of
programs they have not yet tried out, or in tidbits of helpful information for
programs they use regularly.  The explanation of the setup for a dialup IP
(SLIP or PPP) account is possibly the best I have read anywhere.
 
Buy this book.  It's needed, and Cedeno needs enough sales to prompt Sybex to
do further editions.
 
copyright Robert M. Slade, 1996   BKINTLKT.RVW   960612

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