BKIRCSVG.RVW   970408

"The irc Survival Guide", Stuart Harris, 1995, 0-201-41000-1,
U$17.95/C$22.95
%A   Stuart Harris
%C   P.O. Box 520, 26 Prince Andrew Place, Don Mills, Ontario M3C 2T8
%D   1995
%G   0-201-41000-1
%I   Addison-Wesley Publishing Co.
%O   U$17.95/C$22.95 416-447-5101 fax: 416-443-0948 bkexpress@aw.com
%P   213
%T   "The irc Survival Guide: Talk to the World with Internet Relay
         Chat"

I must admit that I agree with those who see IRC (Internet Relay Chat)
as a profound waste of time.  Yes, a dozen years ago, I conducted an
international conference via CompuServe's CB Simulator, and I figured
that there was potential in real-time chat.  But that was a far cry
from the anarchic noise that goes on in pretty much every IRC channel. 
So, why am I going to keep Harris' book?  Because it's the most
realistic, balanced, complete, and positively helpful book I've read
on the application to date.

Harris gives some background, netiquette tips, time savers, self
defense, a glossary, a list of client software, and a list of servers. 
Mostly, though, he provides a list of commands--and commands, and more
commands, and options for the commands.  As he admits, up front, not
all commands are available on all IRC clients.  (Appendix A gives some
detail on where you are likely to find, and not find, specific
commands.)

It's *almost* enough to convince me to give it another shot.

copyright Robert M. Slade, 1997   BKIRCSVG.RVW   970408