BKPSRSGD.RVW   990126

"Poser's Guide to the Internet and World Wide Web", James Gaskin,
1998, 0-9665370-3-3, U$9.95/C$12.95
%A   James Gaskin author@posersguide.com
%C   3817 Yellowstone, Irving, TX   75062
%D   1998
%G   0-9665370-3-3
%I   Ruby Moon Press
%O   U$9.95/C$12.95 rubybooks@aol.com
%P   111 p.
%T   "Poser's Guide to the Internet and World Wide Web"

The computer world spawns more "instant experts" than any other field
of human endeavour with the possible exception of child-rearing, and
most such posers are intensely irritating to those who do know what's
going on.  So why do I applaud Gaskin's reference work for them?

For one thing, as the title would suggest, it's funny.  Mostly the
rolling eyes muttering "how true, how true" variety of funny, but very
funny nonetheless.

To go further, I have to explain the book.  This volume is actually a
dictionary.  A dictionary is funny?  Yes, when each definition (one to
a page) is defined, in turn, by a guru, a "cheerleader," and a cynic. 
(These "experts" have been graphically personified by Randy Jones, and
I was please to see, however briefly, the return of Karl's
konsultees.)  The guru, as the front cover states, gives you the facts
that are nice, but rarely helpful.  For the cheerleader, the net and
all its works are wonderful.  But it is the cynics who tell you what
these bits of technobabble and manajargon mean.  Gaskin casts an
informed, and generally jaundiced, eye on the technical "hot buttons"
of the day.  In fact, while there is a lot of fun in the text, there
is a lot of information as well, and you *can* learn a lot very
quickly, if you want to be a poser.  In fact, I can think of a lot of
executives who I wish would spend about an hour with this volume.

copyright Robert M. Slade, 1999   BKPSRSGD.RVW   990126