BKZENINT.RVW  960123
 
"Zen and the Art of the Internet", Kehoe, 1996, 0-13-452914-6, U$23.95
%A   Brendan Kehoe brendan@zen.org
%C   113 Sylvan Avenue, Englewood Cliffs, NJ   07632
%D   1996
%G   0-13-452914-6
%I   Prentice-Hall, Inc.
%O   U$23.95 FAX (515)284-2607 800-428-5331 beth_hespe@prenhall.com
%P   255
%T   "Zen and the Art of the Internet"
 
"Zen" is, itself, one of the very widely known and highly regarded resources on
the net.  It was also the first introductory guide to the Internet published in
popular book form.  It is slightly larger (physically, due to a larger typeface
in this edition) than it was, but is still my most highly recommended book for
Internet newcomers.  Kehoe has done a marvelous job of presenting the
essentials, plus a few interesting tidbits, while holding off from reproducing
reams of resources from those already available on the net, itself.
 
I should, having given these accolades, admit to a decided bias:  this is my
type of book.  Those who are not happy with concepts and only wish to know what
button to press may find the book frustrating.  Mail, ftp, news, telnet and a
number of other tools are covered, but Kehoe does not reproduce, wholesale, 
help screens from elm and tin.  Since the specific programs you will use all
have help features, Kehoe evidently does not feel the need to waste paper
explaining how to use a program that you may not, indeed, need to use.  I
agree, and it is refreshing to see at least one Internet guide which gives
clear explanations of the essence of the Internet tools without having to fill
space with specifics which you will be able to get from the programs
themselves.  (In response to the draft of an earlier review, Kehoe stated that
Internet providers should be also providing documentation for any system
specific features.  He also mused on the bewilderment newcomers must feel when
confronted with a shelf full of 400 to 800 page guides for a system whose
basics are supposedly fairly simple.  Again I concur.)
 
Probably for the same reason, Kehoe does not reproduce an annotated, or even
expurgated, .newsrc file or "list of lists."  Some may say that this is a lack
on the part of the book and that it is less interesting for not providing such
a directory.  These resources are, however, readily accessible on the net
(Kehoe tells you where to find them) and cannot, in book form, be anything more
than an outdated and possibly misleading first indicator.  Two "lists" which
Kehoe *does* provide are of ftp and telnet sites.  Such sites are harder to
find, and these lists are quite useful.
 
With this fourth edition, Kehoe has added some World Wide Web material,
including HTML.  In twelve pages (plus a handy reference card), he manages to
provide enough information for neophytes to start building their own Web pages.
 
There is, of course, nothing wrong with the large guides with all of their
lengthy references.  As the same time, most newcomers will want a gentler,
smaller introduction, rather than being dumped into a vat of data.  For those
to whom the sound of few pages flipping is as music, this is definitely your
book.
 
copyright Robert M. Slade, 1994, 1996   BKZENINT.RVW   960123

======================
DECUS Canada Communications, Desktop, Education and Security group newsletters
Editor and/or reviewer        ROBERTS@decus.ca         rslade@vanisl.decus.ca
DECUS Symposium '96, Vancouver, BC, Feb 26-Mar 1, 1996, contact: rulag@decus.ca