BKCBRMNR.RVW 950120 "Minding Your Cyber-Manners on the Internet", Rose, 1994, 1-56761-521-X, U$12.99/C$16.99 %A Donald Rose drose@pro-palmtree.socal.com %C 201 West 103rd Street, Indianapolis, IN 46290 %D 1994 %G 1-56761-521-X %I Alpha Books %O U$12.99/C$16.99 75141.2102@compuserve.com %P 194 %T "Minding Your Cyber-Manners on the Internet" Ignoring the "smiley" books (BKSMILEY.RVW and BKSMLDCT.RVW) and one rather generic guide to grammar, out of the hundreds of books published so far on the subject of the Internet, this is only the second to be devoted to the etiquette of network communications (after Shea's "Netiquette", cf BKNTQUTT.RVW). It is a valuable and worthwhile addition. Coverage of the topic is very broad-ranging, although it is not, perhaps, complete. The material is very practical, with lists of do's and don'ts, summaries, and question-and-answer sections. Rose has a professional grasp of humour, and it is used extensively and effectively throughout. The book is not without problems. There is a shortage of explanation of the "why" on various topics. There is a chapter on how flames start (and a pretty good one) -- but not until chapter six. Rose recommends against the spread of "dying child" letters--but doesn't explain the situation behind the Craig Shergold stories, nor the related "Neiman-Marcus cookie" legend or the "FCC Modem Tax" rumours. He mentions the frequent administrative mis-posts on mailing lists, but not how to avoid doing them. Some specific recommendations are questionable. He suggests the use of abbreviations and "cyberese" (the acronyms of common phrases, like BTW for "by the way") as a means of keeping messages short. This is no longer considered good etiquette, as it is highly confusing to newcomers--and oldtimers as well, in certain cases. (In fact, the book contradicts itself at this point, recommending both for and against abbreviations, on a single page.) (Some may also consider the repeated promotion of Kent's "The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Internet" (BKIDTINT.RVW) and "The Complete Idiot's Next Step on the Internet" (sorry, haven't seen it yet) almost to constitute "spamming" within this book, itself.) I definitely recommend this work for all Internet users, and particularly newcomers. I very much hope future editions will extend a work well begun. copyright Robert M. Slade, 1995 BKCBRMNR.RVW 950120 ============== Vancouver ROBERTS@decus.ca | "In questions of science, the Institute for Robert_Slade@sfu.ca | authority of a thousand is not Research into rslade@cue.bc.ca | worth the humble reasoning User p1@CyberStore.ca | of a single individual." Security Canada V7K 2G6 | - Galileo