BKCMNTED.RVW  940819

"Computer networking for educators", McCain/Ekelund, 1993, 1-56484-039-5
%A   Ted D. E. McCain
%A   Mark Ekelund
%C   1787 Agate Street, Eugene, OR  97403-1923
%D   1993
%G   1-56484-039-5
%I   International Society for Technology in Education
%P   186
%T   "Computer networking for educators", 
503/346-4414
fax: 503/346-5890
70014.2117@CompuServe.com
ISTE@Oregon.uoregon.edu

This book is no worse than many other networking guides.  But it's no better,
either.

Five of the six chapters in section one seem to be sales pitches for LANs. 
They cite the same benefits that everyone else does:  shared software, shared
disk space, shared printers and so forth.  There is, however, no indication
that a LAN may *not* be a cost effective solution, nor any analytical aids that
might help in that determination.  Chapters six and seven (the first in section
two) both deal with planning but have little more to recommend than "get
everyone involved," and "do it right".  The remaining chapters have lots of
graphics (as the book does overall), and random snippets of information, but
woefully little material to help anyone actually put a network together.  As
only one example, the vital choice of network operating system is dismissed in
only one page--and only lists NetWare and ICLAS (IBM Classroom LAN
Administration System).

I would have to say that this work is woefully inadequate as a sole source to
guide the design and implementation of a local area network.  It is only a
pointer to a great deal of work that the average teacher, administrator, or
computer resource person would have to do.  I have, however, as yet, not found
a better one to recommend.

copyright Robert M. Slade, 1994   BKCMNTED.RVW  940819
 
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Editor and/or reviewer ROBERTS@decus.ca, RSlade@sfu.ca, Rob Slade at 1:153/733
Author "Robert Slade's Guide to Computer Viruses" (Oct. '94) Springer-Verlag