BKINTEVR.RVW  940912

"The Internet for Everyone: A Guide for Users and Providers", Wiggins, 1995, 0-
07-067019-6, U$29.95
wiggins@msu.edu
%A   Richard W. Wiggins
%C   11 W. 19th. Street, New York, NY 10011-4285
%D   1995
%G   0-07-067019-6
%I   McGraw-Hill, Inc.
%O   U$29.95, 70007.1531@CompuServe.com, gpapke@mgh.com, 1-800-2-MCGRAW
%P   655
%S   J. Ranade Workstation Series
%T   "The Internet for Everyone: A Guide for Users and Providers"

I am not certain that this *book* is for everyone, but there are a number of
distinctives which make it stand out from the plethora of Internet guides.

The book is academic in tone.  While many may not consider this an accolade,
this work does delve deeper into the question of what the Internet is and how
it actually works.  Most introductory guides stick to a "button pushing" level,
and answer all "how" questions with the same irritating nostrum preferred by
one of my colleagues: "By magic."  The coverage of the client/server model is
particularly good, and trainers and the more interested users should seek out
this book.  (By the way, the academic tone does not preclude humour.  Note the
LISTSERV subscription example of one Liz Windsor from castle...uk, or the
"loose translation" of RTFM as "The answer to your question appears in the
documentation.")

The usual Internet tools are dealt with well.  I cannot recall a better
discussion of mailing list programs.  One other academic practice creeps in
here:  the use of "guest written" chapters.  While these do provide an
alternative perspective on specialized topics, they do so at the expense of
some coherence in the text.

The "Everyone" of the title seems to refer to the major distinguishing feature
of the book:  the chapters addressed to potential providers, as well as users. 
When I present an Internet seminar for a business audience, I always point out
the business benefits of providing information.  Now, at last, I have a
specific reference for those who want to become involved in this way.  Wiggins
covers not only the various means of providing information but also gives
details, down to some sample HTML text for World Wide Web servers.  There is
not, perhaps, sufficient guidance to use this as a sole source for server
setup, but it certainly provides a solid background and starting point.

Trainers and inquisitive users will likely want to consider this along with
"The Internet Book" by Comer (cf BKINTBOK.RVW).  (Interesting that they should
be published so close together.)  Those interested in providing information on
the Internet should definitely consider this as a first source.

copyright Robert M. Slade, 1994   BKINTEVR.RVW  940912
 
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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" (Europe: ertel@springer.de)