BKINTIPE.RVW   960417
 
"Internet in Plain English", Bryan Pfaffenberger, 1994, 1-55828-385-4,
U$19.95/C$25.95
%A   Bryan Pfaffenberger bp@virginia.edu
%C   115 West 18th Street, New York, NY   10011-4195
%D   1994
%G   1-55828-385-4
%I   MIS Press/M&T Books/Henry Holt
%O   U$19.95/C$25.95 +1-212-886-9378 fax: +1-212-633-0748, +1-212-807-6654
%O   76712.2644@compuserve.com http://www.mispress.com fburke@fsb.superlink.net
%P   463
%T   "Internet in Plain English"
 
This isn't an Internet guide.  Or, then again, maybe it is.  Pfaffenberger has
compiled a glossary of Internet related terms and jargon.  Beyond simply giving
you the definitions, though, he has added real explanations of the significance
of most of the items.
 
The book is somewhat daunting in size, or, at least, thickness.  (The small
page size produces one oddity: the publisher has put headers showing the first
and last term on the page.  Since a single definition can easily span more than
one page, and very few pages have more than three definitions, these headers
are of much less help than they might be otherwise.)  If the author has erred,
it is on the size of inclusion.  Very few Internet users will need to know what
a High-speed Digital Subscriber Loop (HDSL) is.  On the other hand, a few will
be very interested.
 
By and large, the definitions, and explanations, are excellent.  There is a
strong emphasis on netiquette and net culture.  For once, in a general work,
the definition of virus contains sound advice and not a single error.  (Not all
of the book is perfect.  The entry for telnet, while it is not in error, gives
an unusually misrepresented picture.  The very complete coverage of the "V."
data communications standards even includes a panning of the misleading
"V.32terbo" marketing phrase--but *doesn't* include the valid v.32ter
standard.)
 
This book is highly recommended for those who are new to the net, and active,
but are finding themeselves constantly asking "what do you mean by _____?"
 
copyright Robert M. Slade, 1996   BKINTIPE.RVW   960417

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