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From: Revised List Processor (1.7e) <LISTSERV%BITNIC.BITNET@bitnic.educom.edu>
Subject:      File: "INTERNET RAY_E"
To: kris stewart <stewart%saturn@SDSU.EDU>

"Internet User's Guide Offers Comprehensive, Usable
Information for Beginners and Experts"

Reprinted from the March/April 1993 issue of the Oklahoma State
University Computer Center Newsletter. Contact: Eric J. Ray,
ejray@okway.okstate.edu, Technical Information Analyst, OSU Computer
Center, MS113, Stillwater, OK 74078

The Whole Internet User's Guide and Catalog. Ed Krol.
Sebastopol, California: O'Reilly & Associates, 1992.
376 pages, including appendices and glossary. $24.95.

     "Getting a handle on the Internet is a lot like
     grabbing a handful of Jello--the more firm you think
     your grasp is, the more dribbles down your arm."

     As silly as it sounds, with this statement and this
     book Ed Krol firmly grasps the intricacies of the
     Internet with very few significant dribbles. The Whole
     Internet User's Guide and Catalog provides an excellent
     introduction to the basic tools and techniques
     available, in addition to offering a good general
     overview of the resources you can use through the
     Internet.

     Krol designed the book for anyone who wants to use the
     Internet for research or fun, and succeeded in
     tailoring a book which novices and experts alike can
     easily use. From the "Approaching this Book" section of
     the preface to the introduction of each chapter, the
     User's Guide helps readers find what they want to know,
     avoid sections they aren't ready for, and make the
     connections necessary to understand the vast reaches of
     the Internet.

     The general concensus among Internet trainers and
     experts is that Krol's book is the best of recent
     publications about the Internet. Krol is certainly
     quite experienced with the Internet, as well as skilled
     at communicating his knowledge. Krol also wrote the
     "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Internet," which is an older
     guide, available through FTP and gopher servers. If
     terms like "FTP" and "gopher" don't ring a bell, this
     is the book for you. It will get you started using the
     wealth of resources available.

     Some of the topics Krol addresses include fundamentals
     of how the Internet works, how to find people and
     software, using electronic mail and Network News,
     transferring information and files, and using the
     newest Internet tools, such as gopher, veronica, WAIS,
     and the WWW (World-Wide-Web).

     What's more, Krol points to some specific information
     resources--about 40 pages worth. Some of the teasers
     include  sources for agriculture-related information,
     aviation archives, beer-making, and free software.
     One of the best parts of this Guide is the number of
     other resources Krol mentions. Krol offers pointers to
     specific and frequently-updated guides, so readers will
     be able to start investigating their own personal
     Internet resources.

     The Whole Guide functions equally well as a tutorial or
     as a reference work.  The examples, all based on Unix
     operating systems, slightly limit this book's utility
     as a tutorial, but as a rule Krol carefully outlines
     the differences between platforms, and carefully marks
     the system-specific information.

     The chapter on Network News is the least helpful for
     people at OSU because the reader described is not
     available on UCC systems. The principles are the same
     for everyone, but the specific techniques differ for
     each news reader. Throughout the rest of the book, the
     information is less platform-specific, therefore more
     usable by everyone, regardless of operating system.

     The Whole Guide's general information sections are
     probably the best of the best--if you need to know
     something about the Internet, the information or a
     pointer to it is probably in this book.

     Overall, the Whole Internet User's Guide and Catalog is
     a comprehensive, easy and fun handbook for all current
     and future Internet users.

     If you are interested in the Internet you should own a
     copy of this book. It doesn't matter if you are a
     novice or a guru, if you need a place to start or a
     comprehensive reference guide, this book belongs on
     your bookshelf.

     Eric J. Ray
     ejray@okway.okstate.edu
     UCC Newsletter Editor

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