This month's PC magazine reviews two new books about the
Internet.  Both are written for persons who are just beginning to
use the Internet. Since this topic is near and dear to our
hearts, I thought I'd summarize the reviews.
 
The first book, _The Whole Internet User's Guide and Catalog_
($24.95, ISBN 1-56592-025-2) is published by O'Reilly and
Associates, publishers of the Nutshell series of UNIX books.  The
second is _The Internet Companion ($10.95, ISBN 0-201-62224-6).
It is published by Addison Wesley.
 
_The Whole Internet..._ gets the better review of the two.
According to the reviewers, it covers not only the services
available on the Internet, it also gives instructions on how to
access them.  Topics covered include the basics such as e-mail
and news (which we have here on Grex) and more advanced topics
such as ftp, telnet and the wais and archie services (which are
not yet available here :(  ).
 
Despite its higher cost, _The Whole Internet User's Guide and
Catalog_ looks like the book to get to get started with the
Internet.

42 responses total.

  "The Whole Internet" seems to be very interesting, from what I've read
of it.  I have mostly skimmed through co-worker's copy.  I'd have to say
that I found most of the material on various services far too basic to
be of much use to me but probably well suited to a beginning user.  The
part of the book that I found very interesting, however, is an appendix
that has a sort of catalog of free information services available over
the Internet.  While the listing is by no means comprehensive, there're
still some very interesting things listed.  Based on what I've seen I'd
recommend the book to someone not already familiar with resources on the
net though I'd point out that without network access of at least some
sort it won't be as useful or interesting.  

 I bought both on 2 JAN 93, but haven't had a chance to read either.  Any
non-smoking, heterosexual vegetarian is welcome to borrow either.

Would you settle for two out of three?  :)

Actually, "The Whole Internet..." has been sitting on my book shelf
for a few weeks, browsed but not yet read.  Covers quite a range of
topics, from recreational uses to some implementation details.
Almost anyone should be able to get *something* new out of it,
regardless of background.

A glance through the computer section at Borders reveals that
non-techncical, user-oriented books on the Internet has become a
hot publishing area.  Evidently the market must be there,
indicating that the Internet has Arrived.

I've loaned my copy to steve for his persual adn comment, which
probably will appear here now that the book(s) have their own
item.
  
I thought _The Whole ..._ was a pretty good effort which, as mcnally
noted, eventually provides something for everyone.

(That is, if STeve reads them within the next year...)

Another good Internet tutorial is :

Zen and the Art of Internet by Brendan P. Kehoe.  Ed Vielmetti does the
forward.  I bought it for $8 at LIttle Prof, but I've heard that Border's
charges $25.  Good book though.

How can I contact someone at the Boston Computer Society via Internet?

Do you have direct Internet access?  (not from here, we don't).
  
Here are three domains to which you could email   root@xxxx and
see if someone kknows:
  
        root@bbc.com
                        Bosston Business Computing, Inc.
  
        root@bsw.com    Boston Software works, Inc  (the above is "Ltd")
  
        root@bostech.com    Boston Technology, Ind.
  
 or     root@bu.edu      Boston University
  
It may be more politic to email    postmast@ xxx.yyy, or staff@xx.yy
but that's my nickle's worth.
  
I'm not sure if there is a  "standard" (defacto, anyway) postmaster
userid, but  postmast@xxx.yyy   _seems_ to fit most often ...

   It makes a lot more sense to use postmaster, rather than root.  Too
many messages to root are of the computer error-generated type, such
that root messages may not be read often.

RFC-822 (the Internet e-mail standards document) says that you *must*
have a "postmaster" mailbox, and that it must go to a real human, not
a machine or /dev/null.

True, and I've found all the postmasters I've sent blind messages to
to be very helpful.

mju, does that standards doc also call for the 8-char postmast as
the standard, or postmaster (9-char) or post (4 char) or what
for the defacto default loginid?

Nope.  On most machines the 8-character login-id limit doesn't affect
anything, since just because you have a "postmaster" mailbox doesn't
mean you have to have a "postmaster" login-id; it could just be
aliased to a human's mailbox.  If you do have such limits, it's
the responsibility of the mail transfer software on that host to
deal with it.  RFC-822 also says, BTW, that any case permutation of
"postmaster" has to work, including "Postmaster" and "POSTMASTER".

Email jabr@bcs.org or jabr@cs.umb.edu for information about emailing
a Boston Computer Society member.  

Next time you have a similar problem you might try using "whois"
or looking in X.500 if you can access the net..

re #13:  My machines also have a "Potsmaster"..

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Which Host? um-x500    should get you there, too

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kentn is correct.

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info 27 linked to internet 21

I have actually *used* _The Whole Internet..._  (in contrast to "on
the back burner", "sitting on my shelf", etc), and it worked. I decided
the time had come to run archie, so I just followed the instructions,
and sure enough, I was on a remote archie host. *However*, it informed
me to get a client, as "interactive use may be limited". So, things
are changing, and I am sure that parts of _The Whole Internet..._ are
already obsolete. 

This response has been erased.

We could mail one of these people and ask them.

Rane, I've got an archie client going on my machine at school.  It's
a pretty nifty way to do searches (I usually run it in the background
and redirect the output to a file).  

Kent, I should have added that I picked the Mac client Archie 0.9 off
an ftp site. Archie is an Item in the internet cf, and other discussion
of it is in the FTP Item. Here, I was only observing on the coming shift
from interactive telnet to client sessions.

This response has been erased.

We have archie on Grex BTW.

alt.internet.services has an archive internet-services/faq, with extensive
lists of journals, ftp'able documents, and BOOKS (in addition to
practically anything else you'd like to know about internet use, in only
19 pages). The BOOKS list contains the three that have been mentioned here
already, but I'm leaving them in, for the further information provided. 
This list is dated 4 February 1994.

*** 3.6: WHAT'S A GOOD BOOK TO READ FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE
INTERNET?
(All prices in U.S. dollars.)
"Connecting to the Internet" by Susan Estrada. O'Reilly & Associates.
This small book focuses on choosing the best type of network connection
for your personal, school or business needs, and how to get the best
price for the type of access you require. Explains the differences
between SLIP, PPP, ISDN, X.25 and other options. Includes an extensive
list of Internet service providers. ISBN: 1-56592-061-9. 1993. $15.95.

"Crossing the Internet Threshold: an Instructional Handbook" by Roy
Tennant, John Ober and Anne Lipow. Library Solutions Press, 1993. (510)
841-2636. An instructional package for librarians teaching Internet
basics. $45. FTP for info:
simsc.si.edu:/networks/crossing.ad

"Exploring the Internet: a Technical Travelogue" by Carl Malamud.
Prentice-Hall Publishers. (515) 284-6751.

"The Internet Companion, A Beginner's Guide To Global Networking" by
Tracy LaQuey with Jeanne C. Ryer (Addison-Wesley Publishing.) The
Companion includes a detailed history of the Internet, a discussion on
"netiquette" (network etiquette), and how to find resources on the net.
Useful for the computer-literate Internet novice. ISBN: 0-201-62224-6.
1993. $10.95.

"Internet: Getting Started." Authors: Marine, Kirkpatrick, Neou, Ward.
SRI Internet Information Services, PTR Prentice Hall. Published by PTR
Prentice Hall, New Jersey. Explains how to join the Internet, the
various types of Internet access, and procedures for obtaining a unique
IP address and domain name. An extensive list of Internet access
providers of all types is provided, including access outside of the
United States. The guide explains many concepts essential to the
Internet, such as the Domain Name System, IP addressing, protocols, and
electronic mail. ISBN: 0-13-327933-2. 1993. Paperback, 360 pages.
$28.00.

"The Internet Guide for New Users," by Daniel P Dern. A very complete
introduction to the world of the Internet. Along with the obligatory
topics such as telnet, FTP and Archie, the book suggests how to get an
Internet account and teaches enough UNIX to survive on the net. McGraw-
Hill, Oct. 1993. 570 pages. Paperback $27.95 ISBN: 0-07-016511.
Hardcover $40.00: ISBN# 0-07-016510-6.

"Internet: Mailing Lists 1993 Edition." Franklin F. Kuo, Series Editor.
SRI Internet Information Services. Published by PTR Prentice Hall, New
Jersey. ISBN: 0-13-327941-3. Copyright 1993. Paperback, 356 pages. (Note
that a current "list of lists" is also available online, both via Usenet
and FTP. See the final section.)

"The Internet Navigator" by Paul Gilster, distributed by John Wiley &
Sons, Inc., $24.95, ISBN 0-471-59782-1.

"The Internet Passport: NorthWestNet's Guide to Our World Online,4th
ed.". This is published by NorthWestNet and the Northwest Academic
Computing Consortium, Inc. It is 516 pages and covers everything from
net etiquette to supercomputers; very comprehensive. It costs $39.95 but
schools and not-for-profit organizations can buy it for $19.95 plus
shipping. NorthWestNet, 15400 SE 30th Place, Suite 202, Bellevue, WA
98007. (206) 562-3000. E-mail for info: "passport@nwnet.net".

"Internet Primer for Information Professionals: A Basic Guide to
Internet Networking Technology". By Elizabeth Lang and Craig Summerhill,
Meckler Publishing. ISBN: 0-88736-831-X. 1993. $37.50.

"The Internet Starter Kit for the Macintosh" by Adam Engst, ISBN 1-
56830-064-6. Published by Hayden Books. This terrific book (with a
floppy disk) gives Macintosh users the complete scoop on getting
connected to the Internet using PPP, SLIP, etc. $29.95.

"Internet System Handbook" by Danial Lynch and Marshall Rose. Addison-
Wesley Publishing, 1993. $54.95.

"Mac Internet Tour Guide" by Michael Fraase. Published by Ventana Press.
ISBN 1-56604-062-0. $27.95. This book (with floppy disk) for Macintosh
users helps newcomers get online and get acquainted with graphical
Internet software "Fetch" and "Eudora".

"Using UUCP and Usenet" by Grade Todino and Dale Dougherty. 194 pages.
O'Reilly & Associates. 1991.

"The Whole Internet User's Guide and Catalog" by Ed Krol (published by
O'Reilly & Associates.) This book covers the basic utilities used to
access the network and then guides users through the Internet's
"databases of databases" to access the millions of files and thousands
of archives available. It includes a resource index that covers a broad
selection of approximately 300 important resources available on the
Internet. ISBN: 1-56592-025-2. 1992. 400 pages. $24.95.

"Zen & the Art of Internet" by Brendan Kehoe. Published by Prentice
Hall. This guide should give you a reference to consult if you're
curious about what can be done with the Internet. It also presents the
fundamental topics that are all too often assumed and considered trivial
by many network users. It covers the basic utilities and information
reaching other networks. An earlier, much less comprehensive version is
available via FTP; see previous section. ISBN: 0-13-010778-6. 112 pages.
1993. $22.00.

 The latter is available from Project Gutenburg. All you need do is 
capture the text and print it out. (I would never do this, BTW)

Is that the published version, or the previous ftp-able version?

 It's all in chapters, each one is readable, and captureable.
just hunt around on the Msu gopher, and it will be there.
it is in ASCII, so I would assume that it is not FTPable.
'.

Um...there's a pre-publication draft floating around the Internet.
And there's the published book, which has information beyond the
draft.  Which one is this one?

 I guess it's the draft. Although I cannot be sure of that fact.

Re #32: omni, *all* files are ftp-able (as far as I know).

Not if you can't log in to the server where they reside using ftp.  I
suspect that's what Jim meant - he was reading through gopher, & had no
other access to the server in question.

yup. Dave hit it on the head.

Anyone have any current good books ?

I shop (browse) the Giant Book Sale place at State just south of the Stadium
overpass.  They have several table full of computer books, and they'r just
starting to get some 'decent' internet stuff.  Books are mostly 'recently
out-of-date' due to new editions, or are over-runs, etc.

I got a good QUE book on HTML (including html3) for $4.00!  Then I checked
out the website in the book anbd found it was available on-line free, as was
the new chapters of the updated edition.  But, for $4 I can't complain.  I
also got the 3rd (or 4th?) edition of "Upgrading and repairing Your PC" for
under $10.  These are originally $30-$40 books, and since I don't keep on the
"cutting edge of new technology" anyway, they serve me very well for reference
material.  Even got a Dover Clip-Art book with disk(s) and "Add impact With
More Graphics" (also with disk or clip-art) for about $1-2 each.

there's a temporary giant book sale place on Washtenaw, next to Dennys, where
the old ABC Warehouse used to be.  They have a more limited "selection" but
they do have more current editions of things.  Prices are usually about %50
of the marked price (ie; $15 for a $30 book, instead of $4).  I even found
a couple of good basic science medical texts there (ie; anatomy, biochemistry,
physiology).  These became good supplimental additions to my medical library
which is over 20 years old in those basic science texts.  For me...great
review and update material.

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