Online! The Book

As an average computer user with some moderate knowledge of computers, software and the internet, I was curious about "Online-The Book." Would I benefit from reading it? John Dvorak is one of my favorite writers on computing subjects and I've been reading his columns for years. But how can anyone write a book about everything online? The authors, Dvorak and co-author Chris Pirillo (who has the infamous Lockergnome computer guru site) have really done an admirable job covering the subject.This book isn't just about surfing the net. It starts with your computer, the basic components of hardware and software, to networks, the history of online systems from BBS's to university intranets to todays' internet. There is a fascinating, if horrifying section about spam email and how the spammers work. (Hint, if you have a homepage, remove your email address or alter it like "my-name-at-whatever-dot-com.") Dvorak et. al. also cover ebusiness, and most importantly, internet security and issues of identity theft and spoofing to gain passwords. Firewalls are discussed, as are internet hoaxes and scams. SSL or "secure socket layers", the technology that keeps your credit card and banking information secure when ordering online is also described.The book is really aimed at the widest swath of basic users who have some or even a fair amount of knowledge. If you go online, this is a very excellent reference that EXPLAINS how things work in reasonably simple terms, but without dumbing down the information. I found a lot of useful facts here. I'd recommended as a shelf reference for most computers users, and it could even be a good textbook for a community college course for people learning about using computers on the internet.

Now everyone's doing it. Doing what? Signing on to the internet. Each day countless millions venture into cyberspace to chat, search, buy, sell, and the numbers continue to mount. However, there are times when even the most accomplished online user needs a little help, and that's what this practical volume is all about. Whether you're a newbie or an old hand, there's something for everyone in Online! The Book. Twenty-eight informative chapters cover all aspects of internet use beginning with "The Online World," a description of the net and concluding with "Voice Over Internet Protocol," readers may glean all manner of valuable tips. Concerned about hackers and their tools? Get the lowdown here. Confused about the ISPs (Internet Service Providers)? A handy explanation. Chat rooms - good, bad or so-so? Read all about them. Want to buy at the lowest price and sell at the highest? Advice is offered. Think of Online! The Book as your guide through the mysteries of computing, and keep it handy. - Gail Cooke

Dvorak & Co.'s book should be shipped with each new computer sold because it really IS the manual for the Internet. Gateway would be well-advised to contract for the 2nd edition. Meanwhile, get it now. The good stuff on the 'net it directs to, and the traps and sheer junk on the 'net it helps one avoid, makes it pay for itself almost instantly.

The Internet doesn't come with a manual, but if it did, this is it. This sounds like an exaggeration, but it is not because the book literally covers almost everything for people at all levels computer literacy.That sounds like a tall order, doesn't it? I agree, yet Dvorak, Pirillo, and Taylor have pulled it off. The book has almost 700 pages of rock solid content in 28 chapters covering hardware, music, meeting people, gaming, networking, email, and more. Though I read as much as I can about technology since getting my first computer in 1980, the book has material that cover areas I know less about such as enterprise instant messaging and peer-to-peer communication.The topics are tackled at the 30-foot level and the 30,000-foot level. For example, we know emails are those messages that fill up our mailboxes with some in the ugly disguise of spam. The email chapter has contents on its history, protocols, clients, spam (of course), header analysis, filtering, and etiquette. Protocols, header analysis, and filtering are uncomfortable terms for some people. Techie words and concepts are clearly explained without leaving the reader scratching his head and re-reading the paragraph until his eyes cross. Most of the technical terms and tips are in a gray box, so if you don't want to deal with it you skip over the visual cue. Tips are also in little boxes with a photo of Pirillo running into a window (again) or Dvorak in his Hulk Hogan wanna-be garb.Business folk benefit from chapters on commuting, Internet marketing, content management, business Web sites, Internet law, and VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). The Ten-Step Commute chapter takes a trip into the world of teleworking with advice on how to sell it to the boss, setting up remote access, and security.This is not the heavy, boring textbook students lug around campus. The authors throw in their senses of humor throughout the manual. You could find the stuff in the book (where else?) online, but it takes many searches and hours to find the gold nuggets. Take a break and let the book do its job.Believe it or not, I didn't notice the sub-title of the book when I wrote the first paragraph. When I got the book, I went right inside the cover. Online! The Book lives up to its sub-title, "Because the Internet does not come with a manual."P.S. I take book reviews seriously. Some of you may know I write for Chris Pirillo's Lockergnome.com. If I didn't like the book, you wouldn't be reading this. No, he didn't pay me to say this. In fact, he doesn't know I've read the book and wrote a review.

This is a new book at the bookstore...and I stood in there for almost twenty minutes looking at it, trying to decide if I could afford to buy ANOTHER computer book. There is just too much in the book! Every time I flipped to another page there was something that caught my eye. This isn't like all the ohter books on the shelves...that you almost fall asleep as you turn the pages and it beats the suhbject to death. This is one that I want to read. I decided to buy it, and spent most of the night reading it. It's great.