Date: Mon, 19 Dec 1994 15:34:49 EST From: "Rob Slade, Social Convener to the Net" Subject: "Your Internet Consultant" by Savetz BKYRINTC.RVW 940930 "Your Internet Consultant", Savetz, 1994, 0-672-30520-8, U$25.00/C$34.95 savetz@rahul.net %A Kevin M. Savetz %C 201 West 103rd St., Indianapolis, IN 46290 %D 1994 %G 0-672-30520-8 %I SAMS Publishing %O U$25.00/C$34.95 317-581-3718 fax: 317-581-4669 %O 75141.2102@compuserve.com 75141.2104@compuserve.com %P 550 %T "Your Internet Consultant" The subtitle of this book, "The FAQs of Life Online", refers to a common form of online documentation and reference. A list of "Frequently Asked Questions" list basic and common questions that people have, along with (supposedly) expert answers. FAQs are generally undergoing constant maintenance and updating. They are periodically reposted to specific topical groups and discussion lists, and are often accessible by various other means. Savetz maintains a number of such lists, so it is natural that his Internet guide is written in this style. Question 1.2, in the introduction, in fact, asks whether the world needs another Internet book. He feels that his guide has a distinctive, and that the question and answer style makes a fundamental difference to the work. I'm not sure that the difference is fundamental, but I do think it was a valuable exercise, and produced a worthwhile book. The need to answer the questions keeps sidetracks and diversions to a minimum,. The "frequently" part also helps keep the book focussed on what most people want; the question, however, gives the book some added breadth. I note some questions which I am certainly asked often, and which many Internet guides fail to answer. The questions are all listed at the beginning of the book, forming a type of expanded table of contents. This is less helpful than one might suppose, since one needs to know the area that the question might appear in. Overall, a concise and informative starting guide, well worth consideration. copyright Robert M. Slade, 1994 BKYRINTC.RVW 940930 ====================== DECUS Canada Communications, Desktop, Education and Security group newsletters Editor and/or reviewer ROBERTS@decus.ca, RSlade@sfu.ca, Rob Slade at 1:153/733 Author "Robert Slade's Guide to Computer Viruses" 0-387-94311-0/3-540-94311-0