REVIEW: INTERNET GIZMOS FOR WINDOWS, Diamond, Sobel & Hilley,   IDG Books 1995

This book in fact is the documentation for the CD-ROM containing over 10
commercial and 30 shareware & freeware programs.  The authors are actively
involved with WUGNET which stands for Windows Users' Group Network.  This is
the official advocacy technical organization for Microsoft Windows.  They
looked at many Internet-related applications, tools, utilities, programming 
resources, commercial and shareware and have made the best of these available 
through INTERNET GIZMOS.

So, what are these great gizmos?  On the commercial side there's SPRY MOSAIC
which is the first commercial version of the Mosaic WWW browser, DISTINCT
TCP/IP sampler, WINCIM for CompuServe, askSam for Windows which is an
interesting database, OAG Flight Disk for airline travellers and more.
Of greater interest to me are the shareware and freeware programs that
allow you to do everything from set up your own BBS, connecting it to the
Internet to Wincode which converts 7 bit ASCII (text) files to 8 bit
binary files and vice versa.

Also included is PC EUDORA which is a popular Internet mail program, TRUMPET
FOR WINDOWS, a well-known network news reader and LView Pro that allows you
to load and save image files in several formats.

There's a lot more to this interesting collection and the nice part is that
the documentation is all there in the book.  Some of the programs require
setting up an account with a service provider, such as CompuServe/WINCIM.
Others are samplers or demonstration programs that will require you to 
purchase a full-featured version or registration involving payment of a
licensing fee.  Others are freeware which mean no payment is requester or
expected.  The nice part of INTERNET GIZMOS is that it is a large collection
of various and assorted programs that allow you to try before you buy.  
There are enough freeware programs included to make the book worthwhile if
you need them.  With over 40 programs (averaging the cost to less than $1.00
per) there should be something for everybody who uses Windows and the Net.



%T      Internet Gizmos for Windows
%A      Joel Diamond, Howard Sobel & Valda Hilley
%I      IDG Books
%C      Foster City California
%D      1995
%O      Includes CD-ROM, $39.95 US $54.99 Canada
%G      ISBN: 1-56884-451-4
%P      913 pages, paperbound
%K      subject


(C) 1995
Michael Crestohl
Nahant Massachusetts  USA
mc@shore.net

DISCLAIMER:  I have no interest, financial or otherwise, in the success or 
failure of the book or materials reviewed herewith, nor have I received any 
compensation (other than a review copy requested by me) from anyone who has.  
All opinions expressed are strictly my own.

Other Internet and Aviation book/software reviews by me can be obtained 
by anonymous FTP from:  x2ftp.oulu.fi in the /pub/books/crestohl directory.