From: mc@shore.net (Michael Crestohl)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.books.reviews,rec.arts.books,alt.books.technical
Subject: Review of Planet Internet
Date: 20 Nov 1994 16:59:27 GMT

Review:  PLANET INTERNET 
Author: Steve Rimmer, Windcrest/McGraw-Hill 1994  
ISBN: 0-07-053015-7   Paper: $24.95 USA  $34.95 Canada

This book is about having fun on the Internet - an irreverent guide to
Internet's pubs, curiosity shops and back alleys!   I like to think of
this title as "After-Hours Internet" or "Journey to the Bad Part of
the Internet".

Originally titled MONDO INTERNET by Windcrest/McGraw-Hill, it's the
Internet as never before.  Author Steve Rimmer discusses such topics
as Cybersleaze, dating online, Devilbunnies, exotic pets, underground
'zines, filthy limericks and you-name-it!  You'll learn how to locate
cheap flights and find out about the newest CDs.  You can explore the
worlds of body art, collecting digitized graphics and read the most 
personal of ads you've ever seen in your life!


Rimmer also covers the basics of the Internet and explains briefly what
it is all about.  However, his message is that the Internet is also a
place to have FUN.  He states that most users eventually find the 
more interesting things on the net, his book takes you right to them.
PLANET INTERNET is not, by his admission, "an exhaustive survey of the
entertaining bits of the Internet; it would have come with wheels attached
to it if it were."  

It's obvious that Rimmer has spent countless hours online culling out the
unworthy and distilling his findings in PLANET INTERNET.  I FTPed a file
on his suggestion - TBBOM13.TXT (The Bib Book of Mischief).  He stated
in his description of this goodie is: "Don't try this at home. The BIG
BOOK OF MISCHIEF is a long treatise about how to make explosives,
pick locks and generally endear you to people lobbying for tougher anti-
crime legislation."  He warns that making explosives is dangerous and
illegal and that some of the information on this subject and on lock-
picking may not necessarily be accurate.  I showed the file to a friend
who is a chemist specializing in (legal) explosive research and he smiled
as he comented "I wouldn't do some of these procedures in my own lab!"
However, I also have read about several kids blowing themselves and
their friends to bits playing around with explosive formulae they
"found" on a BBS.  So, it is important to be careful with things like
this.

Some of the varied topics include cars, jumping from great heights,
G. Gordon Liddy, Texas Slang,  origami, Monty Python, pirate radio, Spam,
and sex.  Other less whimsical subjects include music, video/film, 
food/drink, online books, newspapers, reference works, and hobbies/crafts. 
The section on personal ads is interesting and author Rimmer takes
care to mention that all is not what it may appear in the personals
newsgroups,  My caveat is to those who are seeking to meet people through
these groups exercise a great deal of caution and try to keep the pre-teeners
away from them.

I really enjoyed looking through this book - written in entertaining style
Rimmer exhibits a unique style of expressing himself.  He expertly explains
how to navigate the electronic labyrinth to locate topics quickly and
effortlessly, thus saving costly browsing time.  It is not a beginners
"how-to" guide - more of a "what-to" resource directory.  

Copyright 1994
Michael Crestohl
mc@shore.net