 The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group For The Bookshelf Major Keary |
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An Oz Guide to the Internet
The author of The Australian Guide to the Internet is Tony Stevenson, a Melb PC member who will be
remembered for his tutorials on Visual Basic.
In this book he does not hold out exaggerated claims for the Internet, but explains what it is and what it
does for the benefit of those already connected and who need some guidance, those who want to get connected
and are looking for advice, and those who simply want to know what it's all about. Furthermore, it is
designed for an Australian audience.
The book is written in a clear and uncomplicated style that makes for easy reading. Information is readily
found; apart from an index, the table of contents is detailed, comprehensive, and well laid out. The topics
covered are well chosen to satisfy the needs of novices and those with some experience. The back-cover claim
of "clear, concise, complete" is well justified. It is intended to provide a foundation of necessary
knowledge and skills. For some users it may be all they will need; for those who are keen to further explore
the Net - and even establish their own home-page presence - it is a good launching pad.
Parents being urged by their children to have a Net connection at home should find the book a useful guide.
It can be safely recommend to friends and neighbours who may ask for advice.
An introductory part describes how the Net came about, how it works, how to connect, and the mysteries of web
addresses. Part 2 introduces browsing and what you need to know about browsers and setting them up. It goes
on to discuss email; newsgroups; mailing lists; and online chat and video conferencing. Part 3 is about
searching for information, software, etc., and downloading files. Part 4 describes entertainment (including
MP3 music); online shopping; and electronic books. Part 5 is for those who want to create their own web
site. Part 6, Avoiding Net Nasties, discusses two important issues: security (virus protection and privacy
matters), and protecting children.
There are plenty of web site URLs listed, many of them Australian, that new users will find useful in their
first forays and as permanent book marks. The author has set up a web site, http://www.mkdsoftware.com.au, and offers a free electronic newsletter
on Internet updates - subscribe at
http://InternetUpdate.lisbot.com.
| Tony Stevenson: The Australian Guide to the
Internet ISBN 1-74009-256-2 Published by Prentice Hall, 255 pp., RRP $32.95 incl. GST
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PC Hardware in a Nutshell
This is both a reference for professionals and ordinary users. Usually books of this kind are either packed
with tables of specifications that may have little meaning for ordinary users, or intended for novices. This
title limits technical specification data to the essentials that are presented in compact form. Most of the
book is given over to text that describes and discusses the various hardware items. The clear style enables
ordinary readers to understand what things do what, and to assess which is best for their respective
purposes. That is not to suggest the information is dumbed down. On the contrary, the depth of
technical detail is very good, and up-to-date. People working at a professional level should find this a very
useful resource, presenting comprehensive information in a compact form. Even if you are not immediately
interested in upgrading components, or a whole system, the explanations of how things work are very good.
Anyone intending to buy a pre-built system should read this book first; it will help sort out dealer fact
from fiction.
Those who advise, or prepare presentations for, novice users will find this an excellent source of compact
information about hardware issues. The book is about Wintel hardware - the kind that Windows runs on - and
covers everything from motherboards to power supplies. Peripherals such as scanners, printers, and digital
cameras are not included, but tape drives, DVD drives, CD drives (read, read/write, and read-only), sound
(cards, speakers/headphones) and video adapters are covered in good detail. There is a chapter on designing a
PC, from a low-end to a high-performance system and another on building a PC.
| Robert and Barbara Thomson: PC Hardware in a
Nutshell ISBN 1-56592-599-8 Published by O'Reilly, 501 pp., RRP $69.95 incl. GST |
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Reprinted from the February 2001 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
