When asked to review Ed Krol's The Whole Internet User's Guide and Catalog, I balked. Me? Read a technical book with the notion of understanding it well enough to tell others? I had played around in Cyberspace enough to know there is a lot of information out there with seemingly many ways to view it and it amounted to a confusing system only the "technogeek" could embrace. But, okay, why not? I was certainly interested enough to give it a go.
My misgivings turned out to be insignificant. The book is a surprisingly good read. It's well written and understandable to the novice; I would expect the experienced user to also benefit. "This book is intended for anyone who wants access to the Internet's tremendous resources. It's a book for professionals, certainly, but not computer professionals. It's designed for those who want to use the network, but who don't want to become a professional networker in order to use it," states Krol in his preface.
Can't afford a magazine subscription? Login to the electronic version of PC Magazine published by Ziff Davis (see page 293). Having special guests for dinner tonight? There's a recipe archive to browse through (see page 295). Developing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome from too much Internet browsing? Try the FDA Electronic Bulletin Board for information (see page 301). Want to play chess with another user? Find out what others think about a recent movie? It's all there, and more.
Krol writes "You need three things to explore and use the Internet: a desire for information, the ability to use a computer, and access to the Internet. Desire for information is the most important."
I might add that you need a fourth: a means to understand the workings of the Internet. Krol's book certainly provides this vital link. If you are interested in the Internet, but you are not willing to work your way through a mass of technical jargon and oblique explanations, this book is for you. It's available in most bookstores. It is published by O'Reilly & Associates Inc., Sebastopol, CA.
