ISKM-4: The Long and the Short of It

Internet Starter Kit for Macintosh, Fourth Edition
by Adam C Engst

Hayden Books www.mcp.com/hayden
ISBN 1-56830-294-0
$39.99 USA, $56.95 Canada, L37.50 UK

*****

Here is the world's shortest book review: BUY THIS BOOK IMMEDIATELY AND READ EVERY WORD!

*****

Now, here is a slightly longer discussion of the book:

Adam Engst has achieved the impossible. In a mere 858 pages he reveals every significant aspect of the mighty, elusive Internet. Writing in an upbeat, chatty style, Adam teaches us precisely what we need to know in order to confront the 'Net on solid ground. He uses a personal approach to coaching, with stories and anecdotes that anchor his concepts in a solid, practical foundation. The book is more than text, though, which doubles or triples its actual value. All essential software for successful Internet technique is included on a CD-ROM disk, which is now standard for "how-to" books of this caliber.

In addition, Adam has created a dedicated location on the Internet for both software and text updates to the book and disk. One thing I find quite useful is the Author's Bookmarks (in tons of formats). With almost 700 bookmarks in there, it's a great way to link the book to the World Wide Web.

For the purpose of this review, I presume you have at least a rudimentary understanding of what constitutes the Internet. If this is a problem for you, a trip to your local library or bookstore will yield a straightforward explanation. Better yet, purchase Adam's book, and find out from the man himself.

Book jacket blurbs are notoriously fatuous, so I quote from the rear cover to demonstrate that:

"Internet Starter Kit for Macintosh gets you online and cruising the Net quicker than any other book. Using a conversational style and clear step-by-step directions, this book guides you through the process of finding an Internet provider, connecting with the software on the Internet Starter Kit CD-ROM, learning essential concepts of the Internet, and using the various Internet services, such as the World Wide Web, FTP, and e-mail."

It's all true, and more! The CD-ROM disk additionally includes a bonus 250 MB of helpful, hand-picked software, all of which is clearly described within the appropriate sections of the book.

The first ten percent of Adam's Starter Kit consists of capsule introductions to the main event to follow. We initially become acquainted with protocols (the way our computers conduct themselves on the Internet: TCP/IP and Open Transport), installation procedure of the CD-ROM disk, and how to set-up and configure a modem. Following the details of the installation and the contents of the disk, Adam escorts us through the extended family of Internet applications. Open Transport, Free PPP, Internet Config, Eudora Light, Anarchie, Bookmarks, News Watcher, and Microsoft Internet Explorer quickly become our allies. With Adam's careful guidance, we emerge from ignorance and darkness into illuminated knowledge.

Chapter Five, "Things that Go Bump in the Net," is devoted to lucid trouble-shooting solutions to common problems. The presentation is in a question-and-answer format that works surprisingly well, given the complexity and range of the topics covered. Adam peppers his tutorial with well-seasoned opinions. In Part II, the chapter on "Internet Essentials" contains a remarkable common-sense section entitled "Information Overload." In ice-water-on-the-neck truth, he writes:

"An unimaginable amount of new information appears on the Internet every day, and those of us who like to think that we can or should somehow keep up with a specific field are being torn apart by this influx of data. I think it's safe to say that more information appears on the Internet in a single day than anyone could hope to absorb in a year of full-time work."

Page 155's realistic solutions to "overloaditis" should be taped in 72-point type to the wall of every 'Netter's office or den.

Chapters 11 - 19 comprise the entire Part III, "Using the Internet," in which each application is explained in thorough, patient detail. Let me pause here to emphasize two points. First, this is a BOOK, and it deserves to be read in its entirety. The online universe tends to foster speed-at-the-expense-of-knowledge, so you will be well served by studying Adam's book before taking the plunge. Second, once you are successfully using the Internet, these chapters serve as an encyclopedic reference for making of the most of your Internetting. I find myself referring to Part III daily, to make sure I really "have it right, just in case." Adam, you're a hero!

Adam Engst emphasizes that e-mail is the single most essential aspect of the Internet, the one which each of us uses practically daily. He writes in detail on just about every imaginable facet of e-mail. Chapter 13, "All About e-mail," is 70 pages, including: "How Does e-mail Work?," "Using e-mail Programs," and "e-mail Program Reviews: Eudora and Claris e-mailer." Being new to Eudora myself, and being a hard-core daily e-mail correspondent, I still find this chapter to be tremendously beneficial.

The fun begins in Chapter 20, "Finding Things on the Internet." We learn about Search Engines for locating software and people, and about Mailing Lists and Newsgroups for entering the flow of information and opinion. Then Adam provides ten lighthearted real-life examples of using the 'Net to dig up answers to proto-typical questions, such as: "What type of stone was used in the construction of architect Frank Lloyd Wright's famous house built over a waterfall?," "What eight foods cause 90 percent of all food allergic reactions?," and "Which species of penguin shares its name with a type of pasta?" Silly? In the daily activity of a fully-functioning user of the 'Net, these questions are quite practical. You'll see for yourself soon enough. Chapter 21, "Macintosh Internet Resources," is a masterpiece.

Chapter 22 is a book in itself! Tonya Engst, Adam's wife and collaborator, writes, in 88 packed pages, how to "Create Your Own Web Site. " My MacSense interview with Tonya, featured in our March, 1996 issue (available in the MacSense CD-ROM archive and in the Features section of our World Wide Web page), refers to her book on this topic. Well, the book has been updated and included here, in the Internet Starter Kit. The pleasures and perils of HTML (Hyper-Text Markup Language) and other Web-page-creation tools are here, complete with the appropriate software included on the CD-ROM disk. This is really valuable, Adam and Tonya.

Commercial services, such as America Online (AOL) and CompuServe, are covered at length, which is totally appropriate for a volume of this scope. The book concludes with a massive Appendix section, featuring listings for many Internet Providers throughout the world, and then a compressive glossary of every possible term used throughout the text.

Whether you are a 'Net newbie or a WWW-wise Internut, this book and disk will be the best purchase you make all year. Hurry!

Using America Online: Third Edition
by Gene Steinberg
Que www.mcp.com/que
ISBN 0-7897-0826-4
$24.99 USA, $35.95 CAN, L22.99 Net UK

I have mixed feelings about America Online (AOL). Consequently, I jumped at the opportunity to review this third edition of Gene Steinberg's Using America Online. My questions were: (1) Does the book *really* cover the new AOL 3.0 software, and (2) is this book *really* worth $25?

Since I am very familiar with America Online and have read several other books about it, I decided to emphasize the best new features of AOL 3.0 in this review, especially the items that are both new and potentially worthwhile to me. I use AOL every day, and applaud the latest software and pricing options. How will this book bring me up to speed, and then take me to the next plateau?

Gene dives right in with his praise for the "big advancements," such as (with my opinions in parentheses):

* New interface (not a big deal)
* Smart art (a winner, with new online artwork downloaded in the background)
* Downloadable software updates (should be useful)
* New World Wide Web browser (has to be a zillion times better than the clunky AOL 2.7 browser)
* Adjustable artwork storage (finally, we don't need 10 MB of AOL art hogging hard drive space)
* Buddy list (remains to be seen if it's just a gimmick)
* Favorite places listing (should be another keeper)
* Personal filing cabinet (most useful for folks who use AOL as their primary Internet file source; I don't)
*Toolbar (definitely long-awaited)
* New e-mail form and spell checker (hallelujah!)
* New address book (has to be better than the original one)
Well, the verdict is not yet in, but I certainly like several of the new gizmos. Time will tell, of course, how much enjoyment and efficiency are derived from them. In the past, extra features made AOL extra slow. We all need an increase in speed, not the opposite.

Gene is considerate, providing a "A quick and easy modem setup guide," followed by "How to fine tune your AOL software." The screen shot of "My AOL" gives the reader a clear visual idea of what the page offers: Set-up AOL Now, Preferences, Flash Sessions, and quite a bit more. (Hmmm. Why does "My AOL" somehow remind me of the "My Computer" concept provided on that *other* platform?)

I like the idea of a toolbar. I am accustomed to using palettes and shortcuts. The toolbar is long overdue as a standard part of the interface in many Mac applications. The AOL 3.0 toolbar, reading from left to right, has:

Check Mail, Compose Mail, AOL's Channels (by category), What's Hot, People Connection, File Search, Stocks and Portfolios, Today's News, World Wide Web, The Marketplace, My AOL - Personal Choices, Online Clock, Print Document, Personal File Cabinet, Favorite Places, Member Services (Help channel), Find (Files, Members, Places, and more), and Keywords.

Whew - it's about time, right?

The Favorite Places feature is going to be popular, I expect. Gene explains:

"If you see a little heart-shaped icon at the right side of an area's title bar, you can quickly add that area to your list of Favorite Places. To add an area, simply click that tiny heart icon, and you'll receive an acknowledgment message that's now a part of your Favorite Places listings. Not all areas, by the way, have these little icons, so don't be shocked if you don't see one."

I have noticed this little heart on Windows AOL screens for quite some time now. Hey, AOL, we Mac people deserve *top* billing. Got it?!!
(Gene Steinberg reminds me, via e-mail, that: "You'll find as you navigate through AOL that there is no platform discrimination with regard to placement of those little heart-shaped screens. You can get to just about all of your favorite Mac forums via that route. Mac users are definitely not getting slighted.")

How do you spell relief? It's now called "...progressive rendering (or artwork on demand)." In "... let's look beneath the daily fix icon," Gene reveals that:

"The artwork will be upgraded in the background, and you'll see those AOL generic icons become fancy, colorful pictures within seconds, one by one. If you decide to leave the area before the artwork ends, the download stops (till you come back to that area, if the artwork download failed to complete the first time). It remembers. Gee, thanks.

A large chunk of this 400+ page book is devoted to Gene Steinberg's recommended AOL Keywords. Each Keyword takes you directly to a specific area within America Online. A few familiar names are among my personal favorite Keywords: macworld, macuser, machome, and mactoday. (Editor's Note: Since John wrote this review, AOL and MacUser and MacHome Journal have had a parting of the ways and these two Mac-oriented magazines are no longer available through AOL.) Other Macintosh-specific Keywords are machelp, mhw (hardware), mos (operating system), and mut (utilities). In addition, I plan to look into certain Keywords that Gene suggests: digitalcity, reference, eun (Electronic University Network), library, npr (National Public Radio), weather, consumer reports, auto, and another dozen or so.

I don't know how Gene did it, but this book actually applies both to Mac and Windows versions of AOL 3.0, and neither side is slighted. Gene Steinberg in real life is a Macintosh Forum Leader for American Online, so he is definitely aware of the Mac in all its distinction.

JOHN'S OPINION

Does the book make me comfortable with the new AOL 3.0? Yes. I'm ready! Is it worth $25 US? Yes, again. I expect that several different publishers will publish comparable guides to the new America Online software and features, and that many of these books will be good. Take your pick, read the darn thing, and let me know your experience. See you on AOL!

*****