Product Description
A thorough detonation of the hype surrounding computers in our lives, by the bestselling author of The Cuckoo's Egg and Silicon Snake Oil.

In a book that should spark debate across the country, Clifford Stoll, one of the pioneers of the Internet and a renowned gadfly of the computer industry, takes an insightful, provocative--and entertaining--look at how computers have encroached on our lives. High Tech Heretic punctures the exaggerated benefits of everything from foisting computers on preschoolers to "free" software to computer "help desks" that help no one at all. Why, Stoll asks, is there a relentless drumbeat for "computer literacy" by educators and the high-tech industry when the computer's most common uses are for word processing and games? Is diverting scarce education resources from teachers and equipment in favor of computers in the classroom the best use of school money? Are supermarket checkout clerks computer literate because they operate a laser scanner? Has no one noticed that the closest equivalent to today's hot new multimedia and Internet Web sites are--(drumroll)--Classics Illustrated, the comic books based on literature?

In these fascinating contrarian commentaries, Stoll focuses his droll wit and penetrating gaze on everything from why computers have to be so darned "ugly" to the cultural aftershocks of our high-tech society, to how to turn an outdated 386 computer into something useful, like a fish tank or a cat litter box.

As one who loves computers as much as he disdains the inflated promises made on their behalf, Cliff Stoll is nothing less than a P. J. O'Rourke of the computer age--barbed, opinionated, and essential.Amazon.com Review
Clifford Stoll loves computers. He loves them so much he even converted his old outdated Macintosh into an aquarium rather than put it out with the trash. What this veteran programmer and self-made social critic doesn't love, however, is "the cult of computing"--the "blind faith that technology will deliver a cornucopia of futuristic goodies without extracting payment in kind."

In particular, Stoll hates the way computer cultists have infiltrated America's schools, and in High Tech Heretic--a straight-talking, fast-moving broadside of a book--he aims every argument in his arsenal at the widespread belief that computers are the greatest educational invention since chalk. While he's at it, he also takes some potshots at the hype about virtual community, the Internet economy, and the death of the book, as well as the scourges of buggy software, ugly hardware, and PowerPoint.

Stoll's contrarianism is so wide-ranging he sometimes flails as he rushes to keep up with himself. But for the most part he hits his targets dead on. Stoll's chatty style and cracker-barrel wit (both of which occasionally grate) seem tailored to convince you he's just talking home-spun common sense, yet he's obviously done his research. Whether he's quoting Thomas Edison's predictions for that great educational tool, "the motion picture" ("in a few years it will supplant largely, if not entirely, the use of textbooks") or breaking down the grim budgetary implications of the high-tech school system (more computers means fewer teachers, music rooms, and books), Stoll's choice factual details--and spirited indignation--blow holes in the pretensions of the digital age. --Julian Dibbell ... Read more

Customer Reviews (31)

Fun, yet thought-provoking, read
"High Tech Heretic," written by Clifford Stoll and published by Doubleday (1999), catalogs the rants of a former computer programmer turned astronomy teacher. While acknowledging the importance of computers, he seeks to challenge the myths about the amazing things they are purported to do. I really enjoyed reading this book, and as a former classroom Computer Science teacher, I agree with about 90% of his sentiments. Stoll's rants are aimed at anyone who uses a computer, either at school or at home. He certainly gets his point across that computers, while useful, aren't the panacea to all social ills as they are sometimes revered. The book is a bit dated as it was published a decade ago, but many of his points still ring true.
Some of Stoll's primary rants are as follows. "Learning to use a computer...is essentially a mechanical task, one that doesn't...encourage creativity" (p. 4). The "emphasis on professional reports sends students the message that appearance and fonts mean more than content" (p. 7). (How many times have teachers required clip art in projects?) He says, "It's easy to mistake familiarity with computers for intelligence, but computer literate certainly doesn't equal smart. And computer illiterate sure doesn't mean stupid" (p. 9). He argues that "equating learning with fun says that if you don't enjoy yourself, you're not learning" (p. 12). Stoll points out that a computer can only give one answer to "What is seven?" but a qualified teacher could give hundreds of responses to that inquiry (p. 21). Similarly, creative people tend to get the most frustrated with computers because a program usually only has one right answer (p. 151). Online chemistry experiments, biology dissections and physics simulations are nice, but they don't provide the hands-on, discovery factor that physical experiments do (p. 29). He says technology "train[s] the youngest children to explore through a computer rather than with their hands, feet and imagination" (p. 68). Supporters promote student laptops as being portable, but Stoll points out that unlike a book, children can't accidentally leave laptops on a park bench, or use them on the bus; also, books don't need batteries or cables (p. 38). He argues that since computers depreciate so fast, it makes much better financial sense to use a ten-year-old book than a ten-year-old laptop. Some people say that books are antiquated, but Stoll notes that many websites are outdated or have non-working links (p. 39).
Proponents argue that computers, unlike televisions, are interactive. Stoll argues that most PC programs ask the user to "sit, watch and be entertained." He also contends that problem-solving on a computer implies the process is as simple as clicking a mouse and choosing the right answer (p. 45). He maintains that computers discourage reading because screen real estate is monopolized by pictures, and users do not want to read lengthy blocks of text because it hurts their eyes (p. 57). Stoll points out that with distance learning, students may learn the required knowledge, but they won't even recognize the faces of those with whom they have "collaborated" (p. 93). He also blames Americans' shrinking view of the world on technology; he says that we view people of other cultures online and on TV instead of getting out there and interacting with them (p. 119). He notes that people rarely get fired for a lack of computing skills but get dismissed often for "being unable to get along with others," which the isolationist nature of computing exacerbates (p. 122). Another rant was about the overuse of PowerPoint. Imagine if Abraham Lincoln had delivered the Gettysburg Address, with an "animation of Washington crossing the Delaware...and the phrases `A new nation,' `Conceived in liberty,' and `All men are created equal'" on his bullet chart (p. 182). He argues the internet is full of (unverified) data but short on useful, pedigreed information (p. 186).
"High Tech Heretic," although intentionally one-sided, was very entertaining and a fast, fun read. Stoll reminds us that even an obsessed computer-lover can still critically examine the promises of any technology.

Not worth the trouble!
Stoll's book is a mixed bag; unfortunately, most of it is bad.While many of his points about the affect of computers in the classroom are valid and confirmed by my time in education, the good points are mired in a nearly unreadable stream-of-consciousness writing style that reeks more of "bitter old coot" rather than "scientist and educator".Without the harsh tone, there's some good stuff in here.Most of that stuff, however, is pretty obvious and not worth wading through this book to find.

Ummm... but what about facts and figures?
After thoroughly combing over this book, I was disappointed by the lack of facts and figures to back up the 90% of his rantings and ravings with sentences like: "So... yeah!"

I am a computer technician in two low-income elementary schools, so I am on the front lines of what he was attempting to explain.I am not here to "defend my job" because if I really felt this was a waste of taxpayer's dollars, I would leave and work elsewhere, which was the reason I picked the book up in the first place.

But because we are in a low-income area, the teaching staff that we hire is sub-par to the 4-star "upper class" schools that may be wasting resources.Because of this, we have found that many of the websites and programs we approve are able to "fill in the cracks" of the shortcomings we face.And because of the budget situation, 100% of my school's computers are donations from companies that have generously given their "old junk" to be used by us.We are eternally grateful for all of the companies that saw our immediate need for projectors and PCs.

While I DO agree that there is a fine line between TRUE learning and "doing it because it is cool", the fact of the matter is that 90% of the children of tomorrow will need computer experience, whether it is writing a resume, or a doctorate paper in college.Or, it could be the necessity of staying in touch via email with family on the other side of the globe because they can't afford talking on the phone.

But the point that he has missed was that we do not force the teachers to use the technology.They come to us with their own vision and ideas to allow the children to learn in THEIR language.Think about it - when a child goes home after school, what will they most likely be doing?They play video games, facebook, myspace, and youtube.The common trait in all of these activities is that the child interacts with the media.When a child learns from their textbook (as sad as it may be) they aren't listening.I do not wish this was they way it is, but this is a sad fact of the matter.

Currently, we have interactive Smartboards (a projector projecting on a touch screen) in the classrooms, where students can view and manipulate objects in a 3-D environment.My schools simply do not have the resources to purchase "oscilloscopes" to show sound waves, but we can afford to go to a free website and interact with the objects or other resources from another school district that is teaching the same thing.Everything the teachers use is by their own choice, and to say that it is a waste is simply not true.

Because of computers, the teachers have resources for their SOL guides, even interactive games that are exactly what the teacher is trying to explain, instead of via an overhead projector.I would LOVE to have Clifford visit my schools to show him how many free resources have been utilized that would have otherwise cost the school thousands of dollars in materials.

High tech Heretic
High Tech Heretic really kept my attention. It started out a little slow at first but actually turned out to be a great book. It is not exactly wrote in a scientific form more like a personal essay. I agree with Clifford Stoll that computers will never replace the hands on learning that can only be had with human interaction.
Jessica Legg

high tech heretic review for class
The more I read this book, the more that I began to understand what it was about and the more I began to agree with Stoll.

Stoll gives many good reasons to question the significance of computers in the classroom.Stoll challenges using computers in public schools because of the high cost, and the low benefits from it.Stoll also talks about technology in general.

Stoll talks about what is wrong with computer learning in our society, by questioning every aspect of computing, especially the computer use in public schools.

Stoll, however does not hate computers, he just hates how they are misused in schools.Cliffors Stoll is upset about how much money is being wasted on technology, that is used for the wrong reason.

I feel that this book is a really interesting book that teaches alot.I agree with the author of this book when he says that technology will never replace the hands-on of school learning.
... Read more

Product Description
In Silicon Snake Oil, Clifford Stoll, the best-selling author of The Cuckoo's Egg and one of the pioneers of the Internet, turns his attention to the much-heralded information highway, revealing that it is not all it's cracked up to be.Yes, the Internet provides access to plenty of services, but useful information is virtually impossible to find and difficult to access. Is being on-line truly useful? "Few aspects of daily life require computers...They're irrelevant to cooking, driving, visiting, negotiating, eating, hiking, dancing, speaking, and gossiping. You don't need a computer to...recite a poem or say a prayer." Computers can't, Stoll claims, provide a richer or better life.

A cautionary tale about today's media darling, Silicon Snake Oil has sparked intense debate across the country about the merits--and foibles--of what's been touted as the entranceway to our future. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (79)

Outdated
I had to read this for my English class, and I must say this might be the must frustrating book I've ever read. It is so wrong, and outdated on most accounts that getting through it is near painful. On another note, I hate Stoll's writing style and he obviously doesn't know how to argue a point (constantly contradicting himself.) Don't bother with this trash unless you have to.

A Sane Perspective on Computers & the Internet

Clifford Stoll (California writer and astronomer who says he uses computers all the time) provides us with the ultimate, no-holds-barred written word on what we too more than once might have said/thought about computers and the "Information SuperHighway."

He covers it all, from sign-on to socializing from manuals to media, keyboards to CompuServe. CompuServe?

Clearly, he's not a fan of (or participant in) all the Internet rage, and he`s not at all passioned by his own computer and screen. Openly, he admits it, offering: "Which is the tool: the computer or the user?"

It's a very easy, quick read, written in a home-spun, casual (and at times witty) style. Indeed totally opinion, it`s but true fresh-air comfort for all of us who wrestle with new software, slow speeds, crashes, security, viruses, spam, and never-ending system updates. Though we might be quite happy not to have to "get online" for hours at a time, day-after-day, the author helps us believe we can still be technologically "with it." (!) Here's Stoll's (unintentional) blueprint for a balance between the current global tech-frenzy and the calm, reasonable usage of computers.

"Silicon Snake Oil" is one enjoyable read...yet do note: it was written in 1995. (!)

~But the author, at the time, was so savvy on the subject, it could have well been written yesterday. Stoll was/is a true Internet prophet, and how could so many things computer be just as true today as they were then!?

"One of the joys of computers," Stoll reminds us, "is how they're great at wasting time that might otherwise be difficult to waste." Now, how many times have we said this to ourselves? Ok, Mr. Cliff Stoll...where's the updated Edition?!

must have for pundits
I have this book 2 stars simply to try to turn the rating distribution to be uniform. Really it ought to be 1 or 5 stars depending on your point of view.

For predictive accuracy, this book is as close to zero stars as you can get (ie one star).

But ...

This book is great to have on your bookshelf, simply as a 5 star reminder to never boldly declare things like: "Technology X will never do Y". For example, Stoll asserts that things like on line shopping, ordering airline tickets etc just won't become big nor will it threaten physical stores -- tell that to Amazon or your local neighborhood bookstore."A network chat line is a limp substitute for meeting friends over coffee." ... watch out Facebook. He even doubts that sex and the internet will make it: "And who'd prefer cybersex to the real thing?" -- I don't know about "prefer" but as the old song goes "The internet is for sex" [...] . I suppose the book is also worth 5 stars as a comedy.

Stoll makes the fundamental error of "is from ought". To him, the world ought to work one way but is working a very different way. Anyhow, if I were Stoll, I'd take a historical tip from Marx "first time as tragedy, the second time as farce" and come out with a new book, this time playing up Stoll's prophetic powers on the technologies of the new millennium.

Like a literary time capsule
Clifford Stoll is not a terrible writer. His powers of prediction, however, leave much to be desired. Warning us against the perils and pitfalls of such evils as internet commerce, Stoll paints a picture of the internet as a dark place doomed to languish in obscurity, because people are obviously much too smart to communicate with others primarily through a computer.

Basically, the mere fact that I'm reviewing this book a) online and b) at a site like Amazon prove Stoll's central, secondary, and tertiary theories utterly, utterly wrong. But if you want some Clinton-era, luddite nostalgia, then by all means pick this up.

Silicon Snake Oil + Total Fail
Silicon Snake Oil is not essential reading, it is essentially junk. It is not so much that Stoll missed a few predictions it is that he got EVERY one of them blindingly arrogantly wrong. In every single example the Internet has proved Stoll so completely wrong that he should refund the money of anyone that purchased this diatribe based on no empirical evidence but on his own narcissistic prejudices. When making such predictions with such profound certainty it is incumbent upon someone of Stoll's stature to make an effort at quantifying your pronouncements with data. When he makes the statement that "Computer networks isolate us from one another, rather than bring us together." [p. 58] where does he get that info. It does not appear to have come from any study of actual people but from some orifice of Stoll's. Study after study([...])has since indicated that people who are more connected actually have more social contacts both on and offline. While it was not possible to predict this in advance of actual studies Stoll went ahead anyway and that is what is wrong with this, and many books like it. Some curmudgeon with what seems to be bona fides plays on the worst case fears of society and we take the bait. Instead we should demand that such comments and predictions be supported by some sort of evidence. Stoll sets himself up as the wise prophet preaching a great warning to the masses. Instead he is the crazy man screaming hell and damnation on the street corner.The greatest irony is that now almost 25 years later Stoll is using the Internet, when he called e-commerce baloney, to hawk Klein Bottles. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (179)

Let's watch the text roll by.
I expected a lot out of this book. But it bored me to death. Here is the plot:
A $.75 accounting discrepancy alerts an Astronomer cum Computer Scientist to a Cracker's presence in his system.
Like a cat that never pounces, he watches, and alerts the appropriateauthorities, who in turn point the finger round and round until the Cracker returns. Rinse. repeat. Occasionally, the protagonist is away from the lab, living his life when he is called away, but we really don't care because those characters are flat and lifeless. Maybe the general public finds the Cracker's methods described in the book as intriguing, but as a computer professional, there were no surprises. The final chapter is speculation based pieced together from the gossip, rumor, and headlines.

Don't bother reading this. If you do bother, get it from the library.

Enthralling
I received the book yesterday, and just finished it today.I can't remember the last time a book sucked me in like that.The story is a little dated by comparison to what we see today (the events took place in 1986 and 1987), but it was still an excellent read.Brought back a lot of memories.

Thrilling and insightful
I remember reading this book way back "in the day." It spawned many hours of tinkering with computer systems as my brother and I attempted to hack each others computers with many creative ideas.

Classic
The smallest clues often elude us.Stoll takes it and runs with it.If you're a governement IT person, you will find it intriguing even more.Couldn't put it down...

Great Yarn!
If you like Tech and Computers, this is a great yarn. You get a little computer history (because this book has been around for a while) and a good detective story. Set in Berkeley,Ca. it proves the old adage that an account that doesn't balance by just a few cents may be the tracks of a thief.
It is written in a very readable, affable style and I couldn't put it down.
... Read more

Product Description
The cry for and against computers in the classroom is a topic of concern to parents, educators, and communities everywhere. Now, from a Silicon Valley hero and bestselling technology writer comes a pointed critique of the hype surrounding computers and their real benefits, especially in education. In High-Tech Heretic, Clifford Stoll questions the relentless drumbeat for "computer literacy" by educators and the computer industry, particularly since most people just use computers for word processing and games--and computers become outmoded or obsolete much sooner than new textbooks or a good teacher.

As one who loves computers as much as he disdains the inflated promises made on their behalf, Stoll offers a commonsense look at how we can make a technological world better suited for people, instead of making people better suited to using machines.
Amazon.com Review
Clifford Stoll, the Frank Zappa of cyberculture, dances around and about information architecture in High-Tech Heretic: Reflections of a Computer Contrarian. His friendly, just-folks style is accessible and entertaining, even for the painfully postmodern readers who most desperately need Stoll's quiet skepticism. The 23 short essays are split between education and more general computer-related topics, but each reflects a unique and consistent viewpoint that is marginalized, at best: computers might be neat, but they aren't revolutionary. He walks a narrow path, and eschews both the utopians' rosy, mirrored shades and the Luddites' monkey wrenches in favor of the least sexy accessory of all--critical thought. Why are we supposed to wire every classroom? Whose best interests are served by programs that offer "computer literacy?" Can we really meet people online? Stoll asks the reader to check assumptions and suspend judgments, while we determine what's really best for our children and our culture. His ideas aren't the stuff of which sound bites are made, although his writing has enough pith and charm to keep even the most rabid techno-partisan engaged. It must be a blast to infuriate the smug and unthinking punditocracy for a living; High-Tech Heretic lets us join the fun, stretch our eye-rolling muscles, and exercise our old-fashioned seawater brains. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Customer Reviews (128)

High Tech Heretic for a not so High Tech Person
Heather Pennington
High Tech Heretic

Clifford Stoll took my pure ignorance of computers and technology and turned it around completely.I could never begin to understand why someone would love technology so much, but after reading this book I have a better understanding and can relate that same love to other aspects of my own life.From reading about how Stoll turned a used Macintosh into an aquarium, to reading his claim that computers are the greatest invention in education since chalk...well, it's hard to imagine how someone could read this book and not be enraptured.
I agree with Stoll that education has become much more centered around technology and I have begun to see that not involving our children in this technology is seriously depriving their intellectual concepts of daily world events and what is going on around them.The world of technology serves as a looking glass into a greater knowledge of politics, religion, and education.Three things we, as adults, are constantly pressing on the younger generations.
I suggest this book to anyone wishing to understand more about technology and the need to instill it in the lives of every individual.It has opened my eyes to look at technology as more than a nerdy activity for those who can't get a social life, I now see it as a way to look at the world as if seeing it for the first time. From the viewpoint of a bug on a big map. We're all bugs and this world is our map, we need to have a better understanding of it or where can we hope to go in the future, what can we hope to attain?

High Tech Heretic
I have to admit this wasn't one of my favorite reads but it was inciteful and it offered alot of new information to me about computer literacy. The author (clifford Stoll) seemed to disagree with the usage of computers in the classroom but it is obvious in our technology advanced world that students of all ages should be exposed to computers, it is becoming an essential life skill.
Although i believe in classroom usage of computers, I also believe that over exposure to computers is prevalant in today's kids. Too many kids want to play video games all day or let the computer do their work for them, this will lead to lazy and fat kids. We need to teach our kids how to effectively use a computer and not use it as a crutch or life support.
All in all this book is a good book for aspiring educators and anyone interested in computer literacy. Be careful though, this book tends to become somewhat dull and redundant.

A Review of Stoll's High Tech Heretic
Clifford Stoll's High Tech Heretic: Reflections of a Computer Contrarian starts off his book by asking, Am I the only one scratching my head over the relentless invocation of the clich? "computer literacy," and goes on to give the example of a grocery story clerk operating some basic computer technology.The question that the situation gives way to, and the most basic underlying meaning of the entire series of essays is: what is computer literacy, the value of the skills necessary to be deemed computer literate, and the role those skills play in the classrooms within our schools?
Stoll conveys the message that hands on experience is much more beneficial in teaching children than that any sort of computer program.Computer programs are two dimensional, because it's simply a matter of figuring out which buttons to click opposed to thinking critically to solve problems.Watching butterflies and typing a report of observations, he notes, is much more beneficial than downloading statistics off of the internet.The assertion is made thatcomputers can't teach application in the real world, they can't interact with students, and they cannot make learning fun.Computers give what Stoll calls "automatic answers," but this only raises the question: what good is data without the knowledge behind it?
I think his essays are relevant for teachers in society.Computers are important if you use them the right way.They must realize that computers are not substitutions for teaching students to think creatively about problems and find solutions without finding what someone else has said or studied online. I think it's true that teachers often use computers as a crutch; the skills they learn on a computer or more closely related to video games than anything that could of use in the real world.Being computer literate is as easily as surf the web in today's society and it doesn't take much teaching for someone to be able to accomplish that.Until computers are used in a meaningful way they have no place replacing conventional teaching methods.
That having been said, I think that the way in which it was presented made it hard to read.The language is clear and concise but the length of the book was absurd for the subject matter.The book is, as mentioned before, in essay form and it's very hard to read over two hundred pages on essays with very closely related subject matter.Each new segment was filled with situations and analogies form the author, but the meaning behind them was virtually the same.
Overall, I feel that it is a relevant book and can see the necessity of teacher's hearing what the author had to say.The computer skills taught are minimal and have little to do with preparing kids for life in the "real world."The book was a little boring at times, and definitely one-sided, but society needs to acknowledge the computers are not being used in the schools to prepare for work, but are misused.

The high tech heretic
The high tech heretic was a good book i believe in what he was saying when he said that teachers shouldn't be pushed aside because they don't want to use the computer,teachers are better than the cold logical computers and shouldn't be replaced stroll states,his book will make you think about why should computers not be in classrooms

High Tech Heretic
Clifford Stoll makes some incredibly good points in his book, "High Tech Heretic". We are in the computer age, and it does effect the schools and education. But, how much will computers be able to enhance education? In his introduction, Stoll says, " ...I wish to make our technology world better suited for people, rather than people better suited for machines". In is important for future educators to realize that computer programs are no substitute to teaching with hands on objects such as real disections and looking through a real telescope.
Stoll's book becomes very cynical and redundant towards the end of the book. I would read a chapter, and think that I had already read it earlier in the book.

Although Clifford Stoll works in the technical world, he is cynical of the advances technology has allowed in society. While he attacks the idea of computers in the classroom, he hasn't mentioned the positive aspects of at least making sure students are computer literate. With computer technology, health care and diagnosis of diseases has vastly improved compared to only a few decades ago.If students only learn the basics on computers, they are beginning the preparations to one day create better technology. With this said, I believe the core content is the most important to teach in the classroom. Students need to learn to read, and know math before they are taught computer literacy.

Overall, this is a good book for future educators to read. It show not everything can or should be taught with computers. The best learning someone can do is by participating, and students cannot participate to the full extent with simulations alone. Computers should be in the classroom to enhance learning, not to be the basis or center of the classroom. ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: Criticism of Wikipedia, Jaron Lanier, Clifford Stoll. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 55. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: The major points of criticism of Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia, are the claims that the principle of being open for editing by everyone makes Wikipedia unauthoritative and unreliable (see Reliability of Wikipedia), that it exhibits systemic bias, and that its group dynamics hinder its goals. The Seigenthaler and Essjay incidents caused criticism of Wikipedia's reliability and usefulness as a reference. Wikipedia has also been the subject of parody and other humorous criticism. Robert McHenry, a former editor-in-chief of the Encyclopædia Britannica, said that Wikipedia errs in billing itself as an encyclopedia, because that word implies a level of authority and accountability that he believes cannot be possessed by an openly editable reference. McHenry argues that "the typical user doesn't know how conventional encyclopedias achieve reliability, only that they do." Andrew Orlowski expressed similar criticisms, writing that the use of the term "encyclopedia" to describe Wikipedia may lead users into believing it is more reliable than it may be. Journalist and Wikipedia critic Andrew Orlowski.Academics have also criticized Wikipedia for its perceived failure as a reliable source, and because Wikipedia editors may not have degrees or other credentials generally recognized in academia. For that reason, the use of Wikipedia is not accepted in many schools and universities in writing a formal paper, and some educational institutions have banned it as a primary source while others have limited its use to only a pointer to external sources. This criticism, however, does not only apply to Wikipedia but to encyclopedias in general some university lecturers...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=5034470 ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document, covering the life and work of Clifford Stoll, is an entry from Contemporary Authors, a reference volume published by Thompson Gale. The length of the entry is 1082 words. The page length listed above is based on a typical 300-word page. Although the exact content of each entry from this volume can vary, typical entries include the following information:

• Place and date of birth and death (if deceased)
• Family members
• Education
• Professional associations and honors
• Employment
• Writings, including books and periodicals
• A description of the author's work
• References to further readings about the author

Product Description
This digital document is an article from The Futurist, published by World Future Society on July 1, 1995. The length of the article is 477 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Silicon Snake Oil: Second Thoughts on the Information Highway.
Author: Lane Jennings
Publication: The Futurist (Magazine/Journal)
Date: July 1, 1995
Publisher: World Future Society
Volume: v29Issue: n4Page: p61(1)

Article Type: Book Review

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This digital document is an article from Technical Communication, published by Society for Technical Communication on May 1, 1996. The length of the article is 1244 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Silicon Snake Oil: Second Thoughts on the Information Highway. (book reviews)
Author: M.E. Cathcart
Publication: Technical Communication (Refereed)
Date: May 1, 1996
Publisher: Society for Technical Communication
Volume: v43Issue: n2Page: p183(2)

Article Type: Book Review

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This digital document is an article from Security Management, published by American Society for Industrial Security on June 1, 1990. The length of the article is 653 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The Cuckoo's Egg: Tracking a Spy Through the Maze of Computer Espionage. (book reviews)
Author: Samuel W. Daskam
Publication: Security Management (Refereed)
Date: June 1, 1990
Publisher: American Society for Industrial Security
Volume: v34Issue: n6Page: p91(1)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more