Product Description
This collection of dialogues is the only textbook of its kind. Internet Inquiry: Conversations About Method takes students into the minds of top internet researchers as they discuss how they have worked through critical challenges as they research online social environments. Editors Annette N. Markham and Nancy K. Baym illustrate that good research choices are not random but are deliberate, studied, and internally consistent. Rather than providing single "how to" answers, this book presents distinctive and divergent viewpoints on how to think about and conduct qualitative internet studies. ... Read more

Product Description
Global culture has gone from the Age of Print, where intellect, doctrine, and the written word ruled, to the Era of the Media, where communication, connection, and experiential immersion are key. This book maps these changes and offers guidance in navigating the new frontier as it relates to the Church.

Authors Pierre Babin and Angela Ann Zukowski draw upon their experience in evangelization, catechesis, and media to lead readers through the new technologies. They insist that, while the message will remain the same, the delivery must change if the Church is to reach and retain an audience. To foster this change, they walk the reader through the shifting paradigm of current catechetical practices to the possibilities of evangelizing in the enriched environment of the Internet Age. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (21)

How the Brain is Shaping the Future of the Internet
Jeffery Stibel, a brain scientist, shows how the Internet is being used to create an online businesses. It seeks to answer several questions, namely, why an intelligent intellect is closer than one believes.He also addresses why the intellect won't grow forever and how artificial intelligence will have an impact on businesses and consumers.Also discussed are the dangers of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, and how online networks are growing.

In //Wired for Thought//, the author has taken the reader on a journey in to how his expertise in neuroscience is transforming the Internet into successful ventures, which he calls "Neuron Hunters" are creating online businesses.

This title under review is one step from shaping the Obama administrations plan to digitize--among other applications-- medical information. Also, this is a splendid analysis on how our brains will work in the future, and its implications for organizations to assess it.

Reviewed by: Claude Ury

Now I know why Google and Facebook thrive
In short, per subject, this is a must read for both Internet professionals and marketers who know the power of Google and Facebook but dont know why. Very useful, beyond its application on SEO. One can learn about how we think (or how our brain functions), communicate and do marketing with it. Highly recommended!

Interesting possibilities for our future
Ok, so the the internet structurally resembles a brain. That's cool.

The concepts presented in this book about the future possibilities for the internet may
come true (eventually), but I doubt it will happen nearly as soon as the author portrays. I
felt a bit like I was reading Popular Science and all it's predictions that never seem to
happen.

I sell photography accessories online, so I found this to be an interesting and relevant
read. Definitely was food for thought.

Book Review: Wired for Thought by Jeffrey M Stibel
Book Review: Wired for Thought by Jeffrey M Stibel

Reviewed by Georgy S Thomas


In his preface to Wired for Thought, internet pioneer and brain scientist Jeffrey M Stibel offers the following explanation for his undertaking:

''You can take away any phenomenon and study its parts for years, but until you step back far enough to see it in its entirety, you will not understand how it works and where it may go.''

Stibel's method of stepping back to view the internet is by comparing it with the human brain.

In his view, many of the biggest internet enterprises are successful because they understand the similarities between the brain and the internet. He points out the presence of brain scientists amongst decision-makers in several of the leading internet enterprises.

In the introduction, Stibel first lists out his big ideas.

* The internet is a brain because it manifests intelligence, rather than merely reflecting it.

* Humanlike thinking will emerge from the internet because of its network approach and mimicking of human weaknesses.

* The internet is an evolution of the human brain.

* The brain as a prediction machine is different from the way computers work, but is similar to the internet.
* Creative destruction is another shared trait between the brain and the internet.
* Language, considered uniquely human, is at the heart of the most important internet tool: search.
* The internet will crash, but will get bigger and stronger with each collapse. Again a trait similar to the brain.

He then takes them up in detail chapter by chapter.

Along the way, we get acquainted with concepts and terms like memes, intuition, forecasting, heuristics, fuzzy logic, polysemy, synset, spreading activation, encephalization, etc.

We also encounter a few fascinating characters like Dan Dennett, Jim Anderson (both mentors of Stibel), Robert Metcalfe (whom Stibel rather shamelessly uses as a straw man) and Ray Kurzweil.

The book is peppered with nuggets of information. For instance, did you know that many of the biggest internet properties handcode particularly important web pages for easy retrieval? I didn't until I read Stibel. On searching for confirmation on the net, I ran into a Q&A session by New York Times design director Khoi Vinh where he admitted to the practice at the Times. The shared concern seems to be that usage of web development applications like Dreamweaver and Frontpage (now Expression Web) as well as other WYSIWYG editors spoils the uniformity of the page's look and feel across various browsers.

Also when Stibel, a pioneer and one of the thought leaders of the internet revolution, lists for us the characteristic features of the best web sites, we better make a note of that.

Stibel's Evolution

Of the big ideas discussed, the one with which Stibel appears to struggle a bit seems to be the argument that the internet is the evolution of the brain.
In the beginning part of the book, while tracing the origins of cloud computing, Stibel discusses Richard Dawkins' twin ideations of the selfish genes and the selfish memes. This allows Stibel to wonder, ''Could it be, then, that the selfish gene became frustrated with the slow evolution of the human brain, and so leapt the fence from the organic world to the inorganic? Could selfish genes have created selfish memes to do their work? And is that what has led us to selfish software? Is that why humankind, imprisoned as we are in carbon molecules, is driven to invent machines made of sand and metal?''
He then goes on to answer these questions with an ''I am not completely convinced...but... the perspective is exhilarating'' approach.

But a few pages further, while discussing evolution, Stibel seems to have shed his diffidence. He says: ''The human brain evolved as a hardwired device until about 150,000 years ago, when....the mind began to outrace evolution. Rather than experiencing a radical improvement in the brain itself, humankind began to develop software _ cultural software _ that has improved over time.'' A few sentences later comes the emphatic statement, though still hanging onto the coattails of Richard Dawkins and Dan Dennett: ''...the evolution of memes is not merely analogous to genetic evolution; it's an extension of it.''

Looks like the author's views have also evolved during the course of writing the book!

In a similar vein, the book is also not completely free from factual inconsistencies. In page 74, we read the statement: ''Each neuron in the brain has about 7,000 connections, for a total of some 100 trillion connections.'' By the time we reach page 124, we read thus: ''The average neuron has roughly 10,000 connections to other neurons in the brain.'' It's evolution at work again!

The Centrality of Language for Search

The chapter on language being central to both the brain and the internet offers a fascinating insight into how search engines derive meaning from language.
Stibel is able to speak from experience because [...], a search engine which he founded,used the expanded version of a program called WordNet to do just that. He first states the problem: Choosing the right meaning of words having many possible meanings comes effortlessly for people, but is downright impossible for computers.
Then he goes on to explain how WordNet overcame the limitation by first forming a hierarchy of words, and then because words have multiple meanings, building sets of synonyms or synsets which operate together for a single meaning. WordNet then uses a process called spreading activation, or the wiring and firing together of synsets, to build context into language. Google, which acquired the knowhow through an acquisition, now uses it to power AdSense.

The Long Tail Doesn't Apply

Stibel observes how Google and other search engines tie word meanings to frequency of use for ordering and ranking results. At work here is Zipf's law, named after linguist George Kingsley Zipf. The law predicts that the more frequent words are used a great deal more than less frequent words. What this means is that as one goes down the list, there's a very rapid drop in frequency of appearance.

And it would seem that the law also applies to the degree of ambiguity of words. ''The more frequently a word appears in text, the more different meanings it has.'' Thus the most common words are also the most ambiguous. Now you know why academicians have an easy time writing technical articles for journals and a harrowing time writing an easy-to-read general interest book, Stibel tells us.

The author, mercifcully, doesn't suffer from this weakness.

The Zipf law's direct relevance to internet search is in the accessability of web pages: The most common pages are accessed very frequently, while the bulk of the web pages are almost never seen.

Based on this, Stibel goes on to state that the long tail does not generally apply to websites, internet, or search. Chris Anderson, are you listening?

The Laws of Networking

In the course of developing his big idea that the internet will shrink like the brain, Stibel lists out for us the laws of networking, seen through its three stages. Because he cannot as yet prove his contention that the internet will one day collapse, he goes on to take up case studies of networks within the internet which have experienced the three stages of growth. The lessons he draws up from this analysis are invaluable to all web entrepreneurs. Want to know why MySpace shouldn't fight its slowing growth? And what are the prospects for Facebook? Well, you've the answers in these pages.

I particularly liked Stibel's observation that ''the value of a network does not increase with size when the size of the network makes it impossible to derive value from it''. How true.

Stibel ends the book by sticking his neck out and charting out a possible path through which the internet could evolve. Does he see Google still presiding over as the lord of the world wide web manor? I'm not letting the cat out of the bag here. Better read the book and find out on your own.

e.o.m.

Thought Provoking - Interesting Ideas
Part of me thought that "Wired for Thought: How the Brain Is Shaping the Future of the Internet" might be a tough read with smatterings of medical & technical terminology throughout.But, Stibel's writing style is a refreshingly easy read.Stibel makes some thought provoking analogies between the Internet and the human brain.Some ideas may seem a bit far fetched at first glance but Stibel make a strong case for each.

This book should be on your short list if you're interested in some new perspectives on where the Internet might be taking us, and on your must read list if you're a business leader. ... Read more

Product Description

America's greatest idea factory isn't Bell Labs, Silicon Valley, or MIT's Media Lab. It's the secretive, Pentagon-led agency known as DARPA. Founded by Eisenhower in response to Sputnik and the Soviet space program, DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) mixes military officers with sneaker-wearing scientists, seeking paradigm-shifting ideas in varied fields—from energy, robotics, and rockets to doctorless operating rooms, driverless cars, and planes that can fly halfway around the world in just a few hours.

Customer Reviews (15)

Good Book ! does what its title says!
Gives great overview of what DARPA does. I feel GREAT that at least some of my Tax dollars are being used to advance our daily lives. This should be a required reading for all Engineering students and those that operate research laboratories.

wanted more
Totally enjoyable. Much needed proof that there is still something that government can do correctly.

Intersteing if your are interested in DARPA
The book is well-written if a little drawn out. Buy this if you are intrigued by the inner workings of DARPA; skip it if you don't know what DARPA is or dont care what they do. The author spends a little too much time throughout the book explaining how he gained entre to the agency. We get it, they are protective of their work. No need to point it out in every other chapter. I read it on a Kindle. No problems reading this way versus a paper book.

An excellent introduction to DARPA
I have been a principle investigator or program manager on the contractors side of 9 DARPA research contracts and so I know a fair amount about the agency and therefor was interested in this book. I was not disappointed.I learned a lot that I did not know, particularly the early history of the agency. Before I read the book, I had know idea who Neil McElroy was and now he is my hero. The anomaly that is DARPA, an amazingly efficient organization surrounded by a sea of inefficient bureaucracies, can be understood as the legacy of people who don't believe much of anything is impossible and just want to get things done.While Belfiore takes a scatter gun approach to covering the wide array of technologies that have been and are being worked on at DARPA, he manages to capture the crazed dedication of the program managers, the political whimsy that they and the agency must deal with and the amazing impact this relatively small group of people have had and most likely will continue to have on our security, society, science, technology, and culture.

Boring
I had high hopes to learn about a lot of cool stuff that DARPA is working on.Perhaps that was a misguided expectation given that most of their stuff is Top Secret.The book turns out to be very boring - I can barely get through it.Way too much discussion of who's running the agency and not enough about what they are doing - but that would be a difficult (perhaps impossible) book to write.The title led me to believe that their projects would be discussed but they really aren't. ... Read more

Product Description

On the Way to the Web: The Secret History of the Internet and Its Founders is an absorbing chronicle of the inventive, individualistic, and often cantankerous individuals who set the Internet free. Michael A. Banks describes how the online population created a new culture and turned a new frontier into their vision of the future.

This book will introduce you to the innovators who laid the foundation for the Internet and the World Wide Web, the man who invented online chat, and the people who invented the products all of us use online every day. Learn where, when, how and why the Internet came into being, and exactly what hundreds of thousands of people were doing online before the Web. See who was behind it all, and what inspired them.

You’ll also find these stories of people and events on the way to the Web:

• CIA agents in search of military hardware for sale online.
• The first online privacy scandal, three decades ago.
• The first instance of online censorship in 1979
• How in 1980 the FBI demanded the ID of a CompuServe user who tried to sell 3,000 M16 rifles online
• Early con artists
• Online romance scams
• Identify theft
• Who really created AOL. (Hint: it wasn’t Steve Case.)
• The wireless Internet that was built in 1978.
• Why the @ sign is used in email addresses.

Customer Reviews (12)

A BetterAlternative
I have read only the first chapter of this book (available online) and am not impressed. If you're interested in a book that has morein it than (as another reviewer put it) "Some university guys in the 50s started networking military computers, then Compuserve and AOL figured out how to get people dialup, then the internet came." then I would like to highly recommend M Mitchell Waldrop's "The Dream Machine: J.C.R. Licklider and the Revolution That Made Computing Personal".

Waldrop's book, although purportedly about one man, is in fact a brilliantly done, "hard to put down", fascinating explication of the ideas, concepts, social interactions and people that built the world of computing and networking as we know it.Waldrop covers the what, when, where and more importantly, the who of the early days of computing - detailing not only the technologies but the personalities and social networks of those early days. Highly recommended for readers from the hard-core technologist, to the avid social-networker.Get it!

Wait for Al Gore's version
Perhaps this is the"secret history of the internet" because the true history of the internet remains mostly a secret to the reader after finishing this book!

Banks spends a few pages sketching in a bare outline of the early technical roots of the internet in the ARPA/DARPA days, and does an OK job of tracking the history of bulletin boards and the early online giants CompuServe and AOL.But the threads start and remain unconnected in the history, so that my one-sentence summary of the book would read like this:

"Some university guys in the 50s started networking military computers, then Compuserve and AOL figured out how to get people dialup, then the internet came."

Interestingly, in a timeline in an appendix Banks does mention in very short list form some of the key integration points between the technology, business, and content that makes up the internet, but he never tells the full story of most of these!

Skip this one and wait for Al Gore's "How I did it" expose.

Confusing, disorganized history of part of the Internet
Book Review:On the Way to the Web: The Secret History of the Internet and Its Founders by Michael A. Banks

I remember my first CompuServe experience back in the early 80s.We were living in Ohio and my uncle worked in Columbus for some computer company.He had his own computer, which was absolutely amazing to me.I was in middle school at the time and remember being allowed to use the TRS-80 in the administrative offices.The computers were cool and I was hooked.I could chat with girls who didn't take one look at me and walk away.

"On the Way to the Web" brought back a lot of memories about the early days of the Internet and on-line services. I'm not sure people who weren't involved in on-line computing during the 80s and 90s would have that same nostalgic smile. If hearing the words eWorld or AppleLink doesn't ring any bells then you probably wouldn't enjoy this book.Banks assumes you know these services and their place in online history, and more importantly, how their development was parallel to the development of the greater Internet.Having lived through this dramatic time in history I still found myself confused on the relationship between these services and the Internet.

The first few chapters are amazing, and effectively captured the headiness of those early days during the 1970s when TCP/IP was not preordained to be the preferred way of computers talking to each other.After commercial online services entered the scene, Banks focuses primarily on those services and their lineage.While online services were clearly important to get us where we are today, he tells the history in a dry and matter-of-fact manner without explaining what else was going on at the time. The level of detail he went into about how these services was over the top.The book is hard to follow because the author tells too many stories at once.I constantly had to refer to the appendix to review the timeline.I expected more about the people involved, rather than the competing companies and their online strategies.

Overall the book was an enjoyable trip down memory lane, but fails to explain how we got from the origins of the Internet to where we are today.

Pros:Nice historical overview of the Internet
Cons:Hard to follow

Great Insight Into The History Of The Internet!
Michael A. Banks did a great job keeping me interested in reading about the beginning of the internet. The beginnings of the internet were in the government and the universities. When he talks about two universities communicating for the first time cross-country, I could not help but feel it was as monumental as the east railroad line meeting the west railroad line!

It was very interesting to see how some very good ideas failed miserably, while others flourished. The beginnings of community sites like Compuserve were truly the predecessor of many of our social networking sites today.

The in depth coverage of Billy von Meister kept me in suspense with each business venture he conjured up.Billy was truly a pioneering internet entrepreneurial spirit. He was quite an adventurer, and his flamboyant lifestyle went along with his spend, spend, spend business tactics.He was a visionary who knew how to acquire venture capital and how to build a business from ground up. I enjoyed reading about it.

Who doesn't remember getting those AOL floppy disks in their mail?? Although I was never a member, it wasn't hard to see the impact of AOL on my friends and the world at large who were members.While I was busy plunking out COBOL II code on a mainframe at work, my friends were enjoying the ease of use and communities of AOL.

The interactivity available via the internet seemed to take many by surprise in the early days, but not anymore. Today, the best sites provide plenty of engaging interactivity (like this one, letting me give a review that all the world can see!). This book was really engaging to read, I recommend it.

A Good Historical Perspective
This book is in the same vein as the Hackers book by Steven Levy (Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution).For a lot of people, this is a peek under the covers during what a few lived through.This peek gives the backgrounds and some of the ins and outs of what happened during the very heady days of "home-based" internet access.

Being an early user of the internet myself (I had a university account in the mid-80's), and a user of CompuServe, Prodigy, and various BBS's, this was quite the trip down memory lane and explains why they did not survive. ... Read more

Product Description
After completing this self-contained course on server-based Internet applications software, students who start with only the knowledge of how to write and debug a computer program will have learned how to build web-based applications on the scale of Amazon.com. Unlike the desktop applications that most students have already learned to build, server-based applications have multiple simultaneous users. This fact, coupled with the unreliability of networks, gives rise to the problems of concurrency and transactions, which students learn to manage by using the relational database system.

After working their way to the end of the book, students will have the skills to take vague and ambitious specifications and turn them into a system design that can be built and launched in a few months. They will be able to test prototypes with end-users and refine the application design. They will understand how to meet the challenge of extreme business requirements with automatic code generation and the use of open-source toolkits where appropriate. Students will understand HTTP, HTML, SQL, mobile browsers, VoiceXML, data modeling, page flow and interaction design, server-side scripting, and usability analysis.

The book, which originated as the text for an MIT course, is suitable for classroom use and will be a useful reference for software professionals developing multi-user Internet applications. It will also help managers evaluate such commercial software as Microsoft Sharepoint of Microsoft Content Management Server. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Not informative
This book does not provide any new material about the title topic. I returned it

Practical advice for web applications design in the real world
This is a terrific book on what it takes to make web applications really work (both for users and for the businesses that create them). Managers of web design projects should read this book for its eminently practical advice on documentation, workflow, and pitfalls to avoid. Highly recommended.

Excellent book teaching nontrivial material.
It's not easy to build a really good online community website.There are a lot of things to think about, and many of them have little or nothing to do with technical programming skills.

Buy this book, read it, step through it, and learn from some of the best teachers on the subject.And then when you've learned what they have to say here, take your new-found skills and build your own online community site.Using the methods in this book, your web sites can be more useful, successful, and profitable.

Specific examples, great ideas
This book is helpful for programmers as well as people who work more generally with technology. I'm using very specific, technical information from the "Adding Mobile Users to Your Community" chapter for a web application I'm building, while using concepts from the chapter on discussion forums for a research project on how discussion tools are used at my university.If you build web applications, or work with people who do, I highly recommend this book.

Useful textbook for web application makers.
If you're new to building web applications and want a balanced perspective on the engineering challenges involved -- from understanding user needs to data modelling to scaling gracefully --this book is a great place to start.It's mostly language-agnostic, so it'll be a good starting point for a few years but won't update you on the latest technology.Nevertheless, I know very few web developers who wouldn't learn something important from a careful reading of this book.

Where this book really shines is as a bridge from the world of college Computer Science to the world of actually building applications people use.This transition encompasses understanding your users, making flexibile designs, considering security, aesthetics, and a host of other issues one does not actually learn in a normal college CS curriculum.Thanks to its project focus, this book (and the course curriculum it implies) seeds an awareness of these many issues that can later be developed through experience.Other "software engineering" books over-emphasize theories, but this one will actually press you to get stuff built. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (4)

I FOUND IT!
The Internet:The Missing Manual. This is the best reference for the internet that I have ever purchased. It is a handy refresher for those who need just a little bit of help and an excellent guide for those who need more in depth materials for reference/help. The reference is written so that anyone can find the help that they need, AND still understand what they are reading. After searching for a reference of this type, I am happy to say that I have found it!!

A 'must' for any who use the Internet regularly.
Everyone who uses a computer knows about the Internet: but how many know how to search with an eye to uncovering winners and avoiding junk? Learn how to use the Internet tools the pros use - and the ways they use them - with THE INERNET: THE MISSING MANUAL. Chapters cover everything from locating movies and music download sites to social networking and Internet telephony. All options are surveyed including common traps and tricks for overcoming them. A 'must' for any who use the Internet regularly.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Another Well Done O'Reilly Book
Back in the 90s, the Whole Internet was the book to read to learn about the Internet. Sadly, that book has gone out of print. But this book (the latest in the Missing Manual series) essentially picks up where that book left off. And while this may indeed be a book more suited to beginning (yes Virginia, there still are folk who aren't on the Internet) and intermediate users, there's still enough information here that even long time Internet users like myself can learn something new. In my case, it was learning about podcasts, RSS feeds, more about VOIP, and online backup and storage sites. The Internet has gotten so big and spawned so many different technologies over the past fifteen years alone, that it can be a big challenge to keep up with the constant changes. All of them are documented in this book. It gives a general look at all things not just with the topics I mention here, but also topics like searching and surfing the web, blogs, web sites that list peer reviews (sorta like this review!), shopping online, games, music, videos, communicating with others online (whether it's chat rooms, mailing lists, or "community sites"), even ways of staying safe and secure online.

There are countless books available about the Internet and its many forms, but this is a great book to have if you need a well-written all purpose book about the 'Net.

In this day and age, too basic to be helpful
This book reminds me a lot of those "Internet Yellow Pages" books you used to see from 1994 until about 1996 when modern search engines and the growing sophistication of computer users made them unnecessary.

I thought I would peruse this book and see if it had anything of value to offer, and I have to say that unless you've been stranded on a desert island for the last twelve years, I can't see how it could be of much help. These days, pretty much all age groups from preschoolers to senior citizens have this much knowledge of the internet. In 2006 do we really need a book that tells us the different ways to connect to the internet, how to shop online, how to gamble online, and the perils of banking online? I don't think so.

I gave this book three stars mainly out of residual respect for the Missing Manual Series that is very helpful for learning the MAC and its various applications as well as software packages such as Photoshop Elements. Nothing in the manual is incorrect. It is well written and well illustrated. It is just too basic to be helpful for anyone who knows how to access an Internet search engine.

The table of contents is as follows:
Part I:GETTING ONLINE
1.Getting Online
Broadband Connections (Fast); Dial-Up Connections (Slow); Wireless Connections (Awesome); Software; Advanced Connection Tricks (Windows); Advanced Connection Tricks (Mac OS X);
2. Surfing the Web
Your First Web Page; Portals: Dashboards of the Web; Browser Choices;

Part II:FINDING INFORMATION
3.How to Search the Web
Search Basics; Directories at Your Service;
4.Searching by Information Type
White Pages, Yellow Pages; Driving Directions; Health and Medicine; Job Hunting; Getting the Facts; Word Definitions;
5.News and Blogs
News Sites; Online Newspapers; Sports, Weather, and Entertainment; Blogs; Feeds: Having the News Come to You;
6.Reviews and Ratings
Movies; Restaurants; Music; Books; Consumer Electronics; Cars;

Part III:SHOPPING, TRAVEL, AND FINANCE
7.Shopping
How to Shop Online; The Top Shopping Sites; Finding Good Deals; Shopping for Big-Ticket Items ;
8.Planning Trips
Booking Tickets and Reservations; Last-Minute Deals;
9.Finance
Online Banking; Finding Loans Online; Trading Online and Tracking Investments; Doing Your Taxes Online;

Part IV:ENTERTAINMENT AND MEDIA
10.Games and Gambling
Games for the Whole Family; Action Games; Massive Multiplayer Games; Virtual Worlds; Fantasy Sports; Gambling;
11.Music and Audio
Digital Audio and the Internet; Listening to Digital Audio; Online Music Stores; Streaming Music Sites; Internet Radio; Podcasts;
12.Videos, Movies, and TV
Videos and Movies Online; DVDs by Mail; Watching Webcams;
13.Photos
Finding Photos; Sharing Photos Online; Sending Photos to a Printing Service; Sending Photos via Email;

Part V:COMMUNICATING WITH OTHERS
14.Email
Email Program vs. Web-Based Email; Setting Up Your Email Program; Writing and Sending Messages; Reading and Organizing Email; Fighting Email Pests
15.Instant Messages and Chat
Instant Messaging: An Introduction; IM Services: The Catalog;
16.Discussion Groups
Finding and Searching Groups; Creating New Groups;
17. Social Networking
Socializing and Dating Services; Professional Networking;
18.Skype & VoIP: Internet Phones;
Skype: Computer-to-Phone Plans; Phone-to-Phone Plans;

Part VI:INTERNET POWER AND PROTECTION
19.Your Own Blogs, Web Sites, and Podcasts
Blogs; Super-Simple Web Pages; Professional Web Sites; Podcasts;
20.Living on the Web
Online Backup and Storage; Online Word Processing Programs; Project Planning and Group Calendars; Online Meetings/Web Conferencing ;
21.Staying Safe
Know Your Enemies; Fighting Internet Pests; Defeating Spyware; Controlling Cookies; Phishing Lures; Sealing Your Computer's Firewall; Protecting Your Kids;


... Read more

Product Description
With its easily obtainable wealth of information, the Internet has proven to be both a boon and a challenge for today's public schools. Teachers can download lesson plans and participate in online professional development courses; students can access new research and chat with other students around the world. But with technological innovation come legal pitfalls, where issues such as free expression, privacy, and copyright take on a whole new dimension.

The Internet and the Law: What Educators Need to Know provides a clear and in-depth discussion of the key legal issues public schools face in using the Web, e-mail, and other computer technologies. As an educator and an attorney, Kathleen Conn brings a unique and informed perspective to this changing arena, succinctly identifying and examining major risks for schools and the specific case law that shapes these issues, including:

* First Amendment protection for teachers and students,
* Filtering and blocking technology for obscene material,
* Use of students' personal information and education records,
* Downloading and storing of copyrighted material,
* Fair use,
* Defamation in Internet communications, and
* E-mail harassment.

To help educators handle these issues, Conn offers sound advice in developing policies that comply with the law while safeguarding the school or district. As the use of technology in schools continues to evolve, teachers, administrators, and school staff must stay aware of the law that governs it. The Internet and the Law provides the solid legal grounding that every educator needs.

Kathleen Conn is a K-12 curriculum supervisor in the West Chester Area School District in Pennsylvania. She received her Ph.D. from Bryn Mawr College and her J.D. from Widener University School of Law. Conn is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar. ... Read more

Product Description
The Internet routing best-seller-now completely updated!

Nobody knows more about Internet routing than Christian Huitema, former head of the Internet Architecture Board. Now, he's completely updated his classic best-seller on Internet routing to deliver the critical information that networking and software professionals need right now. Routing in the Internet, Second Edition offers unparalleled practical insight for architecting 21st century enterprise networks. You'll find all this, and more:

* Internet Quality of Service (QoS) technologies, including policy routing and Resource Reservation Protocol (RSVP)

* Extensively updated coverage of the OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) intra-company protocol

* Revamped, in-depth coverage of BGPv4 for connecting enterprises to Internet Service Providers

* IPv6: Rationale, goals, technical details, and key migration issues

* Internet multicasting: how it works, and how you can use it today

* Mobile IP: a preview of anywhere, anytime Internet connectivity

PC Week called the first edition of Routing in the Internet "surprisingly approachable"; IEEE Communications called it "excellent." Communications and networking professionals worldwide will call Routing in the Internet, Second Edition absolutely indispensable.Amazon.com Review
Routing in the Internet takes a carefully measured, textbook-style approach to a very complex topic, and rewards the attentive reader with a deep knowledge of how packets traverse networks. Author Christian Huitema begins by explaining the mechanics of IP addressing and returns to that theme (as it applies to IPv4 and IPv6) throughout this book.

Once he's laid his addressing groundwork, Huitema sets out to explain interior routing. He begins with the relatively simple (and relatively weak) Routing Information Protocol (RIP), using it as a vehicle for introducing routing terminology and concepts before explaining why RIP is not a good solution for most real-world internetworking problems and moving on to more robust routing algorithms. His coverage of Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) compares favorably to others'--he is careful to explain each aspect of OSPF (including link state databases) thoroughly. Exterior protocols are covered similarly well. Huitema isn't stingy with coverage of special situations, such as those created by mobile IP and IP multicasting.

Huitema's style tends to emphasize the theoretical aspects of the subjects he covers, and he writes with a somewhat academic tone. (You'll appreciate his liberal notes if you want to follow up on particular details of his presentation.) He makes good use of packet and network diagrams. You'll be pleased by the depth and detail of the material in Routing in the Internet and, despite its lack of practical material, will find it useful in real-life router configuration work and in studying for Cisco certification exams. --David Wall

Topics covered: Internet Protocol (IP) addressing (including versions 4 and 6), address resolution, routing metrics, distance vector protocols, and (especially) routing algorithms. Covered interior routing protocols include Routing Information Protocol (RIP, versions 1 and 2) and Open Shortest Path First (OSPF), while covered exterior routing protocols include Exterior Gateways Protocol (EGP) and Classless Inter-Domain Routing (CIDR). Futures, especially multicasting, receive attention as well. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

A decent book but not for everyone
I have had this book for a number of years and just got around to reading it. It's a good read as long as you know why you are buying it. Huitema's book is more of an academic book, he gives a very good history of why protocols where developed in the way they were and obviously knows his subject extremely well. It is not for someone who is new to Routing and wants to learn the protocols, as he assumes a certain level of knowledge. He reminds me of my professor at college, if you went into knowing nothing you would just come out confused. For someone at the CCNA/CCNP level wanting practical advice with a Cisco slant, without having to read the Cisco course books (which really only teach you how to pass the exam) I would recommend James Macfarlane's book over this. For someone who is a competent Network Engineer wanting to learn why routing protocols behave the way they do, I would recommend this book.

A good book re-warmed
This is a good book, but, there is nothing in it that warranted
a second edition.Certain areas, such as multicast and
multi-protocol BGP are due for a complete re-write, but
that is barely reflected in the book.In short, the new edition
is good-- if you need it, buy it.But, if you already have
the first edition, don't bother, or you will be disappointed.

The perfect Big Picture book to get started.
My manager instructed me to learn about BGP. We're talking total novice here. First I tried looking in some CISCO books but they were highly specific towards CISCO products, and that wasn't what I was looking for. Besides, we weren't using CISCO. What I needed to see was the big picture.

This book gives the big picture. Quite honestly I wish there were more books like it.

One reviewer mentioned that the book was rather dry and that he'd "rather read the RFC's". Personally, I find the RFCs much more difficult reading, because they assume prior knowledge.

This book won't give you recipies on how to configure a certain product. Products come and go, new technologies arrive. What this book does give you is a balanced view of the many protocols out there and how they work. It will be on my shelf at work for quite some time to come, while the CISCO books grow old and stale.

The perfect Big Picture book to get started.
My manager instructed me to learn about BGP. We're talking total novice here. First I tried looking in some CISCO books but they were highly specific towards CISCO products, and that wasn't what I was looking for. Besides, we weren't using CISCO. What I needed to see was the big picture.

This book gives the big picture. Quite honestly I wish there were more books like it.

One reviewer mentioned that the book was rather dry and that he'd "rather read the RFC's". Personally, I find the RFCs much more difficult reading, because they assume prior knowledge.

This book won't give you recipies on how to configure a certain product. Products come and go, new technologies arrive. What this book does give you is a balanced view of the many protocols out there and how they work. It will be on my shelf at work for quite some time to come, while the CISCO books grow old and stale.

Another look to Internet
There is a general rule of 80/20. It means 80% of networking books cover 20% of the available networkingtechnologies because they are most common. The average book about internet routing includes 10% of RIP and IGRP, 25%of OSPF, 20% of EIGRP, 20% of BGP and justfew words about multicasting,IPv6, resourse reservation, Internet architecture, mobile hosts etc.Another common feature of such books that they give you static shot ofcurrent state.

Usually it's more then enough for day to day operationsand many people are completely satisfied. But some people want to learn abit about other 20% and see piture in motion. This book is exactly forthem. Probably it doesn't help you much in Cisco router configuration, butyou can learn internet history and future from the routing point of view.You can learn a way how routing protocols are developing, what are thecurrent problems and what to expect in a recent future.

This book wasincluded in the CCIE library set and many people were really disappointedbecause it isn't focused on Cisco routing and switching. In opposite, themost part of this book covers everything that is usually not included inCisco books. From CCIE or Cisco prospective this book is not reallyinteresting, but it has another goal.

A few more words about this book.It was written by French guy, and he is not Cisco employee. His style iscompletly different from e.g. Cisco press books'.Cisco wants to show youhow well and smoothly it has solved problems, and this book wants to showyou what are the problems and drawbacks of current solutions. Cisco givesyou answers and this book sometimes just states questions without answers.It's more academic review then manual. Keep it in mind if you are going tobuy it.

The final words. Sometimes the language is dull and too dry butif you want to know current state of the internet evolution this book givesyou information which is hard to find in any other single book. This bookis very good but it's goal is different. It's like the most part ofpassengers have questions about tickets and they ask ticket agency. Butsome of them might want to learn more about airplane itself. They can findvery good book about airplanes. It's also interesting book but it'sdefinitly different and optional reading for the traveler. The same aboutthis one. It's optional and not the highest priority book but it reallygives you a lot of new information about internet routing. ... Read more

Product Description
The view presented in The Internet and Its Protocols is at once broad and deep. It covers all the common protocols and how they combine to create the Internet in its totality. More importantly, it describes each one completely, examining the requirements it addresses and the exact means by which it does its job. These descriptions include message flows, full message formats, and message exchanges for normal and error operation. They are supported by numerous diagrams and tables.

This book's comparative approach gives you something more valuable: insight into the decisions you face as you build and maintain your network, network device, or network application. Author Adrian Farrel's experience and advice will dramatically smooth your path as you work to offer improved performance and a wider range of services.

* Provides comprehensive, in-depth, and comparative coverage of the Internet Protocol (both IPv4 and IPv6) and its many related technologies.
* Written for developers, operators, and managers, and designed to be used as both an overview and a reference.
* Discusses major concepts in traffic engineering, providing detailed looks at MPLS and GMPLS and how they control both IP and non-IP traffic.
* Covers protocols for governing routing and transport, and for managing switches, components, and the network as a whole, along with higher-level application protocols.
* Offers thoughtful guidance on choosing between protocols, selecting features within a protocol, and other service- and performance-related decisions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Extremely Comprehensive Work by World Expert on Internet Protocols
Adrian Farrel is one of the world's foremost experts on IP networks and protocols.Drawing on his knowledge and experience as a protocol designer, developer,network engineer, and leader of 3 key IETF working groups, he provides an extremely comprehensive and thorough work on Internet protocol design and practice.It is especially strong on major topics of current interest including MPLS, GMPLS, and traffic engineering, and thoroughly covers the basics of routing, switching, transport, and applications protocols.It is an excellent book for protocol developers, network operators, and network managers.This well written and highly readable work is a must for anyone working in the area and useful as either overview or reference volume.

Innovative approach, very good result
Adrian Farrel's book follows a new approach presenting Internet protocols. At first sight, you may think 'oh, more on the same...'. Don't be tricked, this is a different book.

You'll find a very comprehensive reference about Internet protocols including multicasting, QoS, routing protocols (covering almost all existing flavours) and real-time stuff. Chapter 9 is one of the most readable introductions to MPLS I've found so far. Chapter 10 about GMPLS does also a very good job.

The book has plenty of very up-to-date concepts and technologies, and anyone involved in computer networking should consider to have a copy on his/her bookshelf.

A modern protocols book for all networking practitioners
Adrian Farrel's 'The Internet and Its Protocols' (TIAIP) blew me away.I read this book because it explains the Internet I know, but also how new protocols work with that Internet and make it different from the network I first encountered over a decade ago.Farrel's amusing yet clear writing style delivers a great deal of knowledge in a hefty hardcover.If you want to learn about the protocols that make the Internet work, you need to read TIAIP.

One of the strongest aspects of TIAIP is the inclusion of protocol header figures for every protocol mentioned.I considered this an absolute must for any new protocol book I purchase, and Farrel delivers.Unlike some other books that rely on generic box line drawings, TIAIP's figures are bit-specific.In other words, the header at the top of the figure shows where each bit lies.The diagrams are also all in the same format, facilitating comparison between headers.

Comparison is another strength of TIAIP.Farrel doesn't just present protocols and leave the reader to work out their strengths and weaknesses.In most sections he spends time helping readers choose which protocol will best suit their needs.This is both practical and educational.

There is a ton of information in this book, so much that it may be better used as a reference than a read-through title.I admit to not reading every page, especially those that featured large diagrams of header options and their meanings.This level of details is perfect when I need to understand exactly how a protocol functions, however.

I'll mention a few topics that were fairly new to me and appeared in TIAIP.Topics like multicast (ch 3); DiffServ and IntServ (ch 6); SCTP and RTP (ch 7); MPLS (ch 9); GMPLS (ch 10); GSMP (ch 11); and header compression (ch 15) were all well documented.Farrel is heavily involved in MPLS issues, which is of benefit to the reader.MPLS seems to be appearing in many places outside the ISP realm.

I found a few issues with TIAIP, some of which author Farrel was kind enough to acknowledge via email.P. 50 switches the ARP and InARP meanings in table 2.10.In ch 5 on p. 118, the 172.19.168.16/28 and 172.19.168.32/28 networks can be summarized as 172.19.168.16/27, not 172.19.168.32/27.I would have liked to have read more on EIGRP, even though it's a Cisco proprietary routing protocol.Also, ISO does not mean 'International Standards Organization'; ISO is the 'International Organization for Standardization.'They use ISO, derived from the Greek word for equal, to avoid international language issues.For example, the English acronym would be IOS, and the French would be OIN.Clearly I put these minor issues aside when I rated TIAIP five stars; the amount of value this book delivers is incredible.

If you are looking for a book that shows you real details on Internet protocols in a thorough and engaging manner, I highly suggest considering TIAIP.I am adding it to my recommending reading lists today.

The Internet and Its Protocols
This is a modern and attractive title for the classical topic of TCP/IP computer networks. Students and professionals that wish to gain, expand and update their knowledge in the Internet protocols will find this book a useful reference. It is well written, achieves clarity at the expense of avoiding detail, provides plenty of good figures, does a superb job explaining why protocols were designed the way they are and dedicates a significant part of the book to introduce some of the latest protocols developed by the IETF that will orare already shaping the new Internet.

The book follows the classical bottom up layering approach. Yet it distinguishes itself from the rest by creating whole chapters on the latest internet protocol developments that are briefly treated in others. For example, an early chapter is devoted to IP multicast, which describes how multicast groups are formed and how traffic is delivered to them. The being reasons of IPv6 and its main features are described in a standalone chapter. Routing fundamentals and protocols are described extensively and valuable explanations on how routing protocols can be used for traffic engineering are given. Differentiated and Integrated Services are briefly presented as a manner to deliver specific quality of service levels. The chapter on internet transport protocols is concise and clear and describes briefly the new developments on SCTP and UDP Lite but unexpectedly the exposition on TCP, the most important of all of them, lacks of depth and descriptions of its latest important developments. One of the best and most extensive parts of this book are the four chapters dedicated to IP traffic engineering, in which MPLS and GMPLS form the core of it. They are competently and fully described from their fundamentals to how they are applied for traffic engineering purposes. The last part of the book contains brief but novel introductions of fast growing applications such as VPNs, mobile IP and VoIP among others. It is worth of note the abundant application notes of how MPLS can be used in conjunction with applications such as header compression, VoMPLS and MPLS VPNs. In summary, this is well written book that not only treats the traditional topics of TCP/IP network but it also introduces some of the most recent advances developed by the Internet community.
... Read more

Product Description
Would you like to take a look at vocal cords? Would you like to see the longest fingernails on record!? Real photos and drawings teach fascinating facts about our marvelous human body! Covers cells, brain, DNA, muscles, bones, circulation, breathing, digestion, and more-use this for a thorough semester study of the human body. Experiments and activities show you how to take your pulse, test your reaction time, fool your brain with optical illusions and more. Paperback, 112 pages, ages 9-12 years. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

BAD CHOICE FOR CHILDREN
This book is excessively candid on sex education for children. This book is presented as a children's book but the sex education in this book is more geared for a teenager. Additionally, I believe most parents would prefer, and do better jobs at explaining, the subject of sex to their teenager than this book does.The Usborne Complete Book of the Human Body: Internet Linked (Complete Books)

Cross between encyclopedia and coffee table book.
This book is child friendly without feeling young.Attentive, interested elementary kids would enjoy it without it seeming too educational, and yet it would help even high schoolers understand their studies.I use it for home schooling.
It has a way of explaining complicated biology in a way that children understand, without dumbing down the process.It's interesting enough to keep a kid's attention and the vivid labeled diagrams with cross sections, plentiful photos and microscopic blow ups are part of what make it so wonderful.
The internet links are interesting and helpful again for school work.They are kept up to date by Usborne so that they can't be expired site leads.New sites are constantly being added by Usborne.You only need to go to the Usborne site, type in the title of the book and the page you were reading and you are directed to current sites on the subject, or even on tangents of the subject.It's your choice how much you research.

It's like a cross between an encyclopedia and an enjoyment book.The chapters are organized by systems.(digestive system, nervous system, etc.) Yet anyone could pick it up and flip through to something that catches their interest.
It's just another great Usborne book.They're so successful because they test each aspect of the book with kids before publication to see how they like to learn and what makes it interesting to keep learning.Even the page layouts add to the books appeal.
You can't go wrong with this one. ... Read more

Product Description
Here s the eminently practical, pocket-sized reference for IT and Web professionals working with IIS 7.0. Designed for quick referencing and compulsively readable, this portable guide covers all the basics needed for Web administration fundamentals, Web server administration, essential services administration, and performance, optimization, and maintenance. It s the fast-answers guide that helps users consistently save time and energy as they administer IIS 7.0. Written by an award-winning author of more than two dozen computer books, this guide puts expert administration and troubleshooting advice right at your fingertips. Featuring quick-reference tables, concise lists, and step-by-step instructions, this handy, one-stop guide provides fast, accurate answers on the spot whether you re at your desk or in the field.

Delivers must-know details and procedures for administering, supporting and troubleshooting IIS 7.0, including information for performance optimization

Features concise tables, easy-to-scan lists, and step-by-step instructions for the answers you need, wherever you need them ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

IIS 7.0 Admin Pocket Consultant
This book does a good job at giving an overview of just about every option in the new version of IIS.

Handy to have at hand
William Stanek is the top windows expert for a reason and its because he understands windows and everything related to it like no one else. This book I've used to set up our external net servers and our internal net servers. Lots of APPCMD and XML config examples and good coverage of ASP.NET, .NET in general as well as Web servers, Web apps, security, certs, performance tuning and monitoring. Written for administrators but the dev guys are always stealing my copy so definitely good for dev in sense of setup and config.

A Must-Have for IIS 7
If you're old hat to IIS, you may be surprised to learn that IIS 7.0 is completely rebuilt from the ground up.

The bad news is, the interface has been redesigned from top to bottom.

The good news is, the rework was done to bring the IIS technology more inline with the Microsoft .NET Framework.

I bought this book because the online resources I've found have been very poor (yes, including Microsoft's own sites).I've been pleased to find that the book dives straight into IIS, provides me the details I would need to manage my server, and (thankfully) provides a lot of screen shots. As an added bonus, Stanek offers suggestions on customization and points out areas that will require some decision-making, such as the hardware you plan to use and the security practices that you should think through.

If you're new to IIS as a whole, you'll have an easier time using this book to learn if you come from a development background.If you're new to Microsoft networking as well as IIS, you might need a little more detail and I'd suggest you start with a book on Windows Server 2008. As for me, this Swiss Army Knife of IIS Administration is probably going to be well-thumbed-through before the end of the year.

On-Line Help Rehash
This is another one of those printed versions of on-line help books that don't provide any context or, as the title purports, consulting.

Great guide for IIS 7
With all of the changes in IIS 7 this is a must have book for any admin. Even if you have never worked with IIS before this is a great book. I have always been happy with the Administrator's Pocket Consultant series of books. I recommend this book for anyone looking to keep up on the changes in technology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Very Senior Friendly
This guidebook for the internet is explained in "user-friendly" terms for Seniors who are just starting out with their first computer and want to learn step by step how the internet functions.

For new or infrequent Internet users
Colmer and Thomas have written a series called The Senior's Guide on a diversity of topics.

This guide to the Internet offers a wealth of information for those who have not yet learned to use the Internet or go online so seldom that a book like this provides a handy reference.

Organized in ten easy-to-digest chunks, I recommend those new to the Internet read one section at a time.

After being online for fifteen years, even I learned a few things such as groups.[...].

The Internet is like driving a car. Most of us really don't know how it works, but we use it. Colmer and Thomas give us a peak under the hood with their brief overview of varied topics such as TCP/IP and SMTP and HTTP.

They also remind us to be careful when downloading files or opening links. In fact, they suggest manually typing a link instead of clicking on it; especially, from uncertain sources. They claim that some links may contain spyware, which is unknowingly transferred to our computer, wrecking all sorts of havoc from harming our files or recording keystrokes. Current security software as those provided by Norton or McAfee will scan your computer and eliminate such threats.

Initially written in 2005 then updated in 2007, there are a few dated items, such as the mention of WebTV which is now MSNTV, but these dated items are minor compared to the value of the information provided. The book concludes with 25 tips to using the Internet.

The books are published in large type and are easy to read even without reading glasses.

For more information [...]
A couple of their other computer related titles worth a look are:
Seniors Guide to Easy Computing w/ Vista (Senior's Guides)
Yes, Microsoft's Windows 7 is supposed to replace Vista or even XP. However, some of us bought computers with Vista installed. I look forward to reading this edition as well.

THE SENIORS GUIDE TO EASY COMPUTING UPDATED

Reviewed by Brenda Avadian, MA
Founder, [...]

Senior's guide to the Intrnet
I found the book very informative, clearly written and easy to
understand. It cleared up a lot of things about the internet
that I didn't know or wasn't sure about.
I would recommend this book.

too restrictive
I am not convinced that there is a need for such a book as this. Much of what it discusses is germane to any adult, or even a smart kid, who uses the Internet. These days, isn't that most of us? Sure, it certainly is good to know about malware attacks on your computer. Or email that has spam, especially including scams like phishing. But just as those attacks tend to be done incriminately, so too are the countermeasures relevant to all.

To be sure, a few of the topics in the book will probably be of interest only to seniors. But it is enough to warrant the entire book? ... Read more

Product Description

Smart object technology, sometimes called the Internet of Things, is having a profound impact on our day-to-day lives. Interconnecting Smart Objects with IP is the first book that takes a holistic approach to the revolutionary area of IP-based smart objects. Smart objects are the intersection of networked embedded systems, wireless sensor networks, ubiquitous and pervasive computing, mobile telephony and telemetry, and mobile computer networking. This book consists of three parts, Part I focuses on the architecture of smart objects networking, Part II covers the hardware, software, and protocols for smart objects, and Part III provides case studies on how and where smart objects are being used today and in the future. The book covers the fundamentals of IP communication for smart objects, IPv6, and web services, as well as several newly specified low-power IP standards such as the IETF 6LoWPAN adaptation layer and the RPL routing protocol. This book contains essential information not only for the technical reader but also for policy makers and decision makers in the area of smart objects both for private IP networks and the Internet.

Customer Reviews (8)

The best book on understanding what the Internet of Things really is
I wrote a lengthy review about this book on my website which I'm reprinting here. I cover wireless sensor networks and have watched it grow from being a glimmer in people's eyes to where they're becoming extensions of the internet. The area is currently difficult to navigate with a lot of work going on from disparate groups. Hence, this book is exactly what is needed to figure out what's really going on. Here's the review...

Akiba
FreakLabs

The Internet of Things is a buzzword that's generating quite a bit of hype at the moment. I'm seeing it all over the place to describe all types of disparate things but mostly being used as a marketing term. I suspect that the majority of the people that use the term don't fully understand its meaning or how it will be implemented/used. That's why I was very pleasantly surprised when I picked up the book "Interconnecting Smart Objects with IP" by Adam Dunkels (author of the ContikiOS, uIP, lwIP, and general programming extraordinaire) and JP Vasseur (distinguished engineer at Cisco, co-chair of IETF's ROLL working group, and one of the chairs for IPSO).

I don't really know JP Vasseur, but I've been an admirer of Adam Dunkel's work since I started in wireless sensor networks. In my mind, ContikiOS is one of the best operating systems/environments ever designed for wireless sensor networks, or what I like to call, "engineering hell". But that's a different story.

Before I get into what I thought of the book, I think it might be appropriate to give a bit of background on why I'm writing this post. In my opinion, the internet is basically a set of standards that everyone agrees to abide by. That standardization is what allows manufacturers and users to adopt the technology with confidence, knowing that they won't be the only ones or part of a minority of people using it. That also inspires confidence that time spent learning the technology and standards, how to use it, and developing applications for it won't be wasted. I think this is the reason why the internet became so popular within the last however many years/decades.

So when I hear the Internet of Things being thrown around nonchalantly by press releases, marketing people, or just in general, I tend to wince a little bit. There's a misunderstanding that anything that can connect to the internet, i.e. speaks TCP/IP and has a communications interface, forms the Internet of Things. The problem is that they're missing the whole part about standardization which is why the Internet of Things doesn't exist yet. There are still many areas that need to be standardized such as using UDP vs TCP, how security will be implemented (did you know that there is no standardized equivalent to SSL for embedded devices?), how device services will be discovered, how data will be exchanged, what types of device profiles will exist, how web services will be implemented, etc. Actually, all of this and more is being discussed and hammered out right now in the IETF working groups. Check out the 6LoWPAN , ROLL , and CoRE groups if you're interested.

Without the standardization, then what you have are technology islands, archipelagos of data formats, protocols, and other silly things. It's basically what you see in the wireless sensor network protocol space right now with Zigbee, 6LoWPAN, Z-Wave, Bluetooth Low Energy, Active RFID, ISA100, Wireless HART, and a host of other communications protocols. It was the same way back in the wired networking wars with Ethernet, Token Ring, FDDI, LocalTalk and a host of other communications protocols. The internet as we know it couldn't exist until everyone standardized on ethernet, TCP/IP, RIP/OSPF, SSL, HTTP, HTML, and a few others that I'm leaving out. That basically takes you up the chain from communications medium, communications protocol, networking protocol, routing implementation, security, and application data exchange. From there, applications like web browsers started popping up and further standardization on data exchange such as formatting, display, and APIs occurred. That's when things started to really take off and the technology islands turned into one big-ass continent we know as the internet. But today's internet is mostly designed to be accessed via browsers or GUIs, usually with a person on at least one end, which narrows the application domain.

Now when you start getting into embedded devices accessing the internet and communicating with each other, things get more complicated. Unlike a browser which has a well known/understood profile, each device will support a different set of services, like turning on and off a light, sending a data stream from a sensor, or turning a servo 30.3 degrees. Those devices will need to know what other devices to talk to (service discovery). They'll need to exchange data in a common format, like specifying the sensor data is floating point, 32-bit integer, or an ASCII string. The data exchange will need to happen securely so that some other device can't spoof the real one and mess up the data readings. And there needs to be some type of web service so that the device can be accessed or access another remote device. And this is just at the application layer.

Well, that was a bit of a wordy introduction to my review of Interconnecting Smart Objects with IP, but I wanted to make sure people knew why a book like this needs to exist. The Internet of Things isn't as simple as slapping a TCP/IP stack on to an object. There is a lot of standardization that needs to occur before such a large transformation can happen on the Internet. All of these standardization processes are in progress or finished and can be found on the internet (ironic), mostly via IETF RFCs. However if you have ever read an RFC or a standards document, you'll know that it's as much fun as reading the fine print on your credit card agreement. What Adam and JP have done with their book is took all of those standards documents, boiled them down to their main points, and presented them in a very readable and interesting way with examples and illustrations. They also discuss competing technologies, such as Wi-Fi vs 802.15.4, binary XML vs JSON, REST vs SOAP, etc. And that's just the first section of the book. That alone would have been reason enough for me to pick the book up.

However in the middle section of the book, they go into the actual technology implementation, and although it's more technical, they give very concrete explanations of each of the technologies. They go in-depth from the communications media (802.11, 802.15.4, 802.3), networking protocol (IPv6 and 6LoWPAN), routing (RPL), application protocol (TCP/UDP), and then give a survey of other competing technologies (Zigbee, Z-Wave, Bluetooth, etc). Incidentally, I helped out on the Zigbee part of the book. Just thought you should know...uhhh...a very minor contribution...*sigh*

And finally, the last section of the book talks about how all of this fits into different application areas. They discuss the smart grid, industrial automation, home automation, building automation, health monitoring, and more.

Basically, this book is an impressive piece of work, and the first section alone is worth the price in time saved sifting through standards documents. This is probably the only book that can give a complete and concrete picture of what the real Internet of Things will be. There are very few people I know, quite possibly none, that can discuss this topic from the communications physical layer to the web services so I know that anyone interested in what the Internet of Things actually is will learn something from this book. I certainly did. But most important, it will allow anyone that mentions the term Internet of Things to actually know what they're talking about.

A little dry, but insightful
This book really scores its points when it gets AWAY from the dry IP address schemes, and into how devices can be used in cities of the future.
Like "Parking lots". Who wouldn't want to know where the empty spot is in a lot without having to drive around like a crazy person?
Also, practical GPS and health monitoring of blood pressure, and other medical stats, to integrate that info, with friends, neighbors and care givers.All of this is on the cusp of happening, and to better understand it, this book can help.A little dry at many times, but still insightful for many.

The Underlying Technology of Ubiquitous Computing & The Internet of Things
This guidebook provides an excellent overview and a fair amount of architectural detail of the underlying IPv6 Technologies that will make Ubiquitous Computing and the "Internet of Things" possible. With an approbation by Vint Cerf the TCP/IP and Internet Pioneer it introduces a mature technical discussion of the technologies that will make Internetworked Intelligent Objects a reality.It provides a good balance between technical architecture and a review of the issues that this technology will introduce in public policy.A variety of applications for this IPv6 Internet of Things is given including Smart Grid, Metering, and Smart Building Technologies.Since this is the first Ubiquitous Computing review that focuses on the IP-Internetworking architecture I would have looked forward to greater detail painting the applications environment in terms of the underlying implementation architecture.For example, I could see a useful chapter on Medical Internetworking, Biophysical Sensors and the Networking/Privacy/HIPAA Compliance Issues as they are affected by Internetwork technologies.

But, this is an excellent most important work on Internetworking and the IPv6 technologies that will underly much that has been written about Ubiquitous Computing and "The Internet of Things". I highly recommend it.

-Ira Laefsky MSE/MBA
IT & HCI Consultant/Researcher
Formerly Senior Staff Member of Arthur D. Little, Inc. and Digital Equipment Corporation

Plans of studies at the universities
It is a book very interesting objects. I believe that in the curriculum of Universities should be included this item , for preparing students for the future.
In a future research on the networks be designed with the objects IP

Today's Version of Martin Waldseemüller's 1507Map of the New World
Just as Waldseemüller's 1507 map of the New World set in motion the naming of America, Vasseur and Dunkels help today's engineers, computer scientists and students explore the world of tomorrow. The new IPv6 protocol for access to the Internet of things, like our washing machines, provides for 340 trillion trillion trillion addresses. No, I didn't write the word "trillion" by mistake three times.

In a future world of ubiquitous embedded computers, the authors provide us the context of history, outline issues such as interoperability so that our toys play well together and begin the basic outline of how to build the networks of the future. What are the smart objects? What hardware, software and protocols are needed? Those are some of the topics covered. The book also features case studies, which tell more complete compelling stories.

The book should and, more importantly, CAN be read by technicians and policy makers alike... being as readable as it is. My favorite section was on the 6LoWPAN adaptation layer... for handling packet fragmentation and reassembly. Who would have guessed optimization of transport could be laid out so elegantly? Don't try interconnecting smart objects at home without this path breaking guide. Whether your designing water-quality monitoring systems (i.e., pH, chlorine, turbidity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, etc.) or designing routing metrics for smart object networks, this is the book for you. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (22)

What every man needs to KNOW
Hi All,

This is THE BOOK that I would strongly recommend anyone to read.
It provides eyeopening PROOF of perhaps one of the greatest threats we are faced with in this modern day and age.
Porn is not fun, cool, ok or hot...it is a KILLER and it kills in the most subtle and destructive way...
...hope that many eyes will be opened and many people be set free through this book.

Let no one treat you like an idiot!!!

Hurry, Hurry,Hurry Get your schlock right here!

What a bunch of garbage!The 3 power principles are included in a cd at the end of the book.He reminds me of old women picketing the adult book store in the neighborhood.I am astonished at the poor research skills exhibited in the footnotes.They reveal the research skills of a high school student.

His is a family centered approach, focused on protecting the family and children.Religious orientation and some really basic information.If you know nothing about the topic it might be useful but I feel his tone is that of a circus barker.

A New Look
I have read many books on addiction to porn, and this book contains a lot of fresh information not found anywhere else. I recommend it for those struggling and spouses of those struggling.

Enjoyed it thorougly
Kastleman explains how pornography distorts both the male and female views of sexuality God had intended. He likens it to illegal drug. Not only that, he exhorts readers to nurture the true intimacy between husband and wife and between parents and their kids. Because true intimacy is the best possible blockade against the snare of pornography. Powerful and easy to read resource.

A helpful resource for couples
This will be most helpful to women who have a spouse who has a problem with porn, but will also help them to better understand other types of sex addiction.They will be able to better understand what a guy is experiencing and why he can be so vulnerable to sexual images.

It explains the differences between the average woman's experience during sexual arousal and the average man's.I found this section especially interesting and helpful.It also explains why women are more vulnerable to adult chat than porn.

This information will also be very valuable to guys.They will be reminded how to help their wife get into the mood!

Finally you might have a better chance of getting your guy to listen to the included audio CD. It is a nice addition to the book.

Ladies, buy the book before going to your lawyer.It may save you big $! ... Read more

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Internet Book, The: Everything You Need to Know About Computer Networking and How the Internet Works, 4/e utilizes a non-technical perspective to explain the technology of how computers communicate, what the Internet is, how the Internet works, and what the Internet can do for people. This book works to fully connect readers to the “big picture” by presenting a solid overview of networking and the Internet, rather than burying them with details. Comer assumes no prior background in computer networking or the Internet. Introduces computer communication system concepts and technology, reviews the history of the Internet and its growth, describes basic Internet technology and capabilities, and describes services currently available on the Internet and how to use them. For anyone interested in learning how to navigate the Internet to its full potential.

Customer Reviews (10)

Have More Questions Than Answers
Based on the glowing praise of previous editions of this book and reviews of this book I purchased. I am very new to networking and was very excited to purchase based on all the outstanding reviews.

Unfortunately I am disappointed overall. While the author does have a very good way of presenting the information and provides tremendous analogies to illustrate concepts, there really is no "meat" to the book. I found myself excited to grasp the basic idea of each chapter only to be disappointed that the author does not take it further. It really does not teach you how things work. It is too much of an overview. I would also agree with other reviews that there is a lot of useless historical info that is very interesting but is really just filler.

At $50+, this book really does not deliver on the expectation. The authors writing style and examples are excellent but the ultimate information content is lacking. At the end I found myself with far more questions than I had before reading it. Unless you are extraordinarily new to computers I think readers will find this to be a disappointment.

MBA Text
This book was required reading for an MBA class.The simplicity of the technical explanations, as well as the simple diagrams make it an easy book to understand.There are a few places where I wish the author would delve a bit deeper, on the topic of security as one example.Overall though, a good book for those who need a basic understanding of internet technology.

a good book to start if you are scared.
The author is one of the "founding fathers" of the internet, he does explain basic concepts clearly. Unfortunately, he doesn't have any sense of humor. The book reminded me a conversation between an old-fashioned professor and his grandkids. Also, some material is outdated in 2005, (e.g. there is a lot of pages devoted to the bulletin board system, and no mention of instant messaging.)

You're no "dummy" but new?This one's for you.
He's the leader in his field.I've used his books for teaching and as referrals.He's so readable but does not talk down to you like the silly "dummy" stuff.You'll be so glad you gave this a try.

A basic guide for novice users.
Although initially frightened by all the acronyms surrounding the Internet and its language, I was put as ease while reading Comer's book. I found that it was written for a person like myself. I have some amount of knowledge of how the Internet and other systems work, but I am a typical user of computer applications and am happy when my machine gives me the information I ask of it. Required reading in a college class is often the only reading I've done for the past seven years. I used to be a reader who read for many reasons. Some days I wanted to be transported away into a science fiction novel. Other days I wanted to live the life of another while reading a fascinating piece of fiction. Sometimes, due to necessity, I read a non-fiction work in order to educate myself just in case I need to know something. Upon picking up Comer's book, I felt that I didn't really need to know much about the Internet. However, after reading, I find that my curiosity was aroused.In fact, Comer dedicates the book to "Everyone Who Is Curious." I became one of these people. Comer's writing was a highlight of the book.The complex became simple in regards to understanding the inner-workings of different systems.I found this book to be a perfect companion for the class as it helped me understand a number of concepts in theories that I simply could not understand no matter how many people explained it in the weekly postings. While reading reviews about the book from an Internet book supply company, many critics are not bashful in their feeling that Comer spent too much time relating the history of the Internet to the reader. I wholeheartedly disagree with these critics and found that the history of the Internet had to be explained in order to fully understand why certain features of the Internet and its accompanying systems are in existence today.The book seemed to be quite simply a recap of all that has led up to today's modern systems. LANs, WANs, and other acronyms had to be explained for the Internet novice.Comer did an excellent job of introducing these areas and their relation to where we are today in regards to technology. Others may have wanted him to be somewhat controversial in his interpretations of where the Internet will lead us. For those people, I would suggest another text.For a person like myself, this text was near perfection. There is only major problem that I did have with Comer's book.With my limited knowledge does come some understanding of today's Internet markets. I believe that if Comer would have mentioned a few prominent companies while explaining certain aspects of the Internet, the book may have been easier to read. I found myself writing questions on the margins such as, "Is this what Netscape is?" His only mentioning of some real world company was of Purdue University. It is only as I write my response to this question that I read that he is a professor at that University. I'm not sure why companies would refuse to give permission for Comer to name them while explaining certain areas. One would think that free publicity is always welcome.I'm not sure if Comer is well known throughout the Internet world. Perhaps he is some type of radical that companies fear. Either way, it would have been easier to understand some concepts if the reader could relate them to aspects in the real world. ... Read more

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Relations between the public and holders of political authority are in a period of transformative flux. On the one side, new expectations and meanings of citizenship are being entertained and occasionally acted upon. On the other, an inexorable impoverishment of mainstream political communication is taking place. The Internet has the potential to improve public communications and enrich democracy, a project that requires imaginative policy-making. This argument is developed through three stages: first exploring the theoretical foundations for renewing democratic citizenship, then examining practical case studies of e-democracy, and finally, reviewing the limitations of recent policies designed to promote e-democracy and setting out a radical, but practicalproposal for an online civic commons: a trusted public space where the dispersed energies, self-articulations and aspirations of citizens can be rehearsed, in public, within a process of ongoing feedback to the various levels and centers of governance: local, national and transnational. ... Read more

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Media Studies/Social Theory

A provocative investigation into the social and cultural implications of the Internet by a leading cultural critic.

As the Internet has become more and more a part of our daily lives, responses to its impact on culture and society have tended toward the extremes, hopeful or pessimistic. Fears that the Internet undermines community, inhibits social interaction, exacerbates economic and racial divisions, and facilitates greater state or corporate intrusion into our lives are balanced by excitement about the transformative qualities of the new medium and its potential to stimulate individual creativity, inspire new social forms, and further democratization.

In What's the Matter with the Internet?, leading cultural theorist Mark Poster offers a sophisticated and astute assessment of the potential the new medium has to redefine culture and politics. Avoiding the mindless hype and meaningless jargon that has characterized much of the debate about the future of the Web, he details what truly distinguishes the Internet from other media and the implications these novel properties have for such vital issues as authorship, national identity and global citizenship, the fate of ethnicity and race, and democracy.

Arguing that the Internet demands a social and cultural theory appropriate to the specific qualities of cyberspace, Poster reformulates the ideas of thinkers associated with our understanding of postmodern culture and the media (including Foucault, Deleuze, Heidegger, Baudrillard, and Derrida) to account for and illuminate the virtual world, paying particular attention to its political dimensions and the nature of identity. In this innovative analysis, Poster acknowledges that although the colonization of the Internet by corporations and governments does threaten to retard its capacity to bring about genuine change, the new medium is still capable of transforming both contemporary social practices and the way we see the world and ourselves.

Mark Poster is professor of history and director of the film studies program at the University of California, Irvine, and the author of Cultural History and Postmodernity (1997), The Second Media Age (1995), and The Mode of Information (1990).Amazon.com Review
Is cyberculture really a culture? Critical theorist Mark Poster asks what we mean by these words in What's the Matter with the Internet? Drawing on the work of Heidegger, Foucault, Baudrillard, and many more heavy hitters, he explores how we think about culture in an age when the word has been appropriated by practically everyone to the point of meaninglessness. Are ethnicity and sexuality important any more, if they even exist? Is the Net a radical tool for marginalized people or another arm of oppression? Poster, like his peers, is more interested in how and why we ask these questions than in answering them, leaving conclusions to the reader.

His metaconclusions, though, merit serious attention. As our technologies break down many, if not all, of our socially constructed barriers, how can we continue to study an increasingly incoherent subject? He calls for a more technologically literate criticism and leads the way with aplomb. His writing ranges from clear and thoughtful to dense and jargon-heavy, though most readers will be able to keep up. Poster seeks for a smarter, timelier critique in What's the Matter with the Internet? and, perhaps, finds the right path. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

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A “next generation” textbook for online writing and design, Internet Invention supplements existing print and web primers on HTML and graphics production with a program that puts these tools and techniques to work with a purpose.    Designed as a passage from the more familiar rhetoric of the page to the less familiar one of the screen, this text is a hybrid workbook-reader-theory with chapters divided into the following sub-genres: Studio, Remakes, Lectures, The Ulmer File, and Office. These sections offer a sequence of interconnected Web writing assignments, rhetorical meditations, scholarly discussions, case studies, and pedagogical metacommentary, which together combine to form a truly unique contribution to the body of rhetorical theory and practice in the age of the digital text.   Ulmer uses the invention of literacy by the Ancient Greeks as a model for the invention of “electracy” (which is to digital media what literacy is to print). Internet Invention brings the students into the process of invention, in every sense of the word. The book takes students through a series of Web assignments and exercises designed to organize their creative imagination, using a virtual consulting agency – “The EmerAgency” – as a vehicle for students to discover the potential for the Web to act as a setting for community problem solving.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

From an UG perspective
Admittedly, I do not have a doctorate in media studies, and my prerequisite exposure to much from which Ulmer draws is limited.That being said, however, it should be noted that this is a book explicitly intended not simply for undergraduate students but to be used as a first-year composition text.Such an idea seems preposterous.The only thing more frustrating than the experience of wrestling through his chapters is watching it get heaped with praise (all while I have never heard anyone boast complete understanding of it).
Internet Invention is incredibly inaccessible.This is in large part due to his extensive referral to countless outside works and thinkers as "relays" but due even more to the fact to his "electrate" composition of the book.The practice of his own theories of communication require him to create dense networks of links that obscure any initial clarity at the base of his theory.
On a personal note, I find Ulmer's theories to be convoluted and overly ambitious. I'm sure Ulmer is a brilliant man, but despite his insistence, this is not an undergraduate (and certainly not a first-year) text.If purchasing for a class, I wish you the best of luck an advise you to develop an "Ulmer filter"; if you hang onto his every word, you will surely miss the central points to lead you to complete the project.If you are purchasing for your own personal edification, I simply cannot imagine why.I hope you enjoy media theory.

Poststructural and Practical
Greg Ulmer's work is some of the best developed in the world in the whole conversation over media theory, poststructural thinking, and writing/teaching with computers.Written with an easy style that is nonetheless packed with information, Ulmer guides readers through his own homegrown pedagogical process, which combines both the artistic and practical into a single new genre.Rather than sit back and be mystified or stymied by the "age of the spectacle," Ulmer engages affirmatively in it, valuing its positive potential.The goal, he says, is to become not consumers, but practitioners of image-based discourse.HTML and other New Media writing tools give individuals the power; what remains is to craft a set of tactics for helping others realize that power.This is really a great book, sure to become a hallmark in media studies. ... Read more