The Internet For Dummies - Softcover

Levine, John R.; Baroudi, Carol; Young, Margaret Levine

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0764508946 ISBN 13: 9780764508943

Publisher: For Dummies, 2002

Synopsis

Everywhere you turn, you can find traces of the Internet. Household products, business cards, radio shows, and movie credits list their Web site address sites (starting with “www” and usually ending with “dot com”) and their e-mail addresses. The Internet is a new communications technology that is affecting our lives on a scale as significant as the telephone and television. Some people believe that when it comes to disseminating information, the Internet is the most significant invention since the printing press. If you use a telephone, write letters, read a newspaper or magazine, or do business or any kind of research, the Internet can radically alter your worldview.

When the first edition of The Internet For Dummies debuted in 1994, a typical Internet user was a student who connected from college or a technical worker who had access through work. The World Wide Web was so new that it had only a few hundred pages. Now, the Internet includes a hundred million people, connecting on their own nickel from computers at home, along with students ranging from elementary school to adult education.

The 8th Edition of this perpetual favorite focuses on the parts of the Internet that are of the most interest to typical users, such as

• The World Wide Web and how to find things there, including how to use Netscape and Internet Explorer
• Ins and outs of sending and receiving electronic mail (e-mail)
• Ways (and means) to shop and chat online
• An inside scoop on publishing your own home page
• The real deal about downloading from the Internet

The Internet For Dummies, 8th Edition describes what you actually do to become an Internaut (someone who navigates the Internet with skill) – how to get started, what you really need to know, and where to go for help – all in easy-to-understand terms and a helpful, friendly, fun-loving tone that'll make your Internet travels a real treat!

About this title

Review

Even if you're not a dummy, the sixth edition of The Internet for Dummies is one of the best user's guides to the Internet now available. Many so-called Internet books are nothing more than printed collections of Web addresses, but John Levine, Carol Baroudi, and Margaret Levine Young recognize that deciding to use the Internet involves financial commitments and computer-hardware decisions as much as it does looking at neat pictures. That said, don't expect to set up your own e-commerce site with this book, and don't expect to find step-by-step instructions for starting your computer. But do expect to get some good advice about picking an ISP (Internet Service Provider), protecting your privacy (and your kids), and connecting with Windows or a Mac. The authors also do an exceptional job of explaining such terms as PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol) and what it is for, and they even talk about the old Unix shell account (with a Lynx text browser) for those not getting a PPP account. You'll find tips for optimizing your browser for speed, building your first Web page, managing e-mail, subscribing to mailing lists, and, yes, shopping. What is most impressive, however, is the balanced approach the authors take in evaluating Web sites (they do give some Web addresses), online services, and browser software. They offer the pros and cons and let you sort it out. They also include their own Web address so you can look for updates to the book and check on their latest favorites. --Patrick O'Kelley

From the Publisher

Fully updated - puts all the essential Internet information right at your fingertips.

About this edition

• Publisher: For Dummies
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0764508946
• ISBN 13: 9780764508943
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 384