For a new Net traveler, there's so much to learn, so many services to master. It's embarrassing to ask old-timers obvious questions, and even worse to admit that you don't know how to find a FAQ.
The Internet Troubleshooter is a worthy attempt at putting the essentials into one handy print guide. So, the first time you get a uuencoded message, you can be spared the chagrin of telling the sender a message arrived "as garbage," or, you can prevent the flames new users often ignite by sending a "subscribe" message to the entire mailing list.
The book covers common (and some not so common) problems associated with e-mail, ftp, gopher, wais, listservs, telnet, newsreaders, the Web, and Mosaic. There's even a section on maintaining your own listserv list and basic listserv commands. Real-life examples illuminate both problems and solutions.
The Internet Troubleshooter is like a super-duper FAQ file for the Net. Sure, you can get the files online, but it's really handy to have them all in a spiral-bound guide that you can balance on your lap.
It's not the prettiest book, and it's a bit slim for 25 bucks. But for a newbie, lost in some dark corner of cyberspace, this book could be a godsend.
The Internet Troubleshooter, by Nancy R. John and Edward J. Valauskas: US$25. American Library Association: (800) 545 2433, +1 (312) 836 4400, ext. 451.
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