Computing Internet Books

Although the title is new, this book is based on the authors' 1998 book titled "Web PErformance Metrics, Models and Methods (ISBN 0136938221). This book is more than a minor rewrite - the chapters are in a different sequence, and each has been updated. None of the information that made the older book such a valuable resource was lost in the process. For example, the material on queuing theory and analysis remains, and it among the best written tutorials in print. What has changed includes:

(1) Shifting of focus from client/server and web server environments to web services, with an emphasis on performance characteristics of SOAP and UDDI. Client server issues are still covered because these issues are still germane.

(2) An emphasis on architecture and how performance and capacity fit into a larger picture. Network and server performance characteristics are examined in detail.

What hasn't changed includes the excellent material on performance and benchmarking basics, detailed analysis techniques, and the support for this book that the authors provide on the book's web site. I especially like the Excel spreadsheets that you can download to use in conjunction with material in nearly every chapter.

Overall, this is one more of a series of books on various aspects of performance and capacity management. I also recommend reading their companion book, "Scaling for E-Business: Technologies, Models, Performance, and Capacity Planning" (ISBN 0130863289), which covers the applications level of e-commerce systems and seamlessly complements the material in this book.

As Web Services get implemented, this book can be a vital tool in planning for the deployment. The authors have a rigorous methodology to estimate the many performance issues encountered when you try to build out an actual Web Service. They discuss important ideas like content delivery networks, which cache or mirror content at different physical locations, so that the response time to a user's query is minimised. And it also adds redundancy. Think Akamai, for instance.

A crucial aspect they explain is how to develop a cost model for a data centre facing a certain expected rate of queries coming in from the net. Practical advice on what things to cost out and how to do so, as shown in various examples.

Most books on Web Services published after this book often discuss the networking together of various services. Using WSDL or BPEL to describe these configurations. BPEL may not have even existed in 2001 when the book was published. But the book is certainly not outdated. Nothing in it is tied to a specific version of a Web Services grammar. Those other books are more about explaining the syntax. Few delve into actual deployment scaling issues that cannot be avoided if you have to go live.

So far, it seems to be helpful for the class it was required for. $90.00 for a paperback book is really sad, though.

I have been using this book to refresh my concepts. It's truly amazing to learn concepts you've known for so long from a different angle aiding in building on it. I always expect a lot on the background of the technology rather than heaps of implementation details and the authors have provided a balanced mix of both. It is the best reference on IGPs and another point worth mentioning is the highlighting of certain key areas, where most people are likely to make a mistake. Each chapter in this book takes you a step closer to knowing IGPs better.

People call this the IGP Bible. I would agree, and would recommend this book for anyone who is serious about networking. If you're going for certification, this is obviously one of the books you will need for the CCIE. I personally wish I had read this book and Vol. 2 before taking the CCNP BSCI exam... I probably would have aced it in about 20 minutes. Whether you're a CCNA, CCNP, or none of the above,any questions hanging around in your head about EIGRP, OSPF, and even RIP will be clearly explained here. The book even covered IS-IS (from a campus perspective... you would need a bit more if you're doing ISP work).

This is the first book I've read that tamed my fear of IPv6. For each routing protocol (aside from EIGRP, which did not support IPv6 when this edition was released) the book goes through everything about using that routing protocol with IPv4, then goes through the same thing using IPv6. When looked at side-by-side like this, you clearly see how simple and improved IPv6 really is.

With some books, you read an entire section on a particular protocol, and at the end of the section it will say "here is the command to redistribute it." or "FYI... here's a cool command called a route-map," but doesn't explain. This book has entire chapters on the individual topics of redistribution, default-routes and on-demand routing, route filtering, and route maps. This truly cleared up all of the the big network clouds floating around in my head.

Routing TCP/IP, Vol 1 - 2nd Edition

I have used the first edition of Jeff Doyle's Routing TCP/IP volumes 1 and 2 for some time now. I consider them essential to studying for the CCIE lab exam. They also act as an ongoing reference for any networking professional. I was anxious to review the second edition and have not been disappointed.

I was impressed that this second edition appears to be a well thought out re-presentation of the material. By that I mean it is not just the first edition with some bolt-on additions but rather a fresh covering of the material with the updates that inundate our industry woven in as opposed to added on to the existing text.

I find rare cases to employ RIP in my current work but as an old dog, I tend to monitor its evolution. The book does one of the best jobs of conveying RIPng and its exclusive use with IPv6 that I have seen. An important note that other writers seem to overlook is the reliance of RIPng on IPv6 authentication mechanisms. Coverage of EIGRP's approach to IPv6 was lacking but I am told this was due to press dates vs. standards publishing or some such. Separate research for this technology would be required for those that need it.

In typical Doyle fashion, information is presented in a very matter of fact way, diagrams are clear and correctly annotated. Command output is easy to follow and well trimmed of content that does not apply directly to the point being illustrated. I have chastised other Cisco Press books for failure to hit this level of clarity and correctness. It is a peeve of mine to have to flip back and forth several pages (or even chapters) to reference a diagram or a table that is being discussed in the current chapter.

Overall: As expected I was quite pleased with the book and will recommend it to anyone pursuing their CCIE certification. I will also recommend this book (as I have the first edition) to anyone involved in higher level network design and administration. I heartily give the book five stars as I believe most reviewers will.

I read the original edition of Jeff Doyle's "Routing TCP/IP, Volume I" (ISBN 1587052024) a few years back while studying from my CCIE. The first edition was a "must read" for any CCIE candidate. I am happy to say that the second edition improves upon and updates this essential classic in Cisco and network architecture.

Let's face it, internetworking has evolved tremendously since the original edition was published in 1998. The CCIE lab has also changed enormously since the first edition. For example, gone is IGRP, IPv6 is on the horizon. "Routing TCP/IP, Volume I, Second Edition" reflects these changes.

For new Doyle readers, the book covers the essential Interior Routing Protocols (IGP) for IP version 4 and IPv6, including static routing, RIP (version 1 and 2), EIRGP, OSPF, and IS-IS. The chapter on IGRP from the first edition is dropped, and instead is briefly discussed from a historical perspective in the EIGRP chapter. The second half of the books discussed the intricacies of routing protocol redistribution and introduces the reader to the concepts and uses of distribution lists and route-maps. Readers interested in BGP and Multicast should look to Doyle and Carroll's Routing TCP/IP, Volume II (ISBN 1578700892).

I especially loved the IPv6 content incorporated throughout the book. Prior to reading this new edition, my knowledge and understanding of IPv6 was at an elementary level. I found Doyle's explanation of routing IPv6 and examples to be concise, practical, and very helpful. I was easily able to walk through most of the configuration exercises on my home lab. Guess what, routing IPv6 isn't much different than routing IP version 4.

Who would have guessed that you could improve upon a classic? If you are a season veteran, the updated version is well worth the purchase price. For the aspiring CCIE, the book is an absolute "must have".

Mark G. Reyero
CCIE 12932

Jeff Doyle's 2nd edition of his best-selling book - "Routing TCI/IP Volume 1" is a welcome revision to the cannon required for any CCIE Routing & Switching candidate. Jeff Doyle, along with Jennifer Carroll, has done an excellent job at updating what is considered by many to be THE book on routing. In particular, the new edition does a terrific job at describing the white-elephant in the room - IPv6, IPv6's packet format and how to configure some routing protocols to advertise IPv6 prefixes.

The primary focus of this book discusses the most popular routing protocols - RIPv1 & RIPv2, EIGRP, OSPFv2 and, particular to IPv6, RIPng and OSPFv3. Dedicating over 450 pages to these topics alone makes the book worth itself. A further 130 pages are used to discuss route control (redistribution, filtering and route-maps).

In particular, I was impressed by:
* The book is fully-updated, and is not just a copy-and-paste of subject matter from the first book. For instance, on page 439 is discussed the use of a much misunderstood newer command `area nssa translate type7 suppress-fa'. This is just an example of complex and new commands that are documented.
* Of all the books I have looked at, this book does the best job at introducing oneself to RIPng.
* The book wastes little time discussing site-local addresses for IPv6. As the difficulties of using of IPv6's site-local addresses has rendered ths address as too complex to implement (and was, in fact, deprecated in RFC 3879), this books notes this and moves on. This goes against other recent books that that wastes pages and time discussing IPv6 site-local addresses. As any CCIE candidate will attest, studying time comes at a premium.

There are few cons worth mentioning:
* The book repeatedly incorrectly documents IPv6's link-local addresses as FF80::/10. Link-local addresses start as FE80::/10.
*IS-IS is discussed (which is no longer on the CCIE R&S lab). The book went to press too late to discuss EIGRP for IPv6 and is sorely missed.
*The book does bypass some interesting subtleties that you know Doyle is aware of but are, for the most part, undocumented. For instance, the differences between EIGRP and RIP when using the neighbor command.

The path to the CCIE R&S can be a long (and costly) road. While this book is focused towards candidates for CCIE Routing & Switching Lab, I believe this book would be a welcome addition to any Networkers' bookshelf.

I give this book 5 pings out of 5:
!!!!!

Are you a novice or a hardcore Skyper who wants to play with Skype's innards? If you are, then this book is for you! Author Andrew Sheppard, has done an outstanding job of writing a book that shows you how to save money by using Skype; and, how to remove boundaries imposed by having lived within the confines of your regular phone system for so long, a system that has been in stasis for decades--dumb, lifeless, and unmoving.

Sheppard, begins by explaining what Skype is and how it works, and introduces Skype's main features. Then, the author focuses on the economics of Skype and the ways of figuring potential savings. Next, he focuses on Skype configuration, by showing you how to improve performance, and customize Skype to meet your individual needs. The author then shows you how to improve and enhance your communication while on the move. He continues by showing you the fun and playful side of Skype. Then, the author shows you how to hack around with Skype's other major features; namely, instant messaging or chat, and voicemail. Next, he shows you how to have the visibility you require within the Skype community, and how you can be secure against some of the more common risks encountered by Skype users. The author continues by showing you how to deal with Skype limitations. Then, the author gives you a glimpse of Skype add-on products and tools that are currently available, and a sense of what is yet to come. Finally, he introduces you to the Skype API and how you can extend Skype's functionality and automate repetitive tasks using scripting methods: VBScript on Windows, Python on Linux, and AppleScript on Mac OS X.

This most excellent book aims to liberate your imagination and show, in a practical hands-on way, how Skype can do amazing new things--sometimes things that even its creators never envisioned. More importantly, this book shows you how to make Skype work for you.

Andrew Sheppard's Skype Hacks: Tips & Tools For Cheap, Fun, Innovative Phone Service tells how to make the Internet telephony Skype application work well. Haven't heard of Skype? It brings a range of new possibilities for those tired of the confusion of internet telephony options, and Skype Hacks covers all the basics; from how to set up a Skype server and put shortcuts on the computer to avoiding Skype problems and spammers. The program may be newer but the idea of money-saving internet telephony just went up a notch with the ease Skype Hacks Offers.

Skype is one of the most popular VOIP applications for the individual user and small office on the market today. If you have already installed it or are considering installing it then you will want this book so you can configure it to work the way you want it to work and head off any problems before they occur. The first thing I have to say about Skype is that it is so user friendly that many of the hacks in this book are unnecessary. It is easy enough to figure out how to make conference calls, transfer calls, forward calls and do various other common tasks. On the other hand, there are a lot of useful tips including how to claim your money back if something goes wrong, avoiding additional mobile phone charges, building a Skype server, working with routers, using Skype at work, working with privacy issues, and add-on products. Because Skype is a peer-to-peer network service it is very important to understand the privacy and security issues and the author does a great job of both explaining them as well as how to work with them. Skype Hacks is highly recommended for advanced computer users or anyone responsible for administering Skype in a business environment.

A generally well-written book, but offers few nifty insights to save more money or get more service. Look, download Skype and start using it; if you want to go beyond what's obvious from simple use, google will have what few insights are out there; no book will offer a wealth of tips because Skype isn't that kind of produce/service. Secret commands or "hacks" just don't exist for Skype.

And why does the author put that bizzare tip on how to physically cut your phone lines??

The one thing I really wanted to have more info on--how to integrate Skype long distance into your existing home phones with Skype's products under Shop->Accessories--the book barely mentioned as Option 1 of several. Very little help.

Given that I have a number of international colleagues, you'd think that Skype would be a must-have piece of software for me. But I downloaded it during the initial beta and it never really gained traction on my radar screen. All that may now change after reading Skype Hacks - Tips & Tools for Cheap, Fun, Innovative Phone Service by Andrew Sheppard.

Contents: Start Using Skype; Save Money with Skype; Configure Skype; Tweak and Tune Skype; Skype at Work; Mobile Skype; Skype Fun and Play; Skype Chat and Voicemail; Security and Privacy; Quirks, Gotchas, and Workarounds; Skype Add-Ons and Tools; Automate Skype; Index

Skype has become the path of least resistance for people starting to explore Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology, because its easy and free. When I first downloaded Skype during the beta period, it seemed like an interesting concept. But I found that most of the people I'd want to talk with weren't on Skype. Now it's changed, and I think I'll be running Skype on a regular basis. Skype Hacks takes a pretty comprehensive tour through the software and covers 100 "hacks" (tips and tricks) you can do to get the most out of the software. For some, the first couple of chapters will be more than enough... how to get started on Skype, how to set the software up, and how you can use Skype to replace your regular phone (or at least reduce your monthly bills). But if you're already past that point, the rest of the chapters will allow you to venture into areas you may not have known about. For instance, the Automate Skype chapter shows a number of scripts you can use to interact with Skype programmatically. Great if you want to have an agent send you a chat message when something is completed. Or take the Skype Add-Ons chapter... There's a website called skyperunner.com that allows you to send a chat message to a Skype user without having to be logged on to the service. Great if you want to send a message to someone in an asynchronous fashion. And using Skype to practice your foreign language skills with willing Skype users around the world was something that never occurred to me...

So, if you've downloaded Skype and used the basic functionality, great. A copy of this book will take you to the next step and open up some interesting possibilities...

The book Core J2EE Patterns provides incredible value by offering insight after insight into the J2EE architecture. I don't have the first edition of this book and have read the second edition only, and it's truly a book worth owning if you're doing any sort of J2EE-based development.

Core J2EE Patterns is especially impressive in the thoroughness with which it covers the essential aspects of the J2EE architecture. The experience of the authors shines through the pages. And I fully agree with the reviewer who notes that "the strategies in this book will make your applications more robust, make you more productive, and make your code easier to understand and maintain." Very true, especially the noted point about making your code easier to understand and maintain!

Another useful book in the same category as Core J2EE Patterns (and well worth looking into) is Martin Fowler's book entitled "Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture". The Fowler book paints the landscape of enterprise application architecture with broader strokes than does Core J2EE Patterns; that, of course, is to be expected, as implied by the titles of the two books.

In sum, if you're doing any sort of J2EE-based development, you owe it to yourself to get a copy of Core J2EE Patterns!

When we learn and start programming we're attempted to write code to solve any problem without find to know if that is the best way. No matter if the code is about 3,000 or 300 lines, which matter is if you could solve the customer's problem. But a lot of problems were solved by experienced programmers and software architects and they have documented these problems for us. So, if somebody wrote tested-good-code, why we'll "reinvent the wheel"? My opinion is: study the progrmming language, try to write and solve a lot of problemns, and than study this book. After read you'll have much more skills to solve problems in shorter time. I recommend for intermediate through advanced programmers.

I bought this book for preparing for SUn Certfied Enterprise Architect assignment( part II). I am very happy with this book. It gives examples for all J2EE patterns in a very lucid way and this book has helped me a lot.

This book should be on the desk of every J2EE architect. Not sure if some of the design patterns still apply for JEE5. We'll just have to see in the next edition.

It is a MUST-HAVE J2EE architect/developer book. It provides the most important and relevant patterns in J2EE design and development based on Gang of Four. The architecture guidance and best practices described are very valuable.

This book needs an update for Java EE 5. Not sure, those updates are posted on their web site.

I saw that there is a bargain of another paperback edition on the page of 3rd edition, so I didn't recheck whether it is 3rd edition. So I end up in buying 2 books, 2nd and 3rd editions, because I need the 3rd edition for my class. It would be better to put edition number up in the page, not only paperback or library binding!

This book is just what I was looking for. Excellent Security Guide to day to day security issues at my workplace. Information about TPC and UDP ports and their security risks have been very useful.

This book must be part of every UNIX System Security Profesional.

Practical Unix & Internet Security, the 3rd Edition has a ton of new useful information.

If you have but one security reference, this should be it!

As a Linux administrator, I ordered this book hoping to find out how hackers typically gain access to systems and neat little tricks for locking down my system, as well as detecting and dealing with intruders. While Practical Unix & Internet Security did cover these topics, it covered little I didn't already know.

Significant time is spent explaining how unix-based systems work. The book covers things such as file systems, partition structure, file ownership/permissions, users and groups, inodes, ssh, backups, etc. Each command, utility, procedure or feature is detailed over several pages followed by an explanation of what you should be doing with said topic.

There are also a few real-world examples here and there; stories most of us have heard before, like the admin who had . in his path.

Unlike many computer books, this one is well written and an easy read, and it's certainly a lot more friendly than some unix geek's advice which consists of RTFM.

I think this book would be great for someone who has a very basic understanding of unix-based systems but has never administrated one before, but for those of us who've already had some experience running unix there's probably not anything new here for you.

I hate to repeat the cliche, but if you can only buy one security book this year and you are a *nix geek, this should be it, hands down. As some point out, you can probably find everything in this book online, but then again you can find anything online, so why buy any books at all? I don't like giving 5 stars; this book left me no choice.

The strength of this book lies in several areas. First, the authors probably have 50+ years experience between them and it shows. You really get the impression that they've "been there, done that". But they don't try and "wow" you with their intelligence and they aren't condescending, in fact they write quite clearly.

The "mile wide" crack I made in the title refers to the fact that this book covers everything from physical security and social engineering, to how to setup up integrity checking with tripwire and use PAM. Basically I found this book to be invaluable because while I could breeze through certain sections, there was a ton of material that I needed more knowledge about, but either never got around to it, or didn't even know I was lacking. An example is NFS. I knew I needed more background about NFS because I work in infosec, but every place I've ever worked has banned NFS outright, which makes it a little more difficult to learn.... Another 2 technologies pop into my mind: LDAP and PAM. I knew what they were, but now I know how to set up the basics and can branch out on my own.

In our infosec world it's simply not possible to know everything. This book gives the reader a solid grounding in a ton of stuff, which enables him to go out and Google around intelligently for more advanced information. In a pinch it can also be used as an anti-theft device since it weighs in at 900+ pages and is quite heavy.

The hardest aspect of supporting Excel users is finding answers for what Pivot Table users need to know for their creations. Well, this is the best and most essential book you could possibly get. I knew it was the most ideal when the trainers in the area I work wanted to use this book, and amalgamate material, well no way. This, coupled together with GUERILLA DATA ANALYSIS and many other Bill Jelen "Master Class" works make for the ideal source material; I can always say, if I don't know it, I can find it in one of the Bill Jelen/Mr Excel books.
For First time Pivot Table users who want to make the best of Office 2007 and its power, this book is the first and last stop. Your Work will be great, and your Web files will never be better.

Weighing in a just under a pound, this book is worth it's weight in gold (currently trading at around $800 an ounce). Those new to pivot tables and those wanting a comprehensive understanding of the power of PTs (and the logic behind them) would do well to buy this book. Laid out in 11 chapters (the 12th is devoted to writing VB code, which is really an ancillary topic) it takes you from scratch: from an introduction to the origin of PTs to creating charts from your PTs to customizing PTs with macros.

Each chapter has a case study (all downloadable with ease from the website; no CD with this book), which nicely gives you a hands-on application of what you've just read. I found them all very useful and easy to use.

Those who want a basic mastery of PTs can read just the first seven chapers (about 125 pages), which took me 30 hours (including downloading the necessary work files from the book's website). Finishing to chapter eleven takes another 12 hours. Chapter 12 is another matter in itself: it really requires some understanding of code writing to get through it and my only quibble with the book is this: it plunges into VB code and, if you have no background in code, you'll get lost immediately and never find your way. It took me 12 hours to get through the chapter (I have a background in SQL) and the downloadable files don't help much here as they're all driven by pre-written macros.

If you want to advance your way up the career ladder with more sophisticated use of Excel, this is the place to start.

I just got this book recently and started it today. It seems well written. As soon as I started, I asked "Doesn't this come with a CD?" Apparently not. Then the data to work with must be online. Right? I can't find it. How the heck am I supposed to learn this stuff without seeing the effects of my data entry, mouse clicks, errors, etc? Will Amazon take this back after I've started reading it?
If there really are worksheets somewhere to work on, somebody please tell me, else I stick with 2 stars which seems kind of generous.

Accountants, sales managers, and everybody who uses Excel for data analysis:
Listen up! Learn to use pivot tables, you just gotta!

You will be able to slice, dice, and mince your data in a few minutes instead of hours. Forget fiddling around with sorting, subtotaling, linking cells, and the general time-consuming stuff that goes into report generation.

This book is a good, step-by-step guide to pivot tables. You'll never go back to the old way.

I am pretty well acquainted with Excel but the Pivot tables are probably THE MOST unexplained function in the prgm. The main problem is a thorough explanation as to the functioning of the 3 areas of the reports and what they actually report. Where to drop what and why without the insidious examples without being able to actually SEE the main worksheet to see where the data is coming from.
I have tried 3 different books on Pivot Tables and each one gives some but not all, I usually have to refer to all 3 to finally get an answer.
Still, even with all three, trial and error has become the norm.

I love Wallace Wang's Steal This Computer Book 3. In this book, Wang takes his best-selling knowledge and writing style and focuses it on a new subject- sharing files.

I learned a lot in the opening section. I have been familiar with peer-to-peer (P2P) networking since the advent of Napster, but I was not aware that such a wide variety of sources existed for finding and sharing files. Wang points out web sites, FTP sites, instant messaging and chat rooms and more where you can share files.

Even better than that, he doesn't just list sites, but rather provides in-depth analysis of many, explaining what is good or bad about the different resources and pitfalls to watch out for. He also includes many graphic illustrations which help you understand the information better.

This book sheds light on a number of "fringe" file sharing tools and resources. The mainstream is familiar with the likes of Kazaa and Morpheus, but Wang delves into many more tools. He points out some of the things to watch out for when using some of the shadier tools and networks as well.

The RIAA and MPAA may not like it, but in some way, shape or form, file sharing is here to stay and this book will help you find what you need and use file sharing securely.

(...)

Whether it's music, programs, games, books or other files it seems that everyone is downloading something over the Internet these days. If you want to know how to find the files you want and download them safely then you will be interested in this book.

The author covers a wide array of places to find files including newsgroups, websites, Instant Messenger, Internet Relay Chat, FTP, and networks that are designed specifically for file sharing such as Gnutella, FastTrack, and eDonkey. One of the most interesting parts for the average computer user is the one with information on how to remain anonymous when sharing files. Of course, this section also includes information on the problems of file sharing - viruses, worms, Trojans, spyware, adware, and even warez.

I've traded files and worked on the Internet for years and I still learned a few tips in this book. The author includes lots of illustrations and specific web sites where you can download the programs he mentions as well as several alternative ones. Mr. Wang even provides a complete analysis of each program's advantages and disadvantages. One of the things I really like is the fact that he includes information on programs you should be careful downloading and using including Fast Track clients that come loaded with spyware like Kazaa and iMesh.

If you don't like AIM he even covers Private Internet Messenger products like Meet Gate, P2P Instant Messenger, and Pal Talk. The breadth of coverage is impressive, the writing and organization excellent. Steal This File-Sharing Book is highly recommended to anyone who shares files over the Internet.

Almost 90% of the information I found in this book can be found online in a matter of minutes from any major news source. All the concepts presented are basic in design and offer no technical explanation on how to do anything. The only positive points I saw in this book was it's website references. There are hundreds of websites listed with further information and software on every topic of file sharing and other copyright enigmas. It's decent for a beginner in file sharing to understand the basics. For everyone else, it makes for good reference material to find the information you were hoping to get from the book.

I got almost nothing out of this book. I've been file-sharing for about two months. The worst is that the book is totally out of date; it has almost nothing about bittorrent which has taken over the file-sharing world.

I would only get this book for someone who is new not just to file-sharing, but to the internet in general. Even then it is only good as an introduction to general concepts; there is little useful detailed technical information.

Wang's other book (Steal This Computer Book) explored the "dark underbelly" of the 'Net and this book in effect picks up where the other book leaves off. You can debate whether or not file sharing is legal and ethical, but no one can deny it is here to stay. Not only does Wang explain where to find files (at places like file sharing networks, newsgroups, chat rooms, etc.), he also describes ways to stay anonymous while doing so. There are also chapters on file formats, sharing music, movies, TV shows, even software, video games and the most popular item, pornography.

I find it interesting speaking of porn that porn producers seem to have found ways to deal with this issue and yet the "establishment" still feels the best way to fight it is through legal action. The book's last two chapters describe the future of file sharing and how the entertainment industries continue to fight back. They may try copy protection schemes, but it seems there's always someone who finds a way to defeat those schemes.

Regardless of how you feel about this issue, this is a well-written and informative book, written in the same spirit of Steal This Computer Book.

I wanted a book with all the network technologies, such WiMAX, FTTH and NGNs. This book contains all this information.

As an electronic engineer and graduate student, I found the book to be very comprehensive in discussing various emerging and present telecommunication technologies. The book would describe quite accurately the technology without bogging you down with unnecessary details. It manages to be brief while still providing valuable data for the telecommunications professional, and broad enough to cover a wide spectrum (no pun intended) of material. And most importantly, it isn't a bore to read.
I recommend this to anyone seeking a basic to intermediate knowledge of a broad array of telecommunciations concepts and applications.

I have to hand it to the authors, Lillian Goleniewski and Kitty Jarrett, for producing hands-down the most readable and comprehensive book out there on Telecom. I have had to slog through some of the worst writing to study this subject, and it was a breath of fresh air to crack this one open and start reading.

The authors cover every aspect of the field in great depth, and in such clear language that both the expert and the novice can benefit from this book. This will be required reading for all of my students, and I highly recommend other professors in the Telecom field to follow suit.

Well done!

Firstly, I am a strong fan of Ms. Lili. I have personally met the author during a 3-day seminar during my PETRONAS days back in 1994. At that time, I was attending what the best telecomm training course the market can offer as well worth its price.


WHY WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND TELECOMM PROPERLY:

Compared to other training courses, Ms Lili was about 2x-3x times more expensive but what is that to an oil-and-gas company where network downtime to a gas-compressing subsidiary can cost around RM100,000 an hour (1994 exchange of RM2.50@US$1) equivalent to US$40,000.

At that time, IT Support has to figure out how to support a heterogeneous mix of one IBM 3745 mainframe, few UNIX boxes, tens of Novell 2.x servers. Several network protocols ran inside the various pipes/lines such as SNA, TCP-IP and MS Netbeui, and my pet project OS/2 NetBIOS, and Novell SPX. Most network segments are on Ethernet, and a couple are on Token-Ring.

Needless to say, troubleshooting network traffic particularly eliminating "jabbers chipping echoes etc" was to put it mildly a "challenge." One of the fire-fighting effort required bringing in a US consultant with a pony-tail using Data-General "Sniffer" equipment!

For IT Support to figure out how to support the big project at that time, mainly getting SAP gateways remaining up, we need to understand what it was we were having, as well as understand how the newer telecomm technologies are going to do to the overall picture.

At that time, we have the whole possible mix of telecomm devices such fixed leased lines, dial-up backup, and few sprinklings of VSAT and wireless. Of course you cannot learn all that in a 3-day class. And I don't think I learn that at school too. What I learned became obsolete after I graduated !


WHY WE NEED THIS BOOK:

This is where this book comes in. To provide good IT support, so that users would not pester Helpdesk folks, we need really good technical references. Of course, we need that initial mind-enlightening class to understand the "big-picture." The details you can get that free easily off the web nowadays; understand how the big picture works is will make it easier for us to understand the complex details.



WHAT THIS BOOK COVER:

Covered the whole range of Telecom technologies ranging from basic stuff such as circuits and channels to transmission type such as analog vs digital. The book then cover the traditional media such as twisted-pair, coax, fibre and telecomm devices such as microwave and satellite.

The depth of technical details amazes me to have everything in one book covering IP protocols, ports, and Quality of Service. Main trends are covered such as optical networking, broadband and wireless for both LAN, and WANs..

I really like Lily's supplementary notes on the various indicators on industry adaption of specific technologies as well as their technological history. Basically if you need to know something on Telecomms, there will be some pages on that topic here. .


COMPARED TO 1sT EDITION:

Compared to the 1st edition, this is thicker by a double! We have a whopping 865 pages, although still much less than Yellow Pages

In the 2nd edition, I realized the author has diligently tracked the technology updates which is what most people wanted.


WISH LIST FOR NEWER EDITION OR NEW BOOK ALTOGETHER:

Since I am now into management consulting for E-Government and E-Commerce, some discussion on cost structure for would be VERY ATTRACTIVE especially to decision-makers in developing countries with low phone/network penetration.

I believe if I am all powerful African president wanting to have my own mobile telecoms company, I would want to have a reference that will give some estimates on trenching cost, and base-station costs. That will surely help my nephew who is going to be the CEO of that company some idea of what sort of loan and spending that has to be incurred. Farfetched ? Well this is a wish-list!


TELECOMMS MUST BE A PART OF YOUR COMPANY IT STRATEGIC PLAN:

Overall for techies out there, recognizing important trends in the telco industry is VERY VERY important for your corporate management. Having a feel of where everybody is going is critical to their Telecommunications Infra roadmap. This is where this book come into value.

The Telecomms Infrastructure road map will determine what decisions are required for infrastructure procurement, leasing or investment. Thus, the Telecomm chapter is an important part of a company IT Strategic Plan (ISP).

Subsequently, this ISP will exist if senior management is really serious to get their brilliant and precious Business Strategic Plan up and running. Unless if the company is just SOHO with only 1-2 computers and they pass files using flash-disks! Otherwise the senior management is just talking.

The book does what it sets out to do - cover the basic underpinnings of modern telecom. Its' age (a scant three years) shows a bit here and there (some of the material obviously predating the book), but for the most part it is accurate and relevant. It is not a technical document, as 600 pages would not be enough to cover the component technology. It mentions occasionally the regulatory issues in telecom, but only in passing; its' primary focus is on business. It makes a good book for the student or someone interested in a telecom career. I might also recommend it to someone whose future plans include sitting through a telecom sales pitch or taking a meeting with telecom lobbyists (at least the part where they might drag in an engineer to talk about some cool new technology).

When I say it has a business focus, I mean that it tries to explain the pros and cons of a particular technology in terms of cost, complexity, and ability to satisfy customer needs. Applying the same criteria, I would say the author has provided a moderately costly (that is, not free), easy to understand, and given the constraints of the business focus, does so rather well.

But the book has a few flaws. Here's what I found -

p.254 - "binary form" should read "dotted decimal form" - which the author uses correctly on the following page.

p.255 - no mention of NAT (Network Address Translation) as a means of saving IPv4 address space. Like the author, I'd like to see IPv6 deployed before I'm too old to care.

p.298 - the phrase "going forward" should be extirpated before the next edition. Also appears on p.312.

p.310 - the author briefly mentions an imminent "talent dearth" as driving the next wave of technical innovation, then trots out some ITAA blurb about half the job vacancies going unfilled each year. Of course, training might also help the problem, if global business can be bothered with such trifles.

p.340 - ANX was purchased by SAIC in 1999 I think, and its' URL as published has been deprecated. On the bright side, I did see a picture of a cute puppy when I went there.

p.354 - in discussing voice chat in games, author uses Sega Dreamcast as example. Only the good die young...

p.429 - author mentions Amsterdam. Sounds like reasonable grounds for a drug test to me! Of course, there's always the excuse of visiting the Van Gogh museum...

p.459 merits a special mention as both the best and worst way to sell a wireless future. Not only will the world be at your fingertips, but it will be trying to gnaw them off. While the author sees a benevolent infrastructure where knowledge of your whereabouts and tastes will be used to respond to your needs quickly and thoroughly, I see a world where your convenience comes at the price of empowering spammers, stalkers, and government goons.

Some of the parts I really enjoyed either because of their novelty or thoughtfulness were as follows:

p.274-6 - talking about the notion of backhauling data, the author touches on a problem analogous to Net Neutrality.

The Internet primer on p.259-80 was maybe the best I've read. Sadly it was too short.

Also enjoyed the circuit-switching chapters 4 and 5.

p.331 - author makes a case for tiered Internet. I'm hopeful we can keep "best effort" Internet service at a quality level sufficient for playing Battlefield 2 for the foreseeable future.

This book is better than three stars, but not quite four. Were its' material a little fresher, it would merit four. I'll check out the website and update this review accordingly.