The eWorld Handbook: Internet Resources and Opportunities - Softcover

Lynas, Mr Chris

Softcover

ISBN 10: 013027044X ISBN 13: 9780130270443

Publisher: Addison Wesley, 1999

Synopsis

The eWorld Handbook is not another 'How to' book on the Internet, but an accessible, practical guide to discovering, navigating and then using the eWorld more effectively and productively. It explains, in concise, non-technical terms, what the Internet is and exactly what it can offer you, your family and your business. The e-World Handbook describes:

• how to eliminate the doubts and fears for home users
• small businesses on the InternetInternet users with special needs
• awareness of European resources
• future of eWorld - Linux and open source software

About this title

Review:

Don't think of Apple's long-defunct online service; the eWorld in this book is what the author insists on calling the Internet. Short chapters cover the main features of the Net: picking an ISP (he recommends IBM); email; spam; privacy; and search engines, along with suggestions for getting your business online. Web site recommendations are scattered through the book--but confusingly they have nothing to do with the chapters they are in (though perhaps the site on "getting past the anger" does fit the chapter on spam).

There is good advice here on strategy and business planning, designing and launching an ecommerce site and attracting and keeping customers. But while Lynas addresses many topics, there is often not enough information to be useful. Business suggestions are mixed in with cursory technical information on building Web pages (Lynas recommends IBM HomePage Creator) and registering domain names that lacks detail. Many of the services covered are American--odd in a book where prices are given in Euros and there is a chapter on currency.

Lynas gets full marks for covering computer use for the disabled, from visual impairment to dyslexia--though he mentions only one speech recognition product, made by IBM. A section on "silver surfers" covers a few URLs. The final chapters on the future of online business are interesting, although many readers will question whether open source software and Linux are quite as crucial as the author suggests--and calling the open source Web server "IBM's Apache" is misleading. But for those who can overlook its biases, the eWorld Handbook has some interesting and useful things to say.--Penny Jannifer

About the Author:

The author is an independent consultant who has been involved in the Internet and e-commerce since the late 80's and is aconsultant on e-commerce to IBM, as well as being a regular conference speaker and contributor on e-commerce issues in the press and broadcast media.

About this edition

• Publisher: Addison Wesley
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 013027044X
• ISBN 13: 9780130270443
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 416