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BKPCUEAD.RVW   990214

"The PC User's Essential Accessible Pocket Dictionary", Peter Dyson,
1995, 0-7821-1684-1, U$14.99/C$21.00
%A   Peter Dyson
%C   1151 Marina Village Parkway, Alameda, CA   94501
%D   1995
%G   0-7821-1684-1
%I   Sybex Computer Books
%O   U$14.99/C$21.00 800-227-2346 Fax: 510-523-2373 info@sybex.com
%P   643 p.
%T   "The PC User's Essential Accessible Pocket Dictionary"

The introduction defines the audience for the book fairly specifically
in that they are PC users as opposed to those dealing with mainframes. 
The reader is assumed to be working with a PC, but not necessarily a
technical expert or professional.  If that is the case, isn't
"adaptive differential pulse code modulation" or discussion of the A20
line just a little bit too technical for those users?  And "Cray?" 
This is a PC?  "Data dictionary" is not normally a term used in
microcomputer circles.

The material is not completely Wintel based, as there are some entries
like "CDEV" that come from the Mac world.  However, errors in these
entries do seem to make clear that the author is more comfortable in
the PC arena than in any other.

One aspect that rather jumps out is the inclusion of a large
proportion of entries for commercial programs or software companies. 
In quick succession we get listings for "After Dark," "AMD," "Ami
Pro," and "Artisoft."  I like the fact that, with entries like
"Altair," there is a bit of historical background.  (I'm not sure that
Bill Gates would appreciate the perpetuation of the perception that
Microsoft BASIC "was packaged" with the computer.)

The definition of "active partition" I find a bit frightening, in that
I would not want to encourage people who want to change operating
systems to fool around with FDISK.  Some of the entries are a little
esoteric: a "mickey" is used as the quantum measurement of mouse
movement, but not in general conversation.  "Radio button" tells you
to see also the much less frequently cited "option button."  This
reference is a bust in any case, since my copy was missing pages 405
to 436, and thus the whole of "O."

In general terms this dictionary isn't bad, though.  Overall the
choice of terms has merit, and the explanations don't contain too
many, or too egregious, errors.  The readability is normally pitched
at the right level, and has enough information to satisfy those who
are primarily interested in the technology, but on getting back to
work.  While it certainly isn't essential, I can go along with the
accessible part.

BKPCUEAD.RVW   990214

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rslade@vcn.bc.ca  rslade@sprint.ca  robertslade@usa.net  p1@canada.com
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Robert Slade's Guide to Computer Viruses, 0-387-94663-2 (800-SPRINGER)