🚀 go-pugleaf

BKFRESTF.RVW   960528
 
"Free Stuff From the Internet", Vincent, 1996, 1-883577-79-9, U$24.99/C$34.99
%A   Patrick Vincent pjvincent@coriolis.com
%C   7339 E. Acoma Drive, Suite 7, Scottsdale, AZ 85260
%D   1996
%G   1-883577-79-9
%I   Coriolis
%O   U$24.99/C$34.99 800-410-0192 +1-602-483-0192 fax: +1-602-483-0193
%P   624
%T   "Free Stuff From the Internet"
 
The one word probably most responsible for the current interest in the Internet
is "free".  Free email.  (Well, distance and usage insensitive.  Except for
Compu$pend.)  Free software.  (Well, some public domain and distance
insensitive access to lots of shareware.)  Free advice.  (And worth every penny
you paid for it.)
 
In yet another catalogue of stuff on the net, he has definitely added stuff to
the first, so if you liked the prior edition you won't have to worry about
whether or not it's worth your while to get the second.  If, in the first
edition, Vincent went overboard with Gopher, this tome is packed with World
Wide Web sites.  As Vincent, himself, points out, it only scratches the surface
of what is available.  The entries average about half a page, each, and some
might wonder at the need to use that much space in order to give directions on
obtaining six utility programs for manipulating your DOS PATH setting.  On the
other hand, some of the entries could stand a little expansion.  It is also
very well to point to a directory that contains a bunch of word processors and
editors, but could we have some idea of which was which?  Also, I noted a
distressing number of "sample chapters", demos, and catalogues (the contents of
which are definitely not free).
 
The listings are divided by topical chapters.  Within the chapters, there is no
discernable organization:  this is a book for browsing, not for reference.  The
disorganization is visible in other ways as well.  Page 46 has a sidebar which
describes Vincent's conversion from virus skeptic to true believer.  It
suggests checking out more information on viruses in "Computers and Software". 
It isn't there.  Looking up "Viruses" in the index tells you to "See Computer
viruses".  Looking up "Computer viruses" is a waste of time--it isn't there
either.
 
The inclusion of a list of Freenets is a nice touch--but only for those in the
US.
 
This time around the book includes a CD-ROM which does actually give you some
free stuff--plus a lot of shareware.  Diehard downloaders will be delighted:
others might be looking for a while to find something of interest.
 
copyright Robert M. Slade, 1995   BKFRESTF.RVW   960528

==============
Vancouver      roberts@decus.ca         | You realize, of
Institute for  rslade@vanisl.decus.ca   | course, that these
Research into  Rob.Slade@f733.n153.z1/  | new facts do not 
User                 .fidonet.org       | coincide with my
Security       Canada V7K 2G6           | preconceived ideas