Internet, The

School Science and Mathematics, Apr 1998 by McDonald, Jacqueline

The Internet

Project Editor

Brian Cooper

DK Publishing Inc.

95 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10016

1996:128 pages

Paperback $16.95

The Internet is designed to introduce the novice to the "biggest computer system in the world." The book is divided into seven sections: "What Is the Internet?"; "Getting Connected"; "Downloading Files and Sending E-Mail"; "The World Wide Web"; "Gopherspace, Telnet and Newsgroups"; "Internet Relay Chat and Virtual Worlds"; and references. Each section contains clear and concise information. The information is presented simply enough for a novice, but there is information sufficiently indepth that even experienced users will find choice nuggets.

Books from DK Publishing have a distinctive visual style. The pages are stark white with an abundance of graphics, pictures, and other illustrations. Text is laid out in chunks or blocks, and sidebars are used abundantly. These features combine to create a book that not necessarily linear in nature. The visual layout is enticing and encourages browsing and meandering. The language is clear enough that the book could be used as early as the lower middle school grades.

The book is designed for use with an IBM-compatible PC with Windows 95. However, most of the information is easily translated for use with a Macintosh Operating System. Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer are both illustrated. JAVA "applets" and other plug-ins are briefly discussed. The reference section includes a glossary of Internet terms, an outline of common file formats, a section outlining major online service providers, a troubleshooting section, and a list of World Wide Web pages.

The Internet could be an excellent reference book for an individual, a classroom, or a school library. It will answer many questions and probably spark student interest in the Internet.

Editor's Note: S. Wali Abdi's postal address is The University of Memphis, Department of Instruction and Curriculum Leadership, 401 A Ball Hall, Memphis, TN 38152,and e-mail address is abdi.wali@coe.memphis.edu.

Reviewer

Jacqueline McDonald

Adelphi University

Garden City, NY 11530