Computers and the Internet

Internet in a Nutshell : A Desktop Quick Reference

by Valerie Quercia                     Buy This Book Now!

 

Availability: This title usually ships within 24 hours.
Paperback, 350 pages
Published by O'Reilly & Associates
Publication date: November 1997
Dimensions (in inches): 0.96 x 8.96 x 6.02
ISBN: 1565923235

 

 

Internet Books Editor's Recommended Book, 02/01/98:
Valerie Quercia has packed a phenomenal amount of information into one modest-sized volume. While Internet in a Nutshell, doesn't even attempt to tell you everything there is to know about the Internet, it does provide a guide to finding just about anything on the Net. In just eight well-organized and concise sections, Quercia takes you through information that would otherwise take up half a bookshelf.

The first part, on getting oriented, provides a quick overview of the online world. Specifics begin in part 2, which discusses how to use Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer. Additionally, this section covers guides to add-on programs, tips on file management, and quick references to commands and shortcuts. The five chapters of part 3 are devoted to online research and information. These chapters include information on servers and protocols, a listing of some of the top reference sites, a discussion of directories versus search engines, advice on finding information on people and places and reference material on using Telnet to access libraries and other research sources. Part 4 delves into e-mail and news. The e-mail section discusses everything from working with e-mail addresses to handling junk e-mail and file attachments. The chapter on mailing lists offers a taste of what's available and shows how to find, use, and thrive on lists on any interest. After a discussion of Usenet--including a rundown of the naming scheme and a review of netiquette--Quercia goes into the specifics of using Netscape Messenger, Netscape Collabra, Microsoft Internet Explorer (MSIE) Internet Mail, and MSIE Internet News. Part 5 addresses information about file handling, from a chart of file types and extensions to how to use FTP and various file compression and archiving programs. The sixth part deals with browser helper applications, plug-ins, and ActiveX controls, while part 7 offers an information-rich guide to Web authoring, HTML codes, color names and values, HTML characters, and such enhancements as GIF images, Java, and animation and audio files. A crash course in Internet Relay Chat (IRC) and IRC command reference chart round out this densely packed but easy-to-read reference work.

Table of Contents

Foreword

Preface

Ch. 1. A Living Glossary of the Internet

Ch. 2. Netscape Navigator

Ch. 3. Microsoft Internet Explorer

Ch. 4. Internet Addressing

Ch. 5. Landmark Sites and Other Resources

Ch. 6. Internet Directories and Search Engines

Ch. 7. Finding People and Places

Ch. 8. Accessing Libraries and Other Resources with Telnet

Ch. 9. Why Email and News

Ch. 10. Email Strategies and Survival Tips

Ch. 11. Mailing Lists

Ch. 12. Getting Along in Usenet

Ch. 13. Netscape Messenger and Collabra Discussions

Ch. 14. MSIE Internet Mail

Ch. 15. MSIE Internet News

Ch. 16. File Types and Extensions

Ch. 17. FTP and File Transfer

Ch. 18. FTP Command Reference

Ch. 19. File Compression and Archiving

Ch. 20. Helper Applications

Ch. 21. Plug-ins and ActiveX Controls

Ch. 22. Authoring for the Web

Ch. 23. HTML Tags and Attributes

Ch. 24. Color Names and Values

Ch. 25. Character Entities

Ch. 26. GIFs, Applets, and Other Enhancements

Ch. 27. It's About Chat

Ch. 28. IRC Command Reference

Glossary

Index