Information Processing & Management, Vol. 31, No. 1, pp. 139-157, 1995 Copyright 0 1994 Elsevier Science Ltd

Printed in Great Britain. All rights reserved 0306-4573/95 $9.50 + .OO

BOOK REVIEWS

The Internet Navigator: The Essential Guide to Network Exploration for the Individual Dial-Up User. P. GILSTER. John Wiley & Sons, New York (1993). xxiv + 470 pp., $24.95, ISBN O-471-59782-1.

The Internet is arguably the hottest topic in information services and technology today. A year ago, few people outside of higher education or government had ever heard of it. Today, hardly a day goes by without some mention of the Internet in the print or broadcast media. New resources devoted to the Internet and networks are being published every month. Major corporations are scrambling in an effort to be a part of new and anticipated information markets. The Internet has even reached into our popular culture through avenues like the Doonesbury comic strip and the David Letterman tele- vision show. As the Global Information Highway moves closer to reality, more and more people are being exposed to the wealth of information and opportunity available on the Internet and other resources. With all this interest, people want to know three things: What is the Internet? What can it do for me? Where and how can I gain access to it?

The Internet Navigator is a new book by Paul Gilster that deals with these questions and much more. The title and preface clearly indicate that the book focuses on dial-up users who intend to access the Internet from their own computers, whether at home or business. The book is written in a non- technical manner and has something to offer almost everyone, even though it focuses on new or novice users. The chapters are organized as if through the mind of a new user using the Internet for the first time.

The book begins with a whirlwind tour of the Internet. In sampling some of the more interest- ing and eclectic Internet resources, Gilster excites the reader with the possibilities available on the Internet. To new users, the Internet is a baffling place. Even the name seems meaningless. The author has obviously paid attention to and remembered his initial Internet experiences. Taking the reader through the basics of the Internet, the first chapters answer those initial questions most people have about the Internet. Each chapter builds on the ones that precede it and provide an introduction to many of the Internet-related terms and services.

Once a user is connected, he or she needs to know how to navigate and interact with the Inter- net and its resources. Chapters 4 through 15 cover a tremendous variety of resources, sites, and infor- mation. Beginning with the fundamentals of the operating language and systems of the Internet, the focus shifts to using the Internet suite of services, namely Telnet, File Transfer Protocol (FTP), and electronic mail. Throughout the book, the focus remains on the dial-up user. For example, while dis- cussing FTP, Gilster notes that a dial-up user cannot directly download files to the personal computer. The process involves moving the files from the Internet site to the provider’s system via FTP and then moving them to the home computer through a modem. This is but one example of the attention to detail shown in this book.

The deeper one delves into The Internet Navigator, the more resources are found and made avail- able. However, no source is discussed without first providing the necessary foundation to use that source effectively. For example, the author discusses the use of Telnet long before examining the use of GOPHER, World Wide Web, WAIS, or even archie. Because the Internet is such a vast and con- fusing place, it is important that new users are provided with positive experiences that empower them to explore on their own. The author is clearly committed to empowering his readers in just such a manner.

Perhaps the most important section of The Internet Navigator is the final chapter dealing with the future of the Internet. Given the high interest in and the changing nature of the Internet, it might seem strange that this section is one of the shorter ones in the book. While this could be interpreted as a failing on the part of the author, it speaks to the inherent dangers in trying to predict any future regarding the Internet and networks. Gilster takes a broad look at the major issues facing networked communications today. An extended study of the issues would be unnecessarily confusing in a book such as this. Again, the author tries to make the Internet as accessible as possible without making it seem too intimidating.

A comprehensive bibliography and appendices round out this book. The appendices alone pro- vide a very comprehensive listing of dial-up Internet access providers and access sites in the U.S. and

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140 Book Reviews

around the world. This list is especially useful in that it provides names, phone numbers, subscrip- tion information, rates, and service access areas for the providers listed. In addition, several other lists are scattered throughout the book and cover everything from commands used when connecting to different services to screen shots depicting a wide variety of points. When reading The Internet Navigator, it is important to keep in mind that the book is written for the dial-up user and is the con- cept that holds this book together. This book should not be overlooked by other users, though. The book offers a wealth of information, both technical and otherwise, that is easy to read and easily accessible. The story of the Internet is told in an engaging and exciting way that makes readers want to put the book down and try out what they have just read. The Internet Navigator is a book of explo- ration. The title suggests it, the cover art confirms it, and the content gives the idea life. That alone should make this book a valuable addition to the field for some time to come.

University of North Texas Denton, TX

ROBERT BARKER

Flexible Workstyles in the Information Industry. A.M. CUNNINGHAM and W. WICKS (EDs.). National Federation of Abstracting and Indexing Services, Philadelphia (1993). ix + 116 pp., $xx.xx, ISBN o-942308-41-7.

Flexible Workstyles in the Information Industry presents an overview of options for flexible work- styles and the results of a timely study conducted by the National Federation of Abstracting and Infor- mation Services (NFAIS) in August 1992. The objective of the survey is “to explore the incidence of nontraditional workstyles . . . as well as their benefits and limitations” (p. 25) among “a select group of 100 secondary information publishers and associated information organizations in the informa- tion industry” (p. 24). The topic is of interest to managers and employees considering the implemen- tation of a flexible work arrangement. The results of the survey also contribute to the literature on user-friendly work environments from the perspective of the one segment of the information industry.

Chapter 1, entitled “Workplace Flexibility: Snapshots of a Work-in-Progress,” describes nine forms of flexible workstyles: flextime, compressed workweeks, flexplace, regular part-time, job- sharing, voluntary reduced worktime, phased or partial retirement, leaves/sabbaticals, and work sharing. Paul Rupert, the author of the first chapter, provides for each of these flexible workstyles a definition and a brief history, as well as the pros and cons of usage.

Chapters two through four are dedicated to the results of the survey, discussing demographics, flexible worktime strategies, and new flexible trends. Chapter 5 summarizes the results of the survey.

The presentation of the study lacks a clear overview of the data. Also, the descriptions of the methodology, the sampling, and the survey instrument are vague and incomplete. There is a discrep- ancy in the work regarding the inclusion of non-NFAIS members, as reference is made to “a survey of NFAIS membership” (p. 2), but the sample is later described as including “both NFAIS members and nonmembers” (p . 24).

The overall response rate of 47% (47 responses) is respectable. Statements are made regarding the representativeness of the respondents in terms of organization types that “accurately reflect the composition of the NFAIS membership” and the geographical dispersement of the respondents, which was found to be “representative of the publishing industry as a whole” (p. 27). However, the reader is left with a vague notion of who was included in the sample and who the respondents and nonrespon- dents actually represent. The only work-related question asks if the primary function of the respon- dent is “the creation of secondary (abstracting and indexing) information products” (p. 26). Whereas 52% of the respondents were secondary publishers, “it is assumed that the remaining organizations’ principle business was related to the production or distribution of secondary information in one form or another” (p. 26). It would have been more informative to ask for a specific response to this impor- tant question.

Following the conclusions of the study, chapter 6 presents an essay on the work-at-home pro- gram at Information Access Company by Kip Rossmarin. This chapter does not relate to the survey that is the focus of this work. Although the work-at-home program is interesting and relates to the overall topic, it would seem more appropriate for inclusion in a collection of essays. As presented, the chapter seems disjointed from the rest of the work.

Flexible Workstyles includes a useful bibliography helpful to those interested in additional read- ings on flexible workplaces. The indexing is consistent and complete with one minor exception noted, the absence of a cross-reference for “sabbaticals,” a topic treated in the work and included under the broader entry “leaves.”