Network Working Group J. Quarterman

Network Working Group J. Quarterman
Request for Comments: 1432 MIDS
March 1993

Recent Internet Books

Status of this Memo

This memo provides information for the Internet community. It does
not specify an Internet standard. Distribution of this memo is
unlimited.

Abstract

This article originally appeared in Volume 2 Number 12, (December
1992) of Matrix News, the monthly newsletter of Matrix Information
and Directory Services, Inc. (MIDS).

1. Which Books

Here is a list of books related to using the Internet, which is the
global and exponentially growing network of more than a million
computers that communicate by interactive use of the TCP/IP
protocols, for the use of millions of users. This article was
prompted by the recent publication of nine or ten books on the
Internet in the space of a year (some are so new they aren't even
published yet). I have also included some books that have been
around for quite a long time (as long ago as the dim past of 1984).
I think all of them contain useful information for people new to the
Internet.

Some of the books included here are about more than the Internet.
Some of them are about the Matrix, which is the set of all computer
networks worldwide that exchange electronic mail. The Matrix
includes FidoNet, UUCP, BITNET, USENET, the Internet, and many
others, but is not limited to any one of those networks. This
particular bibliographic collection is oriented around the largest
computer network in the world, the Internet, because of all the
recent books about that network. Matrix News continues to publish
information about the Matrix, including but not limited to the
Internet.

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RFC 1432 Recent Internet Books March 1993

Author Pp. Price Audience Type Other
Networks

LaQuey & Ryer 208 $10.95 public user guide some
Kehoe 112 $22 technical user guide minimal
Krol 376 $24.95 researchers guide, catalog minimal
Kochmer 450 $39.95 researchers guide, catalog some
Marine, et al. 380 $39 administrative contacts, some
context
Dern ? ? new users user guide chapters
Lane & 200 $37.50 information primer ?
Summerhill professionals

Malamud 376 $26.95 varied travelog some

Quarterman & 448 $42.50 varied standards minimal
Wilhelm
Lynch, Rose 822 $40 technical standards minimal

Tennant, et al. 142 $45 professionals textbook ?
Benedikt 444 $15.95 varied anthology some
Kahin 446 $34.95 faculty scholarly variable
Parkhurst 86 $10.50 librarians scholarly some
McClure, et al. 746 $45 varied scholarly some

Levy 473 $4.95 public history some
Raymond 453 $10.95 varied dictionary some
Stoll 332 $19.95 public spy story some
Hafner & 368 $22.95 public journalism some
Markoff
Denning 574 $23.95 public scholarly some
Sterling 352 $23 public documentary some

IRG 240 $15 technical catalog minimal
NorthWestNet 297 $20 technical catalog minimal

Frey & Adams 436 $26.95 varied desk ref. many
LaQuey (UDCN) 645 $34.95 varied directory several
Quarterman 746 $50 varied context all

Table 1. Network Books Summarized

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RFC 1432 Recent Internet Books March 1993

I have excluded from this article books that are solely about
technical aspects of technology, such as the TCP/IP protocols.
Instead, I have included books about the resources and users of the
Internet. I have grouped them in rough classifications for
convenience of presentation. Several of these books fit several
classifications. For that reason and others, the classifications
should be taken as illustrative, not definitive. Table 1 summarizes
some features of all the books described.

Thanks to various people for input; especially David Bridge. Much of
the detailed bibliographic information came from the Library of
Congress catalog server supported by Digital Research Associates,
Inc., accessed via gopher and Telnet over the Internet.

Please note that prices may change, as may electronic mail addresses,
telephone and fax numbers, and postal addresses. The price you pay,
in particular, may be less because of a discount, or more because of
shipping, or because you buy the book outside of the United States.
The information included here is accurate to the best of my
knowledge, but your mileage may vary. Use at your own risk. But
please do report errors, changes, and additions to [email protected].

Some bibliographic citations end in a line of the form

domain.name:path/name

This means you can retrieve further information by connecting to
domain.name with FTP, logging in as user anonymous, using your
electronic mail address as a password, and changing to path/name as a
directory, or retrieving it as a file, whichever works.

Some citations end in a line of the form

local@domain

This is a domain address for further email inquiries.

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RFC 1432 Recent Internet Books March 1993

2. Introductions

New user guides and information on getting connected fill most of the
new books about the Internet.

LaQuey & Ryer:

Tracy LaQuey, and Jeanne C. Ryer, The Internet
Companion: A Beginner's Guide to Global
Networking, p. 208, Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA,
October 1992.
$10.95. ISBN 0-201-62224-6.
Book Review: Internet Society News, 1(3):34.
Summer 1992.
Book Review: Link Letter, 5(3):4. Nov. 1992.
Book Review: Matrix News, 2(9):8-9. Sept. 1992.
[email protected]

This is the least expensive introductory guide for new users of
the Internet, and perhaps the only one aimed at the general
public. It is also being made available online by anonymous FTP
from world.std.com, two chapters a month.

Kehoe:

Brendan P. Kehoe, Zen and the Art of the Internet:
A Beginner's Guide, p. 112, Prentice-Hall,
Englewood Cliffs, NJ, July 1992.
$22.00. ISBN 0-13-010778-6.
Book Review: Link Letter, 5(3):3. Nov. 1992.
Book Review: MicroTimes, 102:3, Nov. 23, 1992.
simsc.si.edu:networks/zen.ad

The first edition of this book was and is available only online,
from various anonymous FTP servers. This second edition is
somewhat enlarged and updated, yet is still the shortest
introductory Internet book.

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Krol:

Ed Krol, The Whole Internet User's Guide &
Catalog, p. 376, O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.,
Sebastopol, CA, 13 September 1992.
$24.95. ISBN 1-56592-025-2.
Book Review: Internet Society News, 1(3):33.
Summer 1992.
Book Review: Link Letter, 5(3):3. Nov. 1992.
Book Review: Matrix News, 2(11). Nov. 1992.
Book Review: MicroTimes, 102:3, Nov. 23, 1992.

Perhaps the most ambitious of the new crop of books, this one is
both a user's guide and a catalog of resources in one. It is
aimed at graduate students who want to use the Internet for
research.

Kochmer:

Jonathan Kochmer, and NorthWestNet, The Internet
Passport: NorthWestNet's Guide to Our World
Online, 4th ed., p. 450, NorthWestNet, Bellevue,
WA, 1993.
$39.95. ISBN 0-9635281-0-6.
[email protected]

A forthcoming guide and catalog, not yet seen. It is
paradoxically both the fourth edition of and the successor to the
other NorthWestNet book listed later.

Marine:

April Marine, ed., Internet: Getting Started, p.
380, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA, September
1992.
$39.00. ISBN [none].
Book Review: Internet Society News, 1(3):33.
Summer 1992.
Book Review: Link Letter, 5(3):4. Nov. 1992.
Book Review: Matrix News, 2(12). Dec. 1992.
ftp.nisc.sri.com:netinfo/internet-getting-
started-contents

How to join the Internet, and some context so you will know why.
This book is not a guide, and not a catalog, but it does contain
numerous contact listings.

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Dern:

Daniel P. Dern, The New User's Guide to the
Internet, McGraw-Hill, New York, forthcoming in
1993. ISBN 0-07-016510-6 (hc). ISBN 0-07-16511-4
(pbk).

A forthcoming new user guide, not yet seen.

Lane & Summerhill:

Elizabeth S. Lane, and Craig A. Summerhill, An
Internet Primer for Information Professionals: A
Basic Guide to Networking Technology, p. 200,
Meckler Corp., Westport, CT, forthcoming in 1992.
$37.50. ISBN 0-88736-831-X.

This book, not yet seen, is apparently aimed at information
professionals, presumably meaning librarians and others.

3. Travelogs

This category has only one book in it so far.

Malamud:

Carl Malamud, Exploring the Internet: A Technical
Travelogue, p. 376, Prentice-Hall, Englewood
Cliffs, NJ, August 1992.
$26.95. ISBN 0-13-296898-3.
Book Review: Internet Society News, 1(3):34.
Summer 1992.
Book Review: Network Computing, 3(11):46. October
15, 1992.
Book Review: Matrix News, 2(9):9,11. Sept. 1992.

Many fine lunches and dinners with users, administrators, and
developers of the Internet in many countries around the world,
with accurate technical background. Certainly the most wickedly
funny of all the books about the Internet. Contains a subplot
about how and why ITU and ISO do not publish their standards
online.

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4. Standards

The seemingly obscure topic of standards is actually illuminating
when the subject is Internet Standards, because the processes that
produce them reflect how the whole network works: by the efforts of
its users and engineers.

Quarterman & Wilhelm:

John S. Quarterman, and Susanne Wilhelm, UNIX,
POSIX, and Open Systems: The Open Standards
Puzzle, p. 446, Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA, 1993.
$42.50. ISBN 0-201-52772-3.
Book Review: Internet Society News, 1(3):34.
Summer 1992.

Context about open systems standards. Includes a very brief
history of the Internet, comments on the effects of networks on
standards and the reverse, commentary on the benefits of
publishing standards online, and an in-depth examination of the
IETF standards process used to produce Internet Standards. Also
includes an Internet growth graph.

Lynch & Rose:

Daniel C. Lynch and Marshall T. Rose, eds., The
Internet System Handbook, p. 822, Addison-Wesley,
Reading, MA, 1993. $40, ISBN 0-201-56741-5.

A description of the process that produces Internet Standards, and
some other user level material in addition to protocol material.

5. Textbooks

This category includes a textbook on using the Internet, and some
other books that could be used as textbooks for sociology or policy.

Tennant:

Roy Tennant, John Ober, Anne G. Lipow, and
Foreword by Clifford Lynch, Crossing the Internet
Threshold: an Instructional Handbook, p. 142
pages, 1993.
$45.00. ISBN 1-882208-01-3.
simsc.si.edu:networks/crossing.ad

A short textbook on using the Internet, by two librarians at the
University of California at Berkeley.

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RFC 1432 Recent Internet Books March 1993

Benedikt:

Michael Benedikt, ed., Cyberspace: First Steps, p.
444, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1991. $15.95. ISBN
0-262-02327-X.

An anthology of sociological examinations of networks and related
topics, by writers, scholars, and public figures. Edited by a
professor of Architecture at the University of Texas.

Kahin:

Brian Kahin, ed., Building Information
Infrastructure: Issues in the Development of the
National Research and Education Network, p. 446,
McGraw-Hill Primis, New York, 1992.
$34.95, ISBN: 0-390-03083-X.
Book Review: Matrix News, 2(5). May 1992.

Includes the entire text of the High Performance Computing Act
(HPCA) of 1991 that authorized the forthcoming National Research
and Education Network (NREN), as well as numerous examinations of
what it does and should mean. Papers from a workshop at Harvard's
Kennedy School of Government. Tough sledding in spots, but very
rewarding in others.

Parkhurst:

Carol A. Parkhurst, ed., Library Perspectives on
NREN: The National Research and Education Network,
p. 86, LITA, Chicago, 1990.
$10.50. ISBN 0-8389-7477-5.
Book Review: Matrix News, 1(7). Oct. 1991.

Another NREN policy anthology; this one oriented towards library
uses.

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McClure:

Charles McClure, Ann Bishop, Philip Doty, and
Howard Rosenbaum, The National Research And
Education Network (NREN): Research and Policy
Perspectives, p. 746, Ablex Press, Norwood, NJ,
1991.
$45 personal; $95 institutional. ISBN
0-89391-813-X. Book Review: Matrix News, 1(6).
Sep. 1991.
Book Review: Electronic Networking: Research,
Applications and Policy 2(1). Spring 1992.

Masses of information on NREN, and examination of its potential
effects on research.

6. Hacking and Cracking

Hacking is skillful programming. Cracking is breaking and entering.
If you don't know the difference, read the first two books below. If
you don't think it matters, read the last book below, which examines
how law enforcement agencies confused about computers and networks
did some very strange things.

Levy:

Steven Levy, Hackers: Heroes of the Computer
Revolution, p. 473, Anchor Press/Doubleday, Garden
City, NY, 1984. $17.95. ISBN 0-385-19195-2 (hc).
$4.95 ISBN 0-440-13405-6 (pbk).

Tales of the real hackers who invented the modern computer
industry. Some of these people are still quite active on the nets
today.

Raymond & Steele:

Eric S. Raymond, ed., Guy Steele, The New Hacker's
Dictionary, p. 453, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA,
1991. ISBN 0-262-18145-2 (hc). $10.95 ISBN
0-262-68069-6 (pbk).

The authority on hacker jargon, and a very amusing book. Look it
up in here when you doubt a definition in the press.

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Stoll:

Clifford Stoll, The Cuckoo's Egg: Tracking a Spy
Through the Maze of Computer Espionage, p. 332,
Doubleday, New York, 1989. $19.95. ISBN
0-385-24946-2 (alk. paper).

A spy novel, except it's true: a first person account by a down-
on-his-luck Berkeley astronomer who with others tracked down a KGB
network spy. Despite its necessary concentration on cracking,
still a readable introduction to what the Internet is about.

Hafner & Markoff:

Katie Hafner, and John Markoff, Cyberpunk, p. 368,
Simon & Schuster, New York, 1991. $22.95. ISBN
0-671-68322-5.

Interviews with some of the crackers who have appeared
conspicuously in the press in the past few years. One of the co-
authors is the New York Times reporter who broke the Stoll story
to the public.

Denning:

Peter J. Denning, ed., Computers Under Attack:
Intruders, Worms, and Viruses, p. 574, ACM
Press/Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA, 1990. $23.95,
ISBN 0-201-53067-8.

Details of celebrated network security cases, including those
described in the previous two books. Includes Stoll's original
article about the Wiley Hacker, and responses and articles by
others on the same subject. Has extensive coverage of the 1988
Internet Worm. Also includes information on viruses. Has quite a
bit of material on the cultures of the networks, and on social,
legal, and ethical matters. Starts with the standard historical
network papers, including "Notable Computer Networks" by
Quarterman and Hoskins.

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Sterling:

Bruce Sterling, The Hacker Crackdown: Law and
Disorder on the electronic frontier, p. 352,
Bantam, New York, 1992. $23. ISBN 0-553-08058-X.

An in-depth examination of the forces of law who try to deal with
computer crime, and of the issues involved, written by one of the
science fiction writers who invented cyberpunk. The real story
behind Operation Sundevil and the Legion of Doom. Readable,
informative, amusing, and necessary.

7. Resource Guides

These have always been available online.

NorthWestNet:

NorthWestNet, NorthWestNet User Services Internet
Resource Guide, p. 297, NorthWestNet, Bellevue,
WA, 1992.
$20. ISBN [none]. Book Review: Matrix News, 2(1).
Jan. 1992.
ftphost.nwnet.net:nic/nwnet/user-
guide/README.nusirg

NorthWestNet's Resource Guide.

IRG:

NNSC, Internet Resource Guide, p. 240, NSF Network
Service Center (NNSC), BBN, Cambridge, MA, 1991.
$15. ISBN [none].
nnsc.nsf.net:resource-guide/README.

The original Internet Resource Guide.

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8. Also About Other Networks

The network service most people use is electronic mail, which is
carried over many networks other than the Internet, throughout the
worldwide Matrix of interconnected computer networks that exchange
mail. These are books about networks that cover more networks than
the Internet alone.

Frey & Adams:

Donnalyn Frey, and Rick Adams, !%@: A Directory of
Electronic Mail Addressing and Networks, p. 436,
O'Reilly & Associates, Sebastopol, CA, January
1991. $26.95. ISBN 0-937-17515-3 (pbk.).

A quick desk reference to many networks, with two pages on each
one.

LaQuey (UDCN):

Tracy Lynn LaQuey, Users' Directory of Computer
Networks, p. 645, Digital Press, Bedford, MA,
1989. $34.95 Digital Part Number EY-C200E-DP;
Digital Press ISBN 1-555-58047-5; Prentice-Hall
ISBN 0-13-950262-9.

A directory of users, domains, etc. of the Internet, BITNET, UUCP,
etc.

Quarterman:

John S. Quarterman, The Matrix: Computer Networks
and Conferencing Systems Worldwide, p. 746,
Digital Press, Bedford, MA, 1990. $50. Digital
order number EY-C176E-DP-SS, Digital Press ISBN
155558-033-5, Prentice-Hall ISBN 0-13-565607-9.

A context book about all computer networks worldwide, including
UUCP, FidoNet, BITNET, USENET, and the Internet. The longest of
all the books listed, and the most comprehensive.

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9. Publishers

These are in alphabetical order. Most of the telephone and fax
numbers are only for orders, not for other kinds of communications.

Ablex Publishing Corp. Doubleday, a division of
201-767-8450 Bantam Doubleday Dell
fax: 201-767-6717 Publishing Group, Inc.
355 Chestnut St. 212-765-6500
Norwood, NJ 07648 800-223-6834
fax: 212-765-3869
666 Fifth Avenue
Addison-Wesley Publishing Co. New York, NY 10103
[email protected]
617-944-3700
800-447-2226 Library Solution Press
1 Jacob Way 510-841-2636
Reading, MA 01867 fax: 415-594-0411
1100 Industrial Road, Suite 9
San Carlos, CA 94070
Bantam, a division of
Bantam Doubleday Dell
Publishing Group Inc. LITA Publications
212-765-6500 ALANET ALA0085
800-223-6834 800-545-2433
fax: 212-765-3869 312-280-4270
666 Fifth Avenue fax: + 312-440-9374
New York, NY 10103 50 East Huron Street
Chicago, IL 60602

Digital Press
[email protected] McGraw-Hill
617-276-1498 212-512-2000
fax: 617-276-4314 1221 Ave. of the Americas
Digital Equipment Corporation New York, NY 10020
12 Crosby Drive BUO/E94
Bedford, MA 01730

Meckler Corporation Simon & Schuster
(203) 226-6967 212-698-7000
Fax: (203) 545-5840 800-223-2336
11 Ferry Lane West fax: 212-698-7007
Westport, CT 06880 Subsidiary of
Paramount Communications Inc.
the Simon & Schuster Bldg.
1230 Ave. of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

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SRI International
MIT Press [email protected]
Massachusetts Institute 415-859-6387
of Technology 415-859-6387
Cambridge, MA 02142 fax: 415-859-6028
Network Information Systems
NorthWestNet Center
[email protected] 333 Ravenswood Avenue,
206-562-3000 Room EJ29
fax: 206-562-4822 Menlo Park, CA 9402

NUSIRG Orders
15400 SE 30th Place, Suite 202
Bellevue, WA 98007

NSFNET Network Service Center
[email protected]
617-873-3400
Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc.
10 Moulton Street
Cambridge, MA 02138

O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
[email protected]
707-829-0515
800-998-9938 7am to 5pm PST
fax: 707-829-0104
103 Morris Street, Suite A
Sebastopol, CA 95472

Prentice-Hall
[email protected]
515-284-6751
fax: 515-284-2607
Route 9W
Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632

Security Considerations

Security issues are not discussed in this memo.

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Author's Address

John S. Quarterman
Matrix Information and Directory Services, Inc. (MIDS)
1106 Clayton Lane, Suite 500W
Austin, TX 78723
U.S.A.

EMail: [email protected]
Phone: +1-512-451-7602
Fax: +1-512-450-1436

For further information on MIDS, contact:

Matrix News
Matrix Information & Directory Services, Inc. (MIDS)
1106 Clayton Lane, Suite 500W
Austin, TX 78723
U.S.A.

EMail: [email protected]
Phone: +1-512-451-7602
Fax: +1-512-450-1436

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