Date: Mon, 27 Feb 1995 14:09:08 EST From: Rob Slade Subject: Book Review: "Modems Made Easy" by Hakala BKMDMDEZ.RVW 950123 "Modems Made Easy", David Hakala, 1993, 0-07-881962-8, U$16.95 %A David Hakala 74720.3377@compuserve.com david.hakala@boardwatch.com %C 2600 Tenth St., Berkeley, CA 94710 %D 1993 %G 0-07-881962-8 %I McGraw-Hill/Osborne %O U$16.95 510-548-2805 800-227-0900 lkissing@osborne.mhs.compuserve.com %T "Modems Made Easy" This is a good, short, solid overview of what you can do with modems. Newcomers to the online world will likely need not only some help with installation, the first few calls, tuning, and troubleshooting, but with an introduction to all aspects of microcomputer communications. An overview of modems does a good job of explaining protocol concepts with real world analogies. A chapter on buying a modem is quite brief, but realistic, as is the advice on software. Chapter five, on setting up your modem, is short and practical. Chapter six, on software installation, should be considerably expanded in order to assist first-time users. The concepts have been explained, in chapter two, but the specifics of how that works out are lacking. There is a good section on identifying COM ports (often missing in other works), but little advice on how to identify incorrect parameter settings. Appendix B, on troubleshooting, does have some advice but it, too, is quite terse. Chapters seven to twelve give you a rundown on what to do with a modem: call a BBS, call a commercial online service, call an electronic mail service, call the Internet, call another private computer, or set up your own BBS. The material on the different types of services is quite reasonable and unbiased, and gives you good advice on what to expect (although the Internet section could use a bit of fact checking). "Remote access", the ability to use your home or office computer from another remote computer, is the only missing application. The last three chapters offer some helpful, related advice on money-saving tips, communications-related shareware, and the communications aspects of Windows. There are also a number of resource lists, including the ASP BBS list, the "Boardwatch 100" list, and communications hardware and software vendors. Those buying and setting up modems for the first time may want additional sources of buying advice and help, but this is very definitely worth consideration as a general advisor and entre to the online world. copyright Robert M. Slade, 1995 BKMDMDEZ.RVW 950123. Distribution permitted in TELECOM Digest and associated publications. Rob Slade's book reviews are a regular feature in the Digest. Vancouver ROBERTS@decus.ca Institute for Robert_Slade@sfu.ca Research into rslade@cue.bc.ca User p1@CyberStore.ca Security Canada V7K 2G6