The Internet: The Missing Manual

J. D. Biersdorfer, David Pogue9780596527426, 059652742X

Nobody owns the Internet. Nobody runs it. And nobody’s in charge of writing “the manual” for using it. Thankfully, O’Reilly’s Missing Manual gang has taken up the gauntlet. The Internet: The Missing Manual brings together the best ways to get connected, find what you’re looking for, uncover great stuff you never knew about, and keep in touch with everyone, everywhere, 24/7. This book is written for the millions of Windows and Macintosh users who are intelligent, curious, but not obsessively tech-savvy. David Pogue and J. D. Biersdorfer make few assumptions about what you already know. But, having said that, they never patronize you. What’s here? Practical walkthroughs of establishing broadband and wireless connections. Quick introductions to top web portals like MSN and AOL. Tips for making your Google and Yahoo searches more effective. And pointers to the best of the Web in every area: news, shopping, reviews, travel, finance, gaming, music, audio, you name it. There’s a full section, too, on the many ways you can communicate over the Net: not just email and IM but everything from MySpace to Skype. In the early days, the Web was something you read, or looked at. Then, it was something you interacted with. Now, it’s something you help create. So this book includes a great introduction to creating your own web content: blogs, simple (and not-so-simple) sites, and even podcasts. Last but not least, there’s a 20-page primer on Internet safety. You’ll find all the commonsense precautions everyone should know (but not everyone follows). You’ll also find some advice that’s not so familiar (where to find the best free anti-spyware software or up-to-the minute information on protecting your kids online).