The Internet For Dummies Quick Reference, 8th Edition, puts you on the road to online discovery and keeps you on track by showing you how to

• Buy the right computer hardware for Internet access
• Select an Internet Service Provider to make the connection
• Use popular e-mail programs
• Get the real deal on privacy, security, and cookies
• Buy and sell on the Internet
• Speak the online language with glossary guidance

This down-to-earth reference includes all the tasks and resources you really need, lies flat on your desk so that you can type with both hands, and weighs less than a laptop computer. The latest edition in a regularly updated series covers the newest versions of Internet Explorer and Netscape Web browsers, e-mail client software, and other basic Internet tools. You can expect to get the nitty-gritty on

• Getting into the swim with Web surfing
• Finding the best online resources for research and support
• Sending voice and pictures over the Internet
• Choosing between Windows and Macintosh systems
• Reading newsgroups and browsing with America Online
• Tapping shareware and freeware software
• Uploading and downloading files with ease

The Internet For Dummies Quick Reference, 8th Edition, also introduces you to the whys and wherefores of building and posting a Web page, a document that has its own URL and that can express anything you want to a big, wide world of visitors. Whether the Internet's new territory to you or you've been Web-wise for quite a while, this up-to-date, fast, and fun resource will have you cyber-traveling in style in no time!

Amazon.com Review
Even if you're not a dummy, the sixth edition of The Internet for Dummies is one of the best user's guides to the Internet now available. Many so-called Internet books are nothing more than printed collections of Web addresses, but John Levine, Carol Baroudi, and Margaret Levine Young recognize that deciding to use the Internet involves financial commitments and computer-hardware decisions as much as it does looking at neat pictures. That said, don't expect to set up your own e-commerce site with this book, and don't expect to find step-by-step instructions for starting your computer. But do expect to get some good advice about picking an ISP (Internet Service Provider), protecting your privacy (and your kids), and connecting with Windows or a Mac. The authors also do an exceptional job of explaining such terms as PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol) and what it is for, and they even talk about the old Unix shell account (with a Lynx text browser) for those not getting a PPP account. You'll find tips for optimizing your browser for speed, building your first Web page, managing e-mail, subscribing to mailing lists, and, yes, shopping. What is most impressive, however, is the balanced approach the authors take in evaluating Web sites (they do give some Web addresses), online services, and browser software. They offer the pros and cons and let you sort it out. They also include their own Web address so you can look for updates to the book and check on their latest favorites. --Patrick O'Kelley