DEEPER : ADVENTURES ON THE NET

Rating:
Summary: dated but descriptive
Review: As might be expected, the book is very dated now. I was also on the Internet in 1993 and 1994 and don't regard myself as a pioneer of any sort. I did find Seabrook's description of online life accurate and especially the arc of a long-term presence online .. from euphoria and enthrallment to disillusion and disgust finally arriving at a place of balance.

Rating:
Summary: A simple de-flamatory philippic
Review: I liked it a lot. Why do some reviewers characterize an author as narcisisstic when he talks about himself once in a while? Give me a break. Well rounded perspective of one man's introduction to the cyberworld.

Rating:
Summary: What a cover and it's dull but original for biography
Review: Man and computer, but this guy is not my idea of a nice person. He has fun faking his identity in a chat. What happened to being honest and not lying to people? He talks about Western pioneer spirit ya well we have heard that by now. Must be the WELL because there seems to be a unity in writers from there. And yes their story dominates too much of the writing about the net. Sorry but I like community I am not a libertarian, thank you very much. It was an interesting read my own grips about the WELL aside. But then we could all write something like this but as a story of one person's personal views on the computer explosion in America and the media business it has merit. Since Bill Gates seems to be known for his relation to computers I guess this writer got to know his subject. I didn't finish it but it has some personality.

Rating:
Summary: Former computerphobe's immersion in the Internet
Review: Seabrook, a self-confessed computerphobe and writer for New Yorker magazine, finds himself assigned to interview Bill Gates. In no time the author finds himself purchasing a computer, subscribing to an online service, and going 'deeper' as he finds himself fascinated and immersed in the world of cyberculture. The book, which compares early internet exploration with the early explorations of America's west, is an engaging and fast read that not only chronicles one man's travels but also traces the history of the internet from a mid-1900's military plan to the cultural explosion of today. Seabrook's warm style and the book's plot, which follows the author through every confused moment and awkward discovery from logging on for the first time to becoming a veteran of the World Wide Web, ensure that the book's not just for computer wizards. This is a fine work of general interest and is recommended for anyone currently online, thinking about it, or scared of it