Independent Books

I'm a full time artist and bought this book to make sense of my tax mess. It was entertaining to read, and laid out a clear and easy plan for me to follow. This is EXACTLY what every artist needs to read.

This book is head and shoulders above most other books on the market of its kind. Most books gloss over and repeat what is freely available in the tax booklets; this book explains and expands on that information. Plus, it gives you tips on how to plan ahead so as to take legal advantage of the tax opportunities offered within the tax code. It is well organized and a certain reliable resource for self employed individuals.

This book was OK. I agree with the alliteration criticism of the other reader. Too much like fantasy. Too many references and suggestions that you MUST get a professional preparer or take your records to a professional preparer/accountant. Why bother reading this book if I wanted to pay someone else to do my taxes? The author's "Most Simple System" is a re-hash of Fluery's "No Entry Accounting" system in his book from years ago called "Small Business Survival Guide" only Fluery takes it a step further and recommends you doing your own taxes. Ms. Walker takes you to the brink of this but falls short. You've already done 95% of the work with her "system" so why not finish it? I recommend you start with this book then read "Small Business Survival Guide" and you'll be in good shape and not have to pay an accountant to do your taxes. Fluery's book is out of date but the Schedule C hasn't changed all that much since that book was published. Get a new version of Sch. C, combine the info from both books and you are all set.

Finally, this book repeats itself over and over. It could be half as long.

By far the best self-employed book on taxes that I have read to this day! A must read for anyone who has been in business and would like to understand better what the CPA is saying, and a definite must for anyone thinking about being self-employed.

"Self-Employed Tax Solutions" is an excellent self help start to treating your cottage industry as a business and working your way through the intricacies of filing federal taxes as a small business. Ms. Walker's explanations are clear and well illustrated.
We had no trouble understanding each point and applying the rules to our own small business situation. The only problem we found was her citing a court ruling, putting it in quotes, and not providing a bibliographic source.
Both the glossary and the index are adequate for the novice readers. The style was breezy and light, which made the reading easy.
A good place to start for an entry level "indie" who needs basic tax information. She has several "wish I'd thought of that" ideas for keeping records and saving time.
Nash Black, author of "Taxes, Stumbling Blocks and Pitfalls for Authors."

This book does introduce many of the topics that you need to know if you have just started a small business, however there is very little depth. In the year and a half that I have been operating as an independent contractor / sole proprietor, I have already learned everything in this book on my own. It certainly would have helped when I first started, but now that I have made it through my own taxes twice, this book had very little to offer.

This book is surprisingly easy to read and understand. This book is for someone who does not know anything about taxes. It is an excellent introductory book. If you've been in business a while you should know everything that is in here - if not, pick this book up!

Quick and easy read. No fluff just straight to the point and gives you more helpful information that you might imagine. If you are looking to get the bottom line information you need to start your business right then this book is a must have. Don't lose your business to a mistake you could have avoided by owning this book.

It is very simple and easy to read. Don't expect it to go into a lot of detail on one particular item. It basically reiterated what I already knew and brought up more questions than answers for me. If you're looking for an introductory tool...almost a "Dummies" version, then look no further!

This self-published book is literally 100 pages from cover to cover; as such (the author's favorite phrase which he uses ad nauseam), the real stuff only goes from about page 12 to page 90. Plus there's a ton of white space on each page.

Why do I mention this? Because even though the book makes some tax topics easy to understand -- for instance, I liked its short chapter on retirement plans -- it's a rather poor value for over twelve bucks. The author could have said so many more things, without complicating anything. For instance, the said chapter on retirement plans sorely lacks information -- important information -- on when each plan must be filed with the IRS. Also, the few chapters on business deductions (a topic most readers bought the book for) are very light and very shallow.

If you're absolutely clueless about sole-proprietorship tax planning and don't want to hire an accountant, this book can serve as a start, a primer of sort, but you'll need another more in-depth book like those put out by JK Lasser or Nolo. If you already know something about business taxes, this book will be too elementary for you.

This is a very useful resource...I love that the book includes samples of all documents that you will encounter in an international adoption. Some of the information, though "updated & revised for 2003," is already outdated in 2008. However, an overall useful tool for prospective adoptive parents.

Jean, I would first like to thank you for the years you have dedicated to not only the children, but the years of knowledge you have made available to so many other adoptive families like ours.

As we began the adoption of our Haitian son, we were very perplexed as to entire process. My wife had done the majority of research while we were looking for our child, but when we found him in a Haitian orphanage, our process seemed to take a difficult turn. As Haiti is not one of the top countries for international adoption, and apparently one of the most difficult; we were extremely limited as to finding an agency to assist us, and in the end, decided to proceed independently along with the help of a parent liason from the orphanage. With a background in engineering, and years of experience developing and running our business, we weren't faced with the fear that we would not be able to handle it. Instead, my concern came from the number of sources available that only painted a partial picture or gave limited guidance. Digging deeper into the myriad of information, I began to get overwhelmed with all the questions that naturally arise while adopting... that was, until we came across your book How to Adopt Internationally. I have to admit that with such a simple title, I was thinking this would be another book to add to the already growing pile that would offer some helpful tips, but provide even more confusion. I couldn't have been more wrong.

Jean, I want you to know that your book gave us the peace of mind and confidence that we could handle this process independently and successfully bring our child (now children) home. You have taken your years of knowledge and experience and so simply made it available in an easy to understand package. We can't thank you enough, and would recommend this book to anyone considering international adoption. Whether adopting through an agency or independently, this is a must read. Thank you again for your service. We wish you and your family many, many more years of changing lives.

Forever Grateful

In international adoption, the devil is truly in the details. That's what sets the Erichsen's book apart from the others. The details on the process, the forms that must be collected, and the forms that must be submitted--both domestically and internationally--make this book invaluable. Whether you are working independently or with an agency, I found this book essential for understanding the process and getting through the paperwork.

This book is a valuable resource of step by step, and how to adopt internationally. If your doing this without an agency, this book is a Must Have. If your doing this with an agency, this book is a great resource, and an aid for what's coming next. This book will answer many of your questions, and prevent you from calling the agency twice per day and appearing to be the perverbiel nut.

Ms. Erichsen's updated version of How To Adopt Internationally is even better than her first version. She accurately clarifies the steps in a process that can be challenging and lengthy. She provides necessary and detailed information and answers the questions any adoptive parent needs to know. Ms. Erichsen's expertise in the field is quite apparent. The book is extremely well written, thoughtful and an absolute must read for anyone who is thinking about adopting internationally or who is in the process.

This book is just what it says, a handy guide that you can carry around in your bag for when you need to check where something is, or look up the syntax of something that has slipped your mind, and you don't have time to waste trying to find that stuff on the internet, or in help (when it is likely not there), or any of that. Occasionally useful.

This is a good little book that has helped me out most of the time. It doesn't have every answer that one would think (or expect), but for a book that small, it's great that it covers the basics.

This is with out question the most valuable book for day to day use that an NT Server administrator can keep with them. For all those times you find yourself trying to remember that little used admin applet or procedure, you will find it here. Microsoft Press has done a great job in compiling this guide. Here's to hoping they print one for all of their products.

This is with out question the most valuable book for day to day use that an NT Server administrator can keep with them. For all those times you find yourself trying to remember that little used admin applet or procedure, you will find it here. Microsoft Press has done a great job in compiling this guide. Here's to hoping they print one for all of their products.

I read the wonderful reviews this book got and ran to the store to buy it. I run a small school district network and had several real world issue's I was looking for resolution to before purchasing it . . . this book did not help with one.

This might be an OK book to learn the basics (thus the 2 stars), but it has no troubleshooting tips or advanced network issues that gave me any real world help.

Several hours, 3 NT4 books and 2 cell phone calls from my wife asking where I was later, I left with the Windows NT4 Administrators Survival Guide.

These other reviews must have been written by the authors relatives!

Christine Vachon has written an extremely accessible, entertaining book about what it means to be an independent film producer. She covers every step of the movie-making process, from finding a script to casting to hiring a crew, editing, etc. She covers the material with an engaging style and a sense of humor, and the facts are punctuated with examples and anecdotes from the movies she's produced. She's candid and unapologetic, and apparently some reviewers here have a problem with that. News flash - if you intend to make a career in the film industry, you better get used to people who yell, tight schedules, high expectations, plus low budgets if indies are your thing. If you spent any time on a film set, you would know that it is the producer's JOB to be tough, to get things in on time, and to run a tight ship. At the end of the day, it's the producer's butt that is on the line. It's just plain silly to give the book a low rating because Christine had the guts to be honest about the way things work on a film set and you wouldn't want to work with her. It's clear that some reviewers here need to get a thicker skin or find a different calling.

Christine's films have been critical success stories despite their low budgets and tight time frames - she knows what she is doing and has taken the time to write a wonderful introduction to the world of filmmaking for beginners and those of us with some experience. I highly recommend this book.

Not only is this a thorough and informative piece of work, which would make it worth twice the price all by itself, it's also an inspiration and should be read by anyone, writer, actor, producer, director, anyone.... who's ever been told you have to compromise your vision in this business to get your movie made. There are several great stories in this book but the image that keeps resonating in my head is Christine Vachon, the High Priestess of Indie Film and Soverign Protector of Infant Directors, saying to the producer's rep: "We'll talk about it" and saying to everyone else after hanging up the phone, "We're not cutting anything, we're not cutting anything." Not only did I not know there were people out there doing such things, I had begun to wonder if it was even possible. This book can make you believe again. I didn't read it. I devoured it.

Somewhere between the world of independant movies and studio pictures reside a group of people who've bounced between both worlds and have taken up residence in the void. The author is one of those people. This book isn't very informative for the ultra low budget producer but a good read nonetheless. Although at times it wanders aimlessly while the reader tries to figure out which of the half-dozen guys named "Todd" she's talking about now. I'd recommend this book to people with budgets in the neighborhood of 100,000 to 5 million. I wouldn't call it a very good resource for locating financing.

If you want to know more about what it's like to produce, rather than HOW to produce...this is the book. Vachon takes you through her life, and I've learned more about producing just from reading about one of her days. She's honest, doesn't preach much, doesn't give very many golden rules (since we all make our own), and tells you how it really is. If your tired of reading books on forms and paperwork, negotiating and contacts, and are just plain interested in what it's like to be IN IT, buy the book. It's so worth it.

Having just directed a low-budget feature in Hollywood, I wish I had read this book beforehand (and I certainly wish my producer had read it). Vachon breaks down the process, making it understandable to even the most novice film fan. The writing is gutsy, the tales from the trenches always interesting. One of the must-reads if you're at all interested in making movies.

I found this book to be one of the most helpful I've ordered in the course of three years of personal research and work with my son. I knew that the school my son attends was using picture schedules, but I had not been able to fully understand the theory and practice of this.

While producing and using a picture schedule can take a great deal of time--training for independence is quite challenging--the book establishes the theory of the practice in plain language. This is definitely a must read for parents and care-givers, including volunteers in church or community child-care or respite programs.

In addition to clear explanation of the theory and use of picture schedules, the images included work to sharpen the concepts--also a plus for those of us are more visually inclined. The tips for starting small and working up, as well as tips for using picture schedules of varying levels of sophistication are also priceless.

I'm using this with some of my other (read neuro-typical) children, and it works beautifully with them, as well. Like signing with your baby, this is a great step in establishing routines and independence in little ones, and even older children.

This book is a must have for anyone wishing to implement an activity schedule. This book was required reading for a teaching children with autism course at UMASS. Not only is it extremely informative, guiding the reader through each detail designing the schedule and implementing the schedule, it is also an easy, quick read that I refer back to often. Additionally, the authors are well published in scientific journals. Great resource for parents, teachers, and professionals.

A great book for teaching life skills to children with autism. Useful for the young and old child, the new and experienced teacher. Very detailed and helpful book.

The goal of raising any child is to guide them into independance, and though many autistic children will never reach complete independance, it remains an important goal. Independance is an important factor in self-esteem and is essential for entering any portion of adult life. I was consistantly frustrated with therapy manuals which required my complete and undivided attention at all times. I'm under no delusion that I will be forever available to my autistic son, and it would be nice for me to feel that he could get up and at least dress himself at some point without my verbally prompting him.

The clear instructions and logical directives in "Activity Schedules for Children with Autism" place it on my 'highly recommended' list. While not a book I would recommend for a parent whose child has been newly diagnosed, I certainly recommend it to those parents with other therapeutic programs already in place. The activity schedules are very easily integrated into existing therapies and school environments, greatly boosting their success. I've also implimented an advanced version of activity schedules, verbally explained, with my five-year-old typical daughter - as a result the morning 'dilly-dallies' and afternoon 'hum-drums' have all but disappeared.

I would recommend that existing image programs be used whenever possible, only to cut down on the time it takes to prepare the schedules. I use Flash! Pro2, which can be found online, though there are many other graphic programs that could be used as well. (As a webmaster I've found that many of the 'web-ready' image collections contained pictures that were appropriate for this program as well as ABA and DTT programs.)

All-in-all, excellent book, flexible program, expertly explained.

This book is necessary for anybody looking to implement or improve an already existing activity schedule. Although McClannahan and Krantz are experts in the field of behavior analysis, they wrote the books so that you don't have to be a near genius I.Q to understand it. The book is perfect for parents and teachers as well as students studying behavior analysis or special education teachers interested in working with autistic children. The first chapter is dedicated to discussing what an activity schedule is and how your child or student will benefit. The subsequent chapter delves into the pre-requisite skills the child will need prior to beginning. The authors explain each pre-requisite skill, why it is necessary and provide examples of each skill. The next few chapters discuss how to implement the activity schedule as well as how to measure progress. They really left nothing out. Toward the end of the book, they explained what to do when the activity schedule is mastered and provided a great deal of detail on the dos and don'ts. It is clear, that the McClannahan and Krantz really want readers to be successful at creating and teaching activity schedules. They have also co-authored Teaching Conversation to Children with Autism, which is also worth checking out. My hats off to them on such an awesome educational easy to read and understand how to book.

This book is scary. The author goes through many case studies and examples of the horrible things we're allowing to happen in our communities --- all in the name of promised "economic growth". I think every city planner should read this book. Anyone interested in saving what's left of our communities should read it. Even if you are skeptical of the author's conclusions, the copious bibliography can point you to the sources of her information and many other articles on the subject.

She sometimes repeats stories in different chapters, which can be annoying. However, I enjoyed reading the book because each time I had a questions, the author would answer it in subsequent paragraphs or chapters.

My copy of this book will be passed around to everyone that I can get to read it.

An absolutely necessity, especially for people living in areas where a new "big box" is being considered.

The intricate financial benefits to the corporation are absolutely staggering.

Everyone loves a bargain, and American consumers seem particularly fond of the bargain-priced imported products available at big-box retailers.

Shopping at big-box retailers for the lowest prices may sometimes save us a bundle, but are there hidden costs? The author makes a convincing case that there are. She explains that by shopping at the big boxes, we are hurting our economy by diverting our dollars from locally-owned businesses to far-away head offices and foreign nations. But, you might ask, if those foreign nations don't in turn buy our goods, what will they buy instead? Will they buy our banks, our communications media, and perhaps our politicians as well? As their influence over our daily lives increases, will they support our democratic traditions?

According to the author, politicians need to stop favoring big-box retailers with unfair subsidies. And they need to stop requiring locally-owned business to foot the tax bill - even as they are forced out of existence. This practice is defeating the kind of small-business entrepreneurial spirit that has long been a pillar of our society. It is also destroying better-paying jobs, while increasing minimum wage employment.

Only concerted public pressure will prompt politicians to enact new laws that will level the playing field, giving small businesses a fighting chance at survival. But in the battle to win hearts and minds of politicians and the public, large corporations have an overwhelming advantage, with their deep pockets, public relations skill, and superior organization.

To be fair, the author should mention that some local retailers could be more competitive - by staying open for evening shopping, and by offering the kind of broad selection and one-stop shopping convenience that many consumers crave, for example.

Thankfully, this book does offer some hope, making plenty of suggestions about how small businesses can compete more effectively.

Regardless of which side of the debate you are on, this book will open your eyes. It is carefully researched, skillfully written, and absolutely fascinating. It will likely arouse your anger. And it may even change the way you shop.

Paul Francis Musgrave, author of Indispensable Marketing Strategies - How to Outwit Your Competition, Attract and Retain Customers, and Multiply Your Profits - Marketing Strategy Secrets for Profitable Small Business Management

This book should be required reading for all elected officials....especially those in city and county government. Mitchell backs up her findings with documented studies. A fascinating look at just how manipulated we are as consumers....and we allow it to happen!

I just started reading this book and I'm already blown away by the world it is revealing to me! Reading how Wal-Mart has corrupted the free enterprise system by manipulating all the mechanisms that enable/encourage fair trade, competition, market demand, consumer preference, cultural uniqueness, etc. was startling. And the part about how Wal-Mart is slowing gnawing its way inside the manufacturers to the point where it requires a company to buy raw materials from Wal-Mart, and soon won't even buy goods but will expect manufacturers to provide goods on consignment! I know that doesn't sound dramatic, but consider what happens when Wal-Mart tells P&G that it must have 100 cases of a new product in every store, in spite of what P& G's projections say the market demand is. The market doesn't go for the product, so only 60 cases are sold per store. Wal-Mart has no risk because they don't own the merchandise. So P&G has to eat the loss somehow. And as the book showed, if a company says no to Wal-Mart, they get kicked out of the store and the sudden loss of revenue can and has bankrupted companies. Good God!! And of course, Wal-Mart isn't the only one doing this.

Reading this book is like accidentally walking into a store's backroom and coming across some dirty sweatshop where everyone is in chains. Then some cleancut, smiling guy hooks your arm, leads you out and gives you some urgent story about how they're trying valiantly to keep such conditions from being necessary in every store in the world. Then stuffs a 30%-off coupon into your hand and guides you to the weekly sale rack.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a guy who likes popping into Target, Home Depot and a host of other chains. But seeing behind the shiny laminated displays makes you think....

Although this book contains a lot of interesting information, Mary Ellen Bates makes it clear that if you don't have a degree in library science or an extensive background in research you are pretty much wasting your time. I can appreciate her experience but she doesn't give much encouragement to those of us who don't have her background and/or connections. This is not a book for those looking to build a business from the ground up.

There are a variety of approaches to starting a Research Business, and this book simply does little justice to providing business-smart content for doing just that. If you want to embark into a research business on your own, this might give you a vision but it will certainly not give you the business smarts you need to really start and manage your new business. Best to look into resources on starting a consulting business and other resources about starting any business.

Best of luck.

- Dissapointed

Mary Ellen Bates has created a very well-written, informative work that covers all of the salient aspects of starting one's own information services business - including those that someone looking into the field would never even think to ask about. Ms. Bates' writing style has a personal feel that is at the same time very professional. Her personality as a no-nonsense, savvy, and yet friendly information services professional comes across on every page.

The book really covers two important but somewhat distinct skill sets: how to start and run a successful business and how to be a successful information services professional. Ms. Bates' apt writing style weaves these two elements together quite seamlessly.

I suggest reading "Building & Running a Successful Research Business" cover to cover before spending your time reading any one of the more generic books available on the topics of how to find information online or how to conduct research. Once you have covered all of the bases with Ms. Bates' work, it would then be prudent to pick up some of these other works to dive more deeply into the areas where you need additional support.

Mary Ellen Bates is an internationally-known presenter on business information and research topics, however in this book she talks not about where to find information, but about how to build a business doing just that. The book is practical, inspiration, and actionable, but also makes it clear that the life of an information entrepreneur is not for everyone. A great resource for those considering this career path, or those already in it who need a bit of professional, albeit friendly, coaching.

So many "how to" books are filled with airy reiterations of the obvious or catchy but useless "10 Ways to..." Build and Running a Successful Research Business, on the other hand, is dense, useful, funny, insightful, honest and inspirational. A true page-turner in a genre that so rarely sees this caliber of writing or thought.

The Independent Filmmaker's Guide to Writing a Business Plan for Investors

An absolute fundamental reference for rookie Independent Filmmakers. Not only does it aide in developing an impressive business plan, but with a detailed examples it suggests how to make it a plan of action. A must read for all Independent Filmmakers.

The first thing you notice when you read Mr. Campisi's book is how well written it is. As a writer myself that means I will inherently respect this author and truly absorb what I am reading. Now, I must be honest, this is the kind of book that has always intimidated me, that I tend to shy away from - for I'm not exactly what one would call a natural with regard to matters of finance (as is my screenwriting partner who 'gets' this stuff quite easily). So it was rather pleasing to read this book and actually comprehend what Mr. Campisi was saying. He informs the reader without being condescending. He instructs without being pedantic. The second thing you notice is the warmth and humor: the book is actually fun to read. The cold, complex and harsh worlds of finance and Hollywood are anything but inviting and amusing yet Mr. Campisi manages to embroider his sage advice and interviews with charm and an eloquence that confidantly invites the reader in and says, "Hey, learn from me... I went through this too, you can do this... if you want... if you work hard... IF you are willing to take the time to learn and dispense with the pretense and attitude that will surely drive investors away." My writing partner and I recently decided we wish to produce our first project. We might not have made that choice to produce ourselves were it not for becoming familiar with this well-organized, smartly written book and its knowledgeable author. This is recommended reading for any first time indie film producer who dares to dream, who dares to ponder swimming in those frigid, uncharted waters of the industry. Don't be afraid to jump in - this book is a terrific vessel to get you ashore. The Sample Indie Business Plan alone is worth the money.

Infused with real-world examples and humor and just a little Hollywood edge, Campisi takes you through (from a to z) how to prepare a business plan for investors that even a film-world neophyte can understand and learn from. It's not easy to have your pie-in-the-sky ideas shot down, if you were thinking in vague terms of what a business plan should be. But over and over enthusiasm for the indie newbee and a you-can-do-this attitude make rolling up your sleeves to do the hard work you need to do to wade into the choppy waters film finance, not as hard as you think. I'm using it like a bible right now,as I step into those choppy waters myself and need to catch that Campisi life-preserver he throws into the current now and then. Watery metaphors aside, I highly recommend this book. Besides the appendix rocks with a distilation of the book into a business plan - its worth it to work your way through the book, just for the appendix.

I was extremely disappointed in this book. It told me nothing I didn't already know and nothing that isn't available in numerous other books of the same subject matter. Considering the nearly $ 40 price, I thought I was getting a definitive book on the subject matter and I would hardly call it that. Oh but the cover is beautiful. Smart marketing.

This book has two sections: the first outlines the requirements of a business plan, and the second is a sample business plan, with the intention that you copy it and fill in the blanks.

The first section is very helpful in giving you an overview of what is expected in a business plan, and why. Most crucially, it gets you thinking about your investor and what they are looking for from the deal. Many projects that reach the business-plan stage fail because they to not acknowledge the business element of filmmaking, but focus on the artistic merits of the project. In reading the first section, you'll gain a good understanding of the steps to present your project to an investor. A slight weakness of this is the presumption that you'll have an army of entertainment lawyers to complete the funding process. This is advisable, but not always the case.

The second section, however, is where the book falls short. Reading through the business plan, it is laborious in its repetition - while there is a need to restate some facts or intentions, this plan goes overboard. It is also quite poorly structured: for example, half the plan is an overview of the filmmaking process that assumes your investor knows nothing about film. This information should be in an appendix - an investor should not have to wade through 20 pages of this before reaching the numbers and projections they're really interested in.

In summary, this is a good guide to the realities of presenting your project to investors, but it doesn't deliver as well on that promise as it could. Still a worthwhile read and a useful addition to any low- to mid-level filmmaker's bookshelf.

I didn't buy this book, but got it in one of microsoft press' books' cd I've bought. I think it is the 70-350 training kit book.
This guide, which I have only in pdf, is a very useful guide to network admnistrators, devepers and designers. It gives you the exactly information you need about any network protocols, technologies and systems in a short look up.
It's not a networking course, it's a consultant guide. If you don't know about what networking is and how networks work, don't purchase this item, instead, try buying another book. However, if you are a network professional, order it now, because it's helpful when you are learning something new and need explanation about any network protocol. For instance, you are trying to implement VPN in your environment and, suddenly face with the L2TP word. You go to the M.S. ENC. NETWORKING and look for L2TP. The book will show you a clear understandable explanation of how L2TP works and where to find it.
I hope to have helped you.

I love books like this! This guide has every network reference you can think of. If you are any kind of network administrator, you'll want a complete reference on your desk. When you were in school, you'd have to grab Webster's daily to complete projects or double-check your own work. Well...now that you've graduated into the Geek world, you need your own Geekified Webster's. I use this reference daily to look up terms I've always talked about, but not quite understood completely. And, believe it or not (OK, I'm a Geek, too), I'll sit in bed and just browse the text from time-to-time, picking up something new every time I crack the book.

If you're looking for information on network types, architectures, hardware, technologies, protocols, concepts, tools, services and/or software, you have to run right out and purchase this book.

This is probably the most comprehensive book on the market today that covers the A-Z of Microsoft networking. This book is a great addition to any technical school library or any administrator's bookshelf. Would-be MCSE's will greatly benefit from this book.

Not only is it easy to navigate, filled with diagrams, tables and great screenshots, each entry in the encyclopedia has an abundance of easy to read in-depth technical information as well as references to other relevant entries.

I particularly appreciate the CD-ROM that I can take with me when I travel and search when I'm in a hurry.

Not only are networking terms covered in this book, but hardware, platforms, standards, disaster recovery components and essentially every reference you will ever need for the industry has been documented and alphabetically sorted in this book. One of the things that impressed me the most about this book is that the descriptions are not Webster-like. In fact if you look up "shared folder permissions" you will find 3 pages and six diagrams that provide not only a definition, but a practical guide for application as well. For example; what permissions are more restrictive, how the permission changes are applied for several different operating systems ranging from Windows 98 and ME to Windows XP and .NET Server, default permissions, application of permissions to groups and even the implications of an NTFS partition.

The part that earned my respect as a seasoned consultant was the inclusion of wireless networking terms and standards. Recently, I have been involved in several writing projects and need to know a little about everything in order to provide my readers with peripheral information about a particular subject. Not only was I able to find information on the 802.11 standard, but the Tullocks' also included information on the variants including the 802.11b, 802.11a and 802.15 standards. In fact, there are nearly twenty pages of wireless protocol and support information. In addition, subjects such as Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) is covered and explained as is frequency hopping and spread spectrum. I certainly did not plan on finding those examples, diagrams and explanations. I found the same level of detail when I needed to search for information on public key cryptography. A detailed description of the different types of keys is provided as is the components that make up the environment and cross-references to certificate authorities, encryption, SSL and digital certificates including X.509 information. There is enough information on PKI that any reader could not only understand but know enough to be able to identify components and talk intelligently on the subject.

Another important aspect of networking that I did not expect to see is the networking commands and tools. For example, all the TCP/IP commands such as tracert, ping, route, rcp, rexec and tftp are defined and explained. UNIX commands are also defined and explained as are Windows 2000, XP and .NET Server commands. Detailed NET commands for Windows networking are also described and explained from NET ACCOUNTS to NET VIEW. For the most part, the commands that received the most attention in this book are Microsoft networking related, but considerable energy was spent in defining and explaining commands from other networking operating systems including UNIX. In addition, information about Apache and Linux is included as are many pages on NetWare and NDS subjects.

Aside from the many topics that I did not expect to see in the book, the topics that should be included in a networking encyclopedia are all there and in great detail. Just about every hardware element from cables and how to build a cross-over cable to fiber-optic, fibre channel, hubs switches and even routing protocols are covered and explained so that the reader can quickly see the benefits and drawbacks of each technology. It would almost seem that an entire section was dedicated to subnetting as page after page is used to explain and detail how and why subnetting is used and implemented. Many tables are provided to explain the relation between the mask and the number of subnets and hosts. The novice should immediately understand the implications of subnetting while the die-hards will refer to the section as a reference.

I must admit some degree of skepticism when I heard about this book. There are already so many good network reference books on the market why would I be interested in one from Microsoft? It's surely going to be biased right?

However, Mitch Tulloch is a respected contributor to the myITforum.com web-site, so, casting caution to the wind, I dove in.

What I discovered is a reference book that is very different than the others gathering dust on my shelf. The language is clear and concise. The graphs are superb. It is well organized. Moreover it it's actually a delight - no, FUN - to read!

While there is a slight Microsoft "bent" to the content it is only to answer the reader's question in a practical way if they are engaged in Microsoft Networking. For example it will define "grep", give you a UNIX example and then explain how to layer in and use grep in a Windows NT/2000/.NET setting.

I have shown this book to my colleagues at work and they are equally impressed with it. It's a "keeper"!

You may have other computer reference books but I would rate this book as one of the few "gotta haves".