The reason is because no one has heard of Cyberpunk. It only got reprinted a couple of years ago and is still relatively hard to find. I had the original set in 1988, but you couldn't find any modules for it (maybe that was because I lived in Germany at the time). Shadowrun has had a strong following the entire time. I agree that its name has much to do with this problem as anything else.
Given that the genre of these games comes almost entirely from Neuromancer et al, you have to wonder why Katz doesn't say, "I have read Neuromancer and I have seen the future." Come on, it is the exact same thing! I can give you five other novels that are a better fit than that "elves with guns" game. Look at Gorgon's Child or Street Lethal from Stephen Barnes. Check out Neuromancer or Count Zero from Gibson. How about one that throws in a little bio-engineering and a world taken over by the United Nations Peace Keeping Force in the hard to find, but utterly fantastic Long Run by Daniel Keys Moran.
Mr. Katz, before writing another article like this, please read more Science Fiction/Cyberpunk. Thank you
At least for Cryptonomicon, you have to know that this is the first in at least a two part series. He has said that he couldn't fit the entire story into one volume because of binding limitations.
I also like the way his endings go. They are definitely not pat. However, some of them are tied up better than others. When writing with his uncle (?) as Stephen Bury, he seems to do pretty good job. I just read _Interface_ and loved it (especially since it is an election year). It is sort of an updated Manchurian Candidate for the information age. I just got _Cobweb_ from the library and I am looking forward to reading it.
I agree. I make my living providing the back end user friendly experience people associate with the windows products they have on their desk. It basically boils down to my fixing it when it breaks. They have no idea, no clue where to begin, because to them it is not easy.
This is not to rag on the end user. Because someone is a manager of 50 people and has daily tasks to get done, does not mean he should also know how to set up and troubleshoot his computer. Heck, that's why people specialize in this world. I am fine with that.
The problem is that it creates the illusion that windows is stable and easy to use. Many of the people actually learn to use the software (ie navigate around its idiosyncracies) by watching and learning from other people using the same package. Probably the most bizarre and interesting conversations you can ever witness occur between a user of one office suite trying to coach someone through the use of different office suite (as rarely as that happens today). The conclusions they always come up with are wrong. They inevitably end up saying "This would be easier to do if you were using X office suite." That may or may not be true, but there verdict comes from not being able to navigate the particular idiosyncracies of the package they are trying to "help" with, not based on it technical merits.
To see how Neal really feels about Linux, Apple, BeOs, Windows, Unix, check out In the Beginning Was the Command Line, an essay that he wrote after Cryptonomicon. You can download it for free from the web or purchase a printed form. He basically thinks it is bitchin' and indestructible. It is difficult to use, but well worth the effort. However, difficult does not make it impossible. The running analogy he uses is that Microsoft makes station wagons (as far as OS's are concerned) and Linux is like a high tech tank that is put together by a self-organizing group of individuals that try their hardest to convince the average user that they don't need a station wagon.
The best quote from the essay is a fictional conversation between a potential user and a member of the Linux faithful...
"The group giving away the free tanks only stays alive because it is staffed by volunteers, who are lined up at the edge of the street with bullhorns, trying to draw customers' attention to this incredible situation. A typical conversation goes something like this:
Hacker with bullhorn: "Save your money! Accept one of our free tanks! It is invulnerable, and can drive across rocks and swamps at ninety miles an hour while getting a hundred miles to the gallon!"
Prospective station wagon buyer: "I know what you say is true...but...er...I don't know how to maintain a tank!"
Bullhorn: "You don't know how to maintain a station wagon either!"
Buyer: "But this dealership has mechanics on staff. If something goes wrong with my station wagon, I can take a day off work, bring it here, and pay them to work on it while I sit in the waiting room for hours, listening to elevator music."
Bullhorn: "But if you accept one of our free tanks we will send volunteers to your house to fix it for free while you sleep!"
Buyer: "Stay away from my house, you freak!"
Bullhorn: "But..."
Buyer: "Can't you see that everyone is buying station wagons?"
It doesn't matter, they have a lot of $$$. I want to see them donate money to open source projects.
While I shouldn't respond to this (heck, I couldn't see it until I lowered my slashdot crap filter), I will.
With my, until now, casual viewings of slashdot over the past 2 years, even I know that they have already given money to the Open Source movement. Although, slashdot is not, per se, a Linux/Open Source site exclusively (hey, they have articles about science and books too, check them out sometime), they have embraced open source in three distinct ways (an example that I can borrow from church):
1. Their Time: The guys at Slashdot have devoted endless hours envangelizing (in a good way) Linux and Open Source in general (not to mention/. coding hours, but we'll get to that next). I am sure their participation in this exercise alone has brought both end users and actual coders to Open Source. Someone might come here because they hear it is a cool site (despite rumors to the contrary on how much it sucks ), but they leave at least exposed to an idea that is put into active practice on this and other projects maintained by the/. crew. For this they should be given a pat of the back.
2. Their Talents: The/. guys have released the complete source of this site to the world at large under an Open Source license. Many, many hours have gone into created one of the more interactive news sites on the web and the fruits of that labor are available to anyone who is interested. For this, too, they should be given a pat on the back.
Finally, 3. Their Tithes: What was the first thing that these guys did, when they got the Andover money (well, maybe it was second or third, but it was up there)? After paying some of their volunteers, they gave thousands of dollars to the code and groups in the Open Source movement that they had a lot of respect for in the form of the beanie awards. Once again, for remembering the community that supports them, they should be given another pat on the back.
For these reasons, your post is way off base, and I am sure you already knew that. I just wanted people reading your post, who didn't understand this (perhaps a first timer) to realize why this is actually flamebait.
I checked out the website listed in the Premiere Services whois lookup mentioned in the story and it says it is a property management company. Makes the story sound more and more fishy to me.
Then again maybe he is really mad at freewebsites and is looking to DoS them through the slashdot effect. Hmmm....
Thank you for your insightful comments. If I had moderator privledges I would moderate you up one for offering such constructive criticism. All in all my life and future posting behaviors have been enriched by your swift and apt "dummy" judgement.
I think the final evidence of Mr. Pike being wrong can be seen if you read this Slashdot Post from yesterday. The advances in Quantum, Molecular, and DNA computing are currently in progress and as they gain steam, there will definitely be more "innovation" than Mr. Pike could ever hope for.
Asking single line questions doesn't really expand anyones understanding of any subject.
To answer your question however: Though I am not a "purist" as I make my living as a benevolent parasite (ie tech support/analyst) for Microsoft products, I really do enjoy an have a lot of respect for Linux.
Mr. Pike has some good points, but I don't think he is completely right in every respect. First off, stable operating systems are somewhat new (linux/freebsd being among them). For all its "innovation" I'd like to see windows 2000 still run after a hard drive crash (a friend just recently told me how his hard drive crashed but bsd kept going with the processes that were still in memory... my friends, THAT is innovation).
I would also say that the idea of customizability/infite choice in OS is an innovation that even microsoft is picking up. The fact that you can tweak almost everything about an OS is relatively new (thanks to the Open Source Model).
Sure, we have a long way to go, but I think the very open nature of Open Source/Free Software encourages even more research (especially in areas of application) instead of less. You have to consider that Linux (et al) have spent thier time getting the right things done first (like stability and versatility) and now are beginning to branch out.
Yes, GNOME/KDE may be copies of prexisting things, but the wonderful thing is that they have ability to be extended in a myriad of ways by anyone (hello, Eazel). These projects are perfect examples of people accomplishing feats that were previously dismissed. Now, with the education and experience gained from overcoming the hurdles to get these things running, they can now extend those capabilities as far as thier imaginations can take them. I, personally, can't wait to see the new developments in store for KDE and GNOME. I have a feeling that they are going to prove Mr. Pike wrong.
I agree. Offspring is showing that they are smarter than the Napster folks. Ideally this is kind of deal that Napster should make with the artists that feel their rights have been infringed upone. They should allow any band that has songs listed in the Napster browse lists to produce and sell Napster merchandise so that they can make up any "losses" due to the swapping of their intellectual property.
Ideally Napster should release the logo under a sort of modified public license that allows bands to use it as long as it is not changed in any way or used to slanderize the company. Additionaly, bands willing to sell the merchandise would have to agree not to sue Napster. In the end everyone wins. Who wouldn't by a Napster/Metallica T-shirt after all of this mess?
Anyway, I find it histerical that Offspring has played this sink-hole situation so well. They are in a win-win situation right now. They look good no matter what... another $0.02...
What you are seeing is an Internet company becoming a media company in a tangible sense.
Think about it. Excite is leveraging its bandwidth to allow clear transmission of Internet sites (programs) to users (viewers). The advertising for those programs in turn pays excite for its infrastructure and distribution channels. While this seems like a big deal now, it becomes even more important when you factor streaming media into the mix. For this to work realiably you have to use QoS services along the length of the pipe. With Excite@Home being the fatest pipe into America's homes, it can guarantee quality into the home. Without this, you have nothing but choppy unreliable streams. It makes business and technical sense, but is a PR disaster to those that think about it for a moment.
more important than owning the technology is owning the people that created the technology. Funding may be given to increase the general brain trust and then those people offered better jobs "in the private sector.'
Just a thought. Not a good one, but still a thought.
I was floored by the descriptions and application of Quantum Computing in the realm of Crypto Analysis. You have to bet that the promise in this field might bring about the reality even faster than we might think. All it needs is some direction and a ton of funding. I can think of at least one agency that would like to see it sooner than later....
I understand that and this was not really an attack on Canada as a viable population or country of strength and diversity. Sheesh. I only wonder why Canada would try courting Microsoft (which is having admitted troubles at the moment due to the practices in its own country) when they have a strong (well, I guess it has been stronger, but it is at least still viable) competitor to MS that is home grown. I would think that Corel would appreciate the show of support more than some monopolistic power from the US that probably won't take BC up on the deal.
Sorry for ruffling your feathers. Canada is a great place and I like it a lot. Just feeling sorry for Corel. That's all
I agree completely. Just based on information gained from the packets/messages coming to your site (ie the ip address of the packets mentioned in the article), you really have nothing in the way of SOLID proof. That takes more work and generally a face-to-face confrontation (at some point).
Unless IP is going to start carrying cryptographically secured copies of fingerprint or DNA information, which can then be cross-referenced with that new international database we know they are building, you can never be sure.
I agree on the one hand, but having flipped through this book and read through some sections of someone else's, I can see the merit of it. While laptops and other "e-reading" devices are becoming more and more ubiquitous, books are still very portable and less prone to power issues.
I personally like to read techie stuff away from the office/home sometimes. It allows me to approach it with a clear head.
Besides, you ever try to annotate a CD... brings its lifespan way down due to all the scratches and ink. = )
In some ways, it seems strange that Canada is turning on one of its own like that. It makes sense from a business/tax standpoint with Microsoft being worth so much, but you have to wonder how Corel feels about news like this.
Come on... they have been fighting the good fight (forget about your personal feelings about their distrobution for a moment) for years. For every one of Microsoft's "productivity" suite, Corel has a contender. Now they are wieghing in with an OS competitor (like I said, bite your tongue). They gotta feel a little down that they are getting no love from home in this way.
I am taking a modified version of the Cisco Academy right now as a part of some graduate work in internetworking. The course (by Cisco) with its Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) is phenomenal. Their updated version 2.1 has great sims that blow your mind when you actually work on the routers and realize that you are already familiar with them based on your previous experience with the sims.
I also have CCNA Exam Notes by Todd Lammie (as I too will be taking the test later this summer) and I am quite impressed with it. I haven't checked out the CD-ROM yet, but it is so thorough, that I think I could pass the test (based on the ones I have been taking as a part of Cisco Acad) without even touching a router.
Note: I would not try this with the CCNP or CCIE as they have hands-on portions included in the test (from my limited understanding). Hopefully, your CCNA will open up a door to a position in a company that will pay for further training/training aids.
I would recommend the following (all of them great and most of them funny):
Engines of the Mind: Evolution of the Computer from Mainframes to Microprocessors by Joel Shurkin. This is a great book! I found the first edition years ago on a library sponsored book swap shelf and have read it and successive editions so many times that they are dog eared and falling part. The subtitle is somewhat deceptive as it actually traces the computer to its beginnings BEFORE Babbage, with extensive sections on Hollerith (the first application of the computer to a large scaled task were Hollerith's machines used for the US Census). This book is so packed full of information and little tidbits (like the first love letter written by a computer) that you love every page. It includes the first OS's and the first programming interfaces for computers and gives ample space to explaining the breakthrough of the Von Neuman architecture. All this and the style is simultaneously informative and irreverent. This book is one of those overlooked gems in this field that should be read by everyone.
It has already been mentioned before, but I will add my two cents about Accidental Empires: How the Boys of Silicon Valley Make Their Millions, Battle Foriegn Competition and Still Can't Get a Date by Robert X Cringely picks up where Engines of the Mind leaves off and carries the ball into the endzone. This book is filled with so much insider information about the creation most of the software and hardware companies that made up the "PC Revolution" that you wonder if the author (writing under a psuedonym) worked for them all. If you want to know what happened behind the scenes, you have to read this book.
A close contender (and probably my favorite) is Fire in the Valley: The Making of the Personal Computer by Pal Freiberger and Michael Swaine. It originally came out in the Eighties but was recently updated and re-released. This book also picks up where Engines leaves off, but offers a different and more detailed slant (more characters involved) on the rise of the PC. This is an emminently readable book (with lots of priceless pictures in the new edition) and I also highly recommend it.
Finally, it goes without saying the a person interested in Free Software/Open Source should read The Cathedral and the Bazaar by Eric Raymond. Though not entirely about the development of Linux, it does touch heavily on the culture and should be read by everyone. period.
To see a very rudimentary version of this, go to http://www.spammimic.com.
Or try the following. First, write a message. Then, go to an online translator that supports multiple languages. Next,translate text from native language, in this case English, to another language, in this case German. Then take this translation, now in German and translate it to another language, French for instance. Finally, translate it back to your original language, which is our original English in this example. You now have a text that transmits the general meaning of your intended message with a totally obscured style.
A demonstration follows that uses the steps and text above:
to see a very rudimentary version of this one, you will try yourselves http://www.spammimic.com too much. Oder it what follows. You write initially a communication. Then, you go to a translator in line which supports multiple languages. Initially, you translate the text of the mother tongue, in this English case, with another language, in this case of Germans. Then, you now take this translation to them, on German and you translate with another language, French for example. Lastly, you translate it return to your original language which is our original English in this example. They have a text now which transfer the general importance from your communication under consideration with to totals a type makes vaguely.
Slashdot Mirror
Given that the genre of these games comes almost entirely from Neuromancer et al, you have to wonder why Katz doesn't say, "I have read Neuromancer and I have seen the future." Come on, it is the exact same thing! I can give you five other novels that are a better fit than that "elves with guns" game. Look at Gorgon's Child or Street Lethal from Stephen Barnes. Check out Neuromancer or Count Zero from Gibson. How about one that throws in a little bio-engineering and a world taken over by the United Nations Peace Keeping Force in the hard to find, but utterly fantastic Long Run by Daniel Keys Moran.
Mr. Katz, before writing another article like this, please read more Science Fiction/Cyberpunk. Thank you
At least for Cryptonomicon, you have to know that this is the first in at least a two part series. He has said that he couldn't fit the entire story into one volume because of binding limitations.
I also like the way his endings go. They are definitely not pat. However, some of them are tied up better than others. When writing with his uncle (?) as Stephen Bury, he seems to do pretty good job. I just read _Interface_ and loved it (especially since it is an election year). It is sort of an updated Manchurian Candidate for the information age. I just got _Cobweb_ from the library and I am looking forward to reading it.
This is not to rag on the end user. Because someone is a manager of 50 people and has daily tasks to get done, does not mean he should also know how to set up and troubleshoot his computer. Heck, that's why people specialize in this world. I am fine with that.
The problem is that it creates the illusion that windows is stable and easy to use. Many of the people actually learn to use the software (ie navigate around its idiosyncracies) by watching and learning from other people using the same package. Probably the most bizarre and interesting conversations you can ever witness occur between a user of one office suite trying to coach someone through the use of different office suite (as rarely as that happens today). The conclusions they always come up with are wrong. They inevitably end up saying "This would be easier to do if you were using X office suite." That may or may not be true, but there verdict comes from not being able to navigate the particular idiosyncracies of the package they are trying to "help" with, not based on it technical merits.
The best quote from the essay is a fictional conversation between a potential user and a member of the Linux faithful...
"The group giving away the free tanks only stays alive because it is staffed by volunteers, who are lined up at the edge of the street with bullhorns, trying to draw customers' attention to this incredible situation. A typical conversation goes something like this:
Hacker with bullhorn: "Save your money! Accept one of our free tanks! It is invulnerable, and can drive across rocks and swamps at ninety miles an hour while getting a hundred miles to the gallon!"
Prospective station wagon buyer: "I know what you say is true...but...er...I don't know how to maintain a tank!"
Bullhorn: "You don't know how to maintain a station wagon either!"
Buyer: "But this dealership has mechanics on staff. If something goes wrong with my station wagon, I can take a day off work, bring it here, and pay them to work on it while I sit in the waiting room for hours, listening to elevator music."
Bullhorn: "But if you accept one of our free tanks we will send volunteers to your house to fix it for free while you sleep!"
Buyer: "Stay away from my house, you freak!"
Bullhorn: "But..."
Buyer: "Can't you see that everyone is buying station wagons?"
Priceless... =)
While I shouldn't respond to this (heck, I couldn't see it until I lowered my slashdot crap filter), I will.
With my, until now, casual viewings of slashdot over the past 2 years, even I know that they have already given money to the Open Source movement. Although, slashdot is not, per se, a Linux/Open Source site exclusively (hey, they have articles about science and books too, check them out sometime), they have embraced open source in three distinct ways (an example that I can borrow from church):
1. Their Time: The guys at Slashdot have devoted endless hours envangelizing (in a good way) Linux and Open Source in general (not to mention /. coding hours, but we'll get to that next). I am sure their participation in this exercise alone has brought both end users and actual coders to Open Source. Someone might come here because they hear it is a cool site ( despite rumors to the contrary on how much it sucks ), but they leave at least exposed to an idea that is put into active practice on this and other projects maintained by the /. crew. For this they should be given a pat of the back.
2. Their Talents: The /. guys have released the complete source of this site to the world at large under an Open Source license. Many, many hours have gone into created one of the more interactive news sites on the web and the fruits of that labor are available to anyone who is interested. For this, too, they should be given a pat on the back.
Finally, 3. Their Tithes: What was the first thing that these guys did, when they got the Andover money (well, maybe it was second or third, but it was up there)? After paying some of their volunteers, they gave thousands of dollars to the code and groups in the Open Source movement that they had a lot of respect for in the form of the beanie awards. Once again, for remembering the community that supports them, they should be given another pat on the back.
For these reasons, your post is way off base, and I am sure you already knew that. I just wanted people reading your post, who didn't understand this (perhaps a first timer) to realize why this is actually flamebait.
Then again maybe he is really mad at freewebsites and is looking to DoS them through the slashdot effect. Hmmm....
Thank you for your insightful comments. If I had moderator privledges I would moderate you up one for offering such constructive criticism. All in all my life and future posting behaviors have been enriched by your swift and apt "dummy" judgement.
You are the master, teach me your wisdom.
I think the final evidence of Mr. Pike being wrong can be seen if you read this Slashdot Post from yesterday. The advances in Quantum, Molecular, and DNA computing are currently in progress and as they gain steam, there will definitely be more "innovation" than Mr. Pike could ever hope for.
Asking single line questions doesn't really expand anyones understanding of any subject.
To answer your question however:
Though I am not a "purist" as I make my living as a benevolent parasite (ie tech support/analyst) for Microsoft products, I really do enjoy an have a lot of respect for Linux.
Mr. Pike has some good points, but I don't think he is completely right in every respect. First off, stable operating systems are somewhat new (linux/freebsd being among them). For all its "innovation" I'd like to see windows 2000 still run after a hard drive crash (a friend just recently told me how his hard drive crashed but bsd kept going with the processes that were still in memory... my friends, THAT is innovation).
I would also say that the idea of customizability/infite choice in OS is an innovation that even microsoft is picking up. The fact that you can tweak almost everything about an OS is relatively new (thanks to the Open Source Model).
Sure, we have a long way to go, but I think the very open nature of Open Source/Free Software encourages even more research (especially in areas of application) instead of less. You have to consider that Linux (et al) have spent thier time getting the right things done first (like stability and versatility) and now are beginning to branch out.
Yes, GNOME/KDE may be copies of prexisting things, but the wonderful thing is that they have ability to be extended in a myriad of ways by anyone (hello, Eazel). These projects are perfect examples of people accomplishing feats that were previously dismissed. Now, with the education and experience gained from overcoming the hurdles to get these things running, they can now extend those capabilities as far as thier imaginations can take them. I, personally, can't wait to see the new developments in store for KDE and GNOME. I have a feeling that they are going to prove Mr. Pike wrong.
I agree. Offspring is showing that they are smarter than the Napster folks. Ideally this is kind of deal that Napster should make with the artists that feel their rights have been infringed upone. They should allow any band that has songs listed in the Napster browse lists to produce and sell Napster merchandise so that they can make up any "losses" due to the swapping of their intellectual property.
Ideally Napster should release the logo under a sort of modified public license that allows bands to use it as long as it is not changed in any way or used to slanderize the company. Additionaly, bands willing to sell the merchandise would have to agree not to sue Napster. In the end everyone wins. Who wouldn't by a Napster/Metallica T-shirt after all of this mess?
Anyway, I find it histerical that Offspring has played this sink-hole situation so well. They are in a win-win situation right now. They look good no matter what... another $0.02...
What you are seeing is an Internet company becoming a media company in a tangible sense.
Think about it. Excite is leveraging its bandwidth to allow clear transmission of Internet sites (programs) to users (viewers). The advertising for those programs in turn pays excite for its infrastructure and distribution channels. While this seems like a big deal now, it becomes even more important when you factor streaming media into the mix. For this to work realiably you have to use QoS services along the length of the pipe. With Excite@Home being the fatest pipe into America's homes, it can guarantee quality into the home. Without this, you have nothing but choppy unreliable streams. It makes business and technical sense, but is a PR disaster to those that think about it for a moment.
another $0.02 into the kitty...
more important than owning the technology is owning the people that created the technology. Funding may be given to increase the general brain trust and then those people offered better jobs "in the private sector.'
Just a thought. Not a good one, but still a thought.
I was floored by the descriptions and application of Quantum Computing in the realm of Crypto Analysis. You have to bet that the promise in this field might bring about the reality even faster than we might think. All it needs is some direction and a ton of funding. I can think of at least one agency that would like to see it sooner than later....
"I see nuthink... I know nuthink!"
I understand that and this was not really an attack on Canada as a viable population or country of strength and diversity. Sheesh. I only wonder why Canada would try courting Microsoft (which is having admitted troubles at the moment due to the practices in its own country) when they have a strong (well, I guess it has been stronger, but it is at least still viable) competitor to MS that is home grown. I would think that Corel would appreciate the show of support more than some monopolistic power from the US that probably won't take BC up on the deal.
Sorry for ruffling your feathers. Canada is a great place and I like it a lot. Just feeling sorry for Corel. That's all
I agree completely. Just based on information gained from the packets/messages coming to your site (ie the ip address of the packets mentioned in the article), you really have nothing in the way of SOLID proof. That takes more work and generally a face-to-face confrontation (at some point).
Unless IP is going to start carrying cryptographically secured copies of fingerprint or DNA information, which can then be cross-referenced with that new international database we know they are building, you can never be sure.
my $0.02, which I guess adds up to $0.04 now
I agree on the one hand, but having flipped through this book and read through some sections of someone else's, I can see the merit of it. While laptops and other "e-reading" devices are becoming more and more ubiquitous, books are still very portable and less prone to power issues.
I personally like to read techie stuff away from the office/home sometimes. It allows me to approach it with a clear head.
Besides, you ever try to annotate a CD... brings its lifespan way down due to all the scratches and ink. = )
In some ways, it seems strange that Canada is turning on one of its own like that. It makes sense from a business/tax standpoint with Microsoft being worth so much, but you have to wonder how Corel feels about news like this.
.02
Come on... they have been fighting the good fight (forget about your personal feelings about their distrobution for a moment) for years. For every one of Microsoft's "productivity" suite, Corel has a contender. Now they are wieghing in with an OS competitor (like I said, bite your tongue). They gotta feel a little down that they are getting no love from home in this way.
my
I am taking a modified version of the Cisco Academy right now as a part of some graduate work in internetworking. The course (by Cisco) with its Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) is phenomenal. Their updated version 2.1 has great sims that blow your mind when you actually work on the routers and realize that you are already familiar with them based on your previous experience with the sims.
I also have CCNA Exam Notes by Todd Lammie (as I too will be taking the test later this summer) and I am quite impressed with it. I haven't checked out the CD-ROM yet, but it is so thorough, that I think I could pass the test (based on the ones I have been taking as a part of Cisco Acad) without even touching a router.
Note: I would not try this with the CCNP or CCIE as they have hands-on portions included in the test (from my limited understanding). Hopefully, your CCNA will open up a door to a position in a company that will pay for further training/training aids.
Good luck with your studies, everyone.
I would recommend the following (all of them great and most of them funny):
Engines of the Mind: Evolution of the Computer from Mainframes to Microprocessors by Joel Shurkin. This is a great book! I found the first edition years ago on a library sponsored book swap shelf and have read it and successive editions so many times that they are dog eared and falling part. The subtitle is somewhat deceptive as it actually traces the computer to its beginnings BEFORE Babbage, with extensive sections on Hollerith (the first application of the computer to a large scaled task were Hollerith's machines used for the US Census). This book is so packed full of information and little tidbits (like the first love letter written by a computer) that you love every page. It includes the first OS's and the first programming interfaces for computers and gives ample space to explaining the breakthrough of the Von Neuman architecture. All this and the style is simultaneously informative and irreverent. This book is one of those overlooked gems in this field that should be read by everyone.
It has already been mentioned before, but I will add my two cents about Accidental Empires: How the Boys of Silicon Valley Make Their Millions, Battle Foriegn Competition and Still Can't Get a Date by Robert X Cringely picks up where Engines of the Mind leaves off and carries the ball into the endzone. This book is filled with so much insider information about the creation most of the software and hardware companies that made up the "PC Revolution" that you wonder if the author (writing under a psuedonym) worked for them all. If you want to know what happened behind the scenes, you have to read this book.
A close contender (and probably my favorite) is Fire in the Valley: The Making of the Personal Computer by Pal Freiberger and Michael Swaine. It originally came out in the Eighties but was recently updated and re-released. This book also picks up where Engines leaves off, but offers a different and more detailed slant (more characters involved) on the rise of the PC. This is an emminently readable book (with lots of priceless pictures in the new edition) and I also highly recommend it.
Finally, it goes without saying the a person interested in Free Software/Open Source should read The Cathedral and the Bazaar by Eric Raymond. Though not entirely about the development of Linux, it does touch heavily on the culture and should be read by everyone. period.
Just some suggestions.
To see a very rudimentary version of this, go to http://www.spammimic.com.
Or try the following. First, write a message. Then, go to an online translator that supports multiple languages. Next,translate text from native language, in this case English, to another language, in this case German. Then take this translation, now in German and translate it to another language, French for instance. Finally, translate it back to your original language, which is our original English in this example. You now have a text that transmits the general meaning of your intended message with a totally obscured style.
A demonstration follows that uses the steps and text above:
to see a very rudimentary version of this one, you will try yourselves http://www.spammimic.com too much. Oder it what follows. You write initially a communication. Then, you go to a translator in line which supports multiple languages. Initially, you translate the text of the mother tongue, in this English case, with another language, in this case of Germans. Then, you now take this translation to them, on German and you translate with another language, French for example. Lastly, you translate it return to your original language which is our original English in this example. They have a text now which transfer the general importance from your communication under consideration with to totals a type makes vaguely.