I have opted to use this book in a course on newswriting for various distribution channels but I am not as pleased with it as I anticipated. One of the first disappointments is that the accompanying classroom material promoted in the text is simply not available, and the publisher is not willing to say if it ever will be. The material included a video of some of the footage discussed in the text, and a promised web site, which was to keep current examples of good and bad writing available, with other goodies hinted at. Both promised to be great classroom tools to enhance understanding, but now I find myself having to try to explain why referenced examples in the text do not exist. The book, however, does a very solid job of providing an overview of several valuable concepts - most notably the idea that good writing is still at the core of communications, with delivery systems helping aim at specific audiences with specific interests and needs. The emphasis on content and accuracy, regardless of delivery, is strong throughout the book. The authors use two major news stories as illustrations across the chapters, which is nice to follow, but also a little confusing, since we don't have the video clips to support the discussions. The material is not damaged, though, and the principles are still communicated. It's not very detailed and I would like to have seen more specific advice given involving the distinctions between the writing styles themselves. The material is touched on, but not heavily addressed. That, however, would have lengthened the 225-page book and made it more intimitating that it needs to be. Perhaps in this era of exploring this issue of writing across the media, this brevity is the right approach. I know I'll have more success getting students to make it through this book than I do requiring them to wade through some other heftier texts I've tried. In all, it's a great first step. Now it's time for more detail and analysis. Who's game?

Good guide for 1997, but 3 years later it is out of date and does not contain many new sites. Web directorys should be updated yearly at the least.

I was very unhappy when I saw the cheap quality of The Big Basics Web Directory published by Que.. The paper is the kind used for coloring books, and the printing is poorly done. In some instances it is all but impossible to read the black print on dark gray background. I had expected to receive a book of at least as good quality as Que's Complete Idiot's Guide to Windows 95. Sorry about this poor review. This is the first time in a long time I've been so disappointed in a book I had ordered sight unseen.

     There are literally millions of Websites online today that provide a wealth of information on a variety of topics. There are a handful of good Internet Website directories available that can help surfers find the information they need. Most of these are bulky, though, and can take a while to thumb through. Que and Macmillan Computer Publishing has published The Big Basics Web Directory to provide readers with reviews of their top picks!

     Que's editors have selected the best Website in each of the 101 categories covered in the book. Additionally, four more (best of the rest) Websites in each of these categories are also reviewed. Topics include business, car buying, computers, cooking, education, government, health, hobbies, humor, investing, job searching, news, pets, religion, software, sports, travel, as well as a number of controversial issues.

     This large 8 1/2" by 11" directory features quarter-page screen shots of every Website reviewed. A convenient listing at the back of the book lists every Website and its URL to provide quick and easy access to them. Website reviewers will find this directory to be a great reference tool for review material when facing a deadline. Website designers can pick up some top-notch Website design ideas as well!

     This concise directory will point readers to some of the best Websites available at the turn of a page. Thumb through it at your leisure. There is something of interest here for everyone! Highly recommended!

Despite the reviews posted by others, I foolishly bought this book. After reading it, I shipped it back. Very, very introductory book that barely covers the basics. Agree with one of the other reviewers - take a training class or sit with someone already knowledgable.

Good book to get started with a basic (and I do mean basic) introduction to Mercury Interactive's automated testing tool, WinRunner. Authors did a good job of good examples and discussion of the overall concepts of WinRunner and test automation. The binding of the book is NOT paperback though. It is more like academic binding with a plastic binder. This normally doesn't bother me, but being the size of a "For Dummies ..." quick reference and carrying a [cost] price tag, I took issue. Probably would not purchase unless you can't get your company to send you through the training course somewhere.

I'll first start my review out by saying that I need to agree with the other reviewers on the length of the book. It is a bit short. But in spite of its length, for a technical book on a very narrow subject, the price is within the norm.

Now, this book is aimed at the beginner, and anyone with a few months experience at WinRunner should overlook this one. BUT for the NEW WinRunner scripter, it seems to have all the right stuff.

One thing someone buying this book should understand, it that the book is clearly self-published. Don't expect the same glossy pages you'd find with an IDG or Sam's Books kind of publication. You don't get that with this book. Enough said about that. On to the review.

Chapter's 1 and 2 do not say much.

Chapter 3 starts you off with installing the product. I've seen a few people have trouble installing software, so, this would be of use to some beginners. It is funny. It reminds me of the instructions for the installation of Windows 95 in the "Windows 95 For Dummies" book. Same wacky sense of humor.

Chapter 4 is a tutorial that assumes you know NOTHING about WinRunner. It has you recording scripts for MS Notepad, MS Paint, and MS Calculator. It explains what each line in the recorded script does.

Chapter 5 is a second tutorial aimed at introducing and teaching about the "GUI map." It points out some of the pitfalls that even I had trouble with early on. It explains how to capture an application's screens into the GUI map. It walks you through capturing all the screens in MS Notepad.

One interesting note is that it seems like these guys have been around the Mercury tools a while.

Chapter 6 is a list of some 8 GUI map pitfalls and work-arounds for them.

Chapter 7 is the next tutorial. Here they have you recording scripts for the testing of a web site. They start by walking you through nine steps for automating such a site: Web Browsers, Sizing up the Project, Breaking it down into Related Areas, Recording, Debugging, Running the script, Finding and Reporting Bugs, Updating the scripts, and Updating the Scripts for each Build.

Each subject is taken up in detail and they even have you put together a simplistic automated test plan. As with the other tutorials, each WinRunner script line is explained. This is the biggest chapter and since most software these days is web-based, that is a good thing.

Chapter 8 explains how to debug a WinRunner script. Just a short three pages, but it explains some of the "gotcha's" and how to avoid them.

Chapter 9 is another "Pitfalls" chapter. This time you get the problems and solutions for 15 different web testing issues.

Chapter 10 is just a "Why and when do you automate" kind of chapter. It is short.

Chapter 11 has 5 pages of hints and tips. Again, not much new here for the WinRunner Pro, but a lot of info to keep the beginner going.

Chapter 12 is an overview of software testing techniques. It contains the basic info that a tester should know.

There is an excellent SOFTWARE TESTING GLOSSARY with some 200+ testing terms defined. Someone new to test automation or general software testing would find this to be one of the most valuable parts of the entire book. I would even buy it if it were available by itself for a few bucks.

To sum it up, this book has a LOT to offer the WinRunner beginner. It gets him/her started, it teaches him/her "the ropes" and there is not much else out there in third party WinRunner books.

Twain could always come up with a good yarn, and this is as good as any, so far as plot is concerned. But this send-up of the Sherlock Holmes genre never really gets off the ground. A send-up should be funny. But there is too much in the plot that is evil and dark, so Holmes' appearance -- and his incorrect solution -- become merely annoying. The reader on the tape version does what he can to keep things moving along, but he cannot stifle the inevitable feeling in the listener that this is Twain churning out words for money. Still, it IS Twain after all, and so it does have its moments. Just not enough of them.

As an ecology student, I expected a sound scientifically written ecology and management tool. Although some selected studies were quoted, this book appears to have a political agenda. Every section has a "and here's why doves should be hunted" swing which I found to be annoying.

Sadly, the author strings events in Corman's life in such a way that you are left not finding any interest in his life, which is sad as Corman has led such an interesting life. His own semi-autobiography was much more intersting and fun to read. The one good point of this book is the rundown of his movies, including intersting facts in the making of them as well as the listing of the major players in Corman's films. Not worth [the $]though.

Peterson's really dropped the ball with this book, which should have never made it to the printer. They will have to work long and hard to repair the damage to their reputation done here. Poorly written, clearly unedited, and fraught with very frustrating INCORRECT answers which are unexpained, this book is a travesty. I'm interested in a class action if anyone is up for one. I've still got my receipt!

I should have checked this area before I bought the book... tsk, tsk..

Although you can use the tests to practice, I found that I was spending an enormous amount of time trying to understand why my answers were wrong. My conclusion was that the book actually contained MANY wrong answers! Since the author does not provide explanations, you can't understand the rationale in the (mostly wrong) answers! You will not find any advice particularly useful. I found "Cracking the LSAT" a much superior, worthwhile book!

this is quite possibly the least insightful book ever written. i have learned more worthwhile information about the LSAT from reading candy wrappers. the most maddening part of the book is that the answers to their practice tests are ridiculous. i don't know what those weasels at peterson's were drinking when they wrote this piece of garbage, but one would be better served to spend their $16.95 on a back alley lobotomy. unless you are hoping to score a 120 on the lsat, buy some other book. ANY OTHER BOOK! writing such trash should be a crime.