This is an exciting and gripping story of a system administrator's life. One day, he discovers a hacker who is constantly breaking in into computer systems. When he begins to chase the hacker, he eventually finds out that it's not just some youth having fun reading other people's files. And you are going to hold your breath while following the administrator's every move.

The book's well written and funny. Its philosophy is somewhat anarchist, as is usual for computer freaks, and pretty ironical towards the US government institutions. I'm glad to say that the hero, looking like just another leftist jerk in the beginning, goes through a significant attitude change when he realizes that there are countries much more evil than the United States of America.

This was the second computer security book I read and it was like adding flame to a fire because it increased my curiosity and prompted me to want to know more about it, so I ended up reading Cyberpunk by Katie Hafner and John Markoff to get a more inside look. If you start reading it then you'll probably finish it the same day. It talks a scientist that stumbles on a mistake in the accounting part of his job as a scientist at Lawrence Berkely Lab and he makes the mistake into a chase through cyberspace. In the book the author takes on the role as a modern day Sherlock Holmes and in the end he realizes that it was only elementary.

Dealing with the CCC (Chaos Computer Club), Hunter (the main hacker), and the different networks will really make you think and keep you on your toes. Read it and see for yourself just how intense the experience will be. I advise you to get some sleep before you start because you probably won't be getting any anytime soon.

Cliff Stoll, an astronomer working at the Lawrence Berkeley Lab in California discovers a 75 cent accounting error. Thus begins his search for the hacker responsible.

Without much help from the CIA, FBI, OSI, or NSA, Stoll traces the hacker across country and finally to Hannover, Germany.

Using holes in computer systems and guessing passwords, the hacker successfully gets into military computer systems at White Sands Missle Range, the Pentagon, and bases in the U.S., Germany, and Japan.

Stoll sets up a fake SDI network to trap the hacker, and a year later, Markus Hess is arrested as the hacker.

Stoll offers an irreverent look at various government agencies through the eyes of a "60s longhair."

As well as a fascinating read, the book offers a great look into secure and insecure government computer systems. He strongly recommends the use of passwords not found in the dictionary.

High-Tech Heretic by Clifford Stoll is a witty, skeptical insider's account of the (possible) negative effect of computers and the Internet on schools, education, libraries, and society at large.

His main thesis and conclusion: "I believe that a good school needs no computers...a good teacher can handle her subject without any multimedia support. That the enjoyment of scholarship has nothing to do with making learning fun...That students...recognize computer assignments primarily as entertainment, rather than education" (p. xiv). He is concerned about the "empty promises of the cult of computing" (p. xi) and that "techies have a responsibility to challenge hyberbole, false promises, and gross exaggerations" (p. xii).

Written in an informal "conversational" style, Stole attempts to rebut many exaggerated claims of high technology's ability to enhance learning. While the book contains some quotations from "experts" and a few anecdotal "horror stories" missing are the hard facts, documentation, research, or footnotes backing his conclusions. What he appears to have done is select some of the worst examples of computer and Internet "abuse" in schools while ignoring many more positive benefits of technology in society.

He often resorts to the "either/or" fallacy to prove his points (EITHER computers OR teachers, EITHER the Internet OR books, etc). For example, "Encourage kids to surf the Web rather than read books..." (p. 164) -- why can't it be both? There are many such examples.

The book is an entertaining read, but we get mainly the author's private opinions and speculations why we should be skeptical like him. Having said that, I agree with his points about the negative impact that computers and the Internet could have if they are seen as replacements for hard work in the learning process, or substitutes for real personal interaction among teachers, students, and people in general.

This was the book I selected as a report and oral presentation assignment for a Computer Ethics class at the University of South Florida.

Wow! What a mind opening book! If you are a teacher, administrator, or parent of a child in school, you should read this book! High Tech Heretic has changed my view of computers in the classroom. Clifford Stoll tears down everthing, in regards to technology, that our society holds so sacred and puts it in proper prospective. Again, a must for anyone involved in education.

This book starts a discussion that really should have occurred well before computers came to be considered a required piece of educational equipment. In an enjoyable to read, humorous style, Stoll gives many good reasons to question the value of computers in the classroom. Earlier reviewers have critiqued Stoll for not having data to support his arguments. The real problem, however, is that the burden should really have been on those who have had us spend millions on the unproven idea that education would be better with computers in the schools. Where was the proof for that proposition?
Stoll argues (convincingly, I think, and certainly cogently) that computers in schools were a solution in search of a problem. Why is it that the promoters of putting computers in every classroom, and wiring every school for the internet are not asked to demonstrate the value of these things for learning? Instead, it seems to be taken as beyond question that having more technology means the school is better - this is certainly the case in the school district where I teach. What Stoll does most effectively is make the case for raising these questions. Do computers help make students read, write, or think any better? These questions can be addressed by looking at what computers actually do, how they work, etc. Reading this book led me to badger lots of other teachers to discuss the issues it raises, and especially the question of why we have never really had this discussion, but rather have worked with the assumption that computers must be good for teaching. Every teacher, principal, librarian, school board member, as well as others interested in education should read this book so we can start a real discussion of the issues it raises.

I absolutely loved this book. I read half the book the first day I got it. Stoll is so sensible about computers and humorous at the same time. He has written in this book exactly what I have felt about computers and their use in schools. I have used computers, and the net, in school projects for a long time and, even though I love the technology, I can also see how frustrating and time consuming it really is. Stoll brings this out so well in this book. We need a middle ground in this computer-crazy world. We need to rethink the importance of computers in the classroom, rather than just doing what is politically correct.

If you care about our education system, and you are inclined to think that computers are part of the solution, you should read this book. Stoll makes the case that computers are more likely part of the problem.

My favorite line is from p. 99:

"No pilot project in educational technology has ever been declared a failure."

This aptly characterizes the process of evaluating technology in education as utterly lacking in rigor.

Unfortunately, this book also is lacking in rigor. On that score, I cannot disagree with Stoll's critics. There is a lot more strong rhetoric than strong proof here.

But the bottom line remains: Stoll is probably right. The conventional wisdom vastly overstates the benefits and understates the costs of computers in education. If this book does nothing more than encourage people to ask questions about costs and benefits, it will have done a heroic service.

I like this guy! He can point out how computers help, as well as how they get in the way. It makes sense and it's indisputable. So many people think that computers = good. Especially in schools. But there are so many factors that are overlooked, it's refreshing to see someone 'in-the-know', not be brain-washed like others with the same knowledge.

There's a nice balance here and Clifford Stoll does an excellent job putting things into REALISTIC PERSPECTIVE.

Silicon Snake Oil is written by Clifford Stoll a Berkeley astronomer with extensive experience in the Internet and its development. It is written in a non-technical style that makes it very easy and enjoyable to read, but contains a tremendous amount of information about the Internet. His comments cover email, computerized education, bulletin boards, user groups and a wide range of computer topics. He provides a comprehensive analysis on why libraries should not be replaced by computer online information services. For those with extensive computer experience the books provides nostalgic memories of our problems we have had with computers and the Internet. For those new to computers it provides a different historical prospective to wonders of the informational super highway. For both it puts computers and the Internet into prospective, that computers and the Internet should not replace original thought, penmanship, letter writing, libraries or card catalogs, but should be just an additional tool. The books 1995 publishing makes its vocabulary a little dated, but the concepts are very relevant to today's computers users. I feel reading this book will increase the value I get out of technology and help me keep it in perspective.

Clifford Stoll's "Silicon Snake Oil" is an interesting and entertaining book to read because it is written in story-like style and he talks about one technology that almost everyone is using right now: the Internt. With his experiemce in the Internet and technology development, Stoll talks about the impact and influence of computers and the Internet on society, for example, computerized classrooms and libraries. He claims that the Internet and computer are not daily necessities and cannot provide a richer or better life. He also implies that people today rely on computers too much and take craftsmanship for granted. He uses his own daily life experience as examples to show the readers that computers and the Internet are helpful and useful tools, but there are also some downsides of using these tools. One interesting argument that he talks about is why libraries should not be computerized and on-line.

One point that Stoll makes in his book is that people should treat and think of computers and the Internet as tools that help us to achieve our goals, not treat them as the ONLY tools that are available. Examine the penmanship in younger generation and you will see Stoll's viewpoint. Overall, this book gives me several eye-opening perspectives and ideas regarding computers and the Internet. I felt I've been brainwashed after reading this book because I would never think of computers and the Internet as Stoll did. However, Stoll is a little too pessimistic about the information highway. Many things have changed during the last 7 years and it would be great if Stoll continue his thought or argument on this topic.

Perhaps some third thoughts are in order. Stoll is fascinating to watch and interesting to read. In a way, that's the point of this book: Genuine life experiences-- sights, sounds, tastes, touches-- are always richer than virtual life experiences, represented most obviously by the Internet. Stoll hammers relentlessly at the absurdities of the connected life. He is, of course, right. One pictures the computer geek, alone with his machine, staring at on-line images of great art works, unaware of the museum down the street, or-- even worse-- unwilling to go there to experience the art first hand in the company of other people. So what? We are training a generation of children to do the same, to send e-mail to other students in their own schools rather than simply speaking to them and to paradoxically limit their worlds to the limitless world of the Internet. This all has a oddly familiar ring: Over a hundred years ago, Emerson's "Self Reliance" warned that the machines of his day had already and irrevocably destroyed mankind's ability to function in the natural world. Lets face it: Computers are simply machines. We determine their uses. At their best, they make our lives easier; at their worst, as Stoll sees it, they isolate us from our fellow humans and waste enormous amounts of our time. Read this entertaining and provocative book. Then, before you sit at your keyboard, play with a puppy out in the snow. We can have it both ways.