Concepts included in this manual include encryption (explaining PGP, stynography and Blowfish) which is the hiding of text or messages in graphics, however, while the entire 370-page book tends to surround political problems the simple explanations of what are actually interesting concepts are written well below the intelligence level of the average adult. However, maybe it is this easy reading, with its very practical and entertaining style, that the first time user will find beneficial when presented with the writer’s multitude of insights into the use of the internet. The book further offers a glimpse into the world of hackers (why they do what they do) and what the average user can do to protect themselves against an intrusion into their privacy. Another benefit of the book is its accompanying CD that offers security-related software such as Spyware blockers and spam filters, some of which are already outdated but still effective.

Unfortunately, since I am current with modern technology and software I was disappointed that the fourth revision of this book still contained references to MS-DOS and other programs that are outdated and passé. Overall the book offers such a variety of different topics on the Internet from P2P applications to finding wireless networks making it no wonder that the author can’t be current with all aspects of what he has tried to cover.

For more information on this manuel you may want to use your Google search engine.

[tags]book review, technical, computer, Steal This Computer Book 4.0 by Wallace Wang- Internet, instruction manual[/tags]