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cover image BANDITS ON THE INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY

Daniel J. BARRETT
likes to wear many hats, most of them electronic (with little beanie propellers). An active participant on the Internet and ARPAnet since 1985, Dan has worked as a UNIX system administrator, university instructor, software engineer, industry consultant, and Usenet newsgroup moderator. Currently, he's working on a Ph.D. in computer science at the University of Massachusetts.
In addition to Bandits on the Information Superhighway, Dan is the author of over 20 articles in Compute!, Keyboard magazine, AmigaWorld, and other magazines. On Usenet, his BLAZEMONGER humor series ("the fastest computer game ever created") has vast legions of fans, both of whom were honored to be mentioned in this "About the Author" section.
When he's not flipping bits, Dan likes to compose and record progressive rock music, play competitive volleyball, read science fiction, and cook. He and his wife, Lisa, reside in Boston. You can write to Dan on the Internet at dbarrett@ora.com.

Series: What you need to know

Publisher : O'Reilly & Associates - Bonn ; Cambridge

Bibliographic :

DESCRIPTION :

Most people on the Internet behave honestly, but there are always some troublemakers. What risks might you encounter online? And what practical steps can you take to keep yourself safe and happy?

Bandits on the Information Superhighway provides a crash course in Internet "street smarts," revealing realistic risks that every user should know about. In addition, this book debunks the overhyped scare stories about Net pornography, computer crime, and dangers to children, perpetuated by the uninformed media. The Net really is a safe place, as long as you take a few simple precautions. Bandits provides that knowledge.

Bandits covers online privacy, fake money-making schemes, deceptive advertising, electronic junk mail and "spamming," safe buying and selling, advice for parents, online romance do's and don'ts, pranks and hoaxes, users' rights, and much more.

This book will show you:

With first-person anecdotes, technical tips, and the advice of experts from diverse fields, Bandits on the Information Superhighway helps you identify and avoid risks online, so you can have a more productive and enjoyable time on the Internet.

See also Author's Online References.

CONTENTS :

  1. Welcome to the Internet! We'll look at the major ways people communicate on the Net, and we'll discuss the most common risks you might encounter.
  2. Protecting your privacy How much privacy do you have online? Can other users read your files or electronic mail? Are hackers and crackers poised to steal your data, or are the risks overblown? We'll discuss various threats to your electronic privacy and what (if anything) can be done about them.
  3. "Get rich quick" schemes Can "instant wealth" be yours? (Yeah, sure. And golden pigs will fly out of your modem.) Don't trust online schemes that will supposedly make you rich. Some of them are surprisingly creative and hard to spot. We'll examine them in depth.
  4. Appearances can be deceiving Things are not always what they seem to be on the Internet. We'll look at products and services that are presented misleadingly on the Net. In general, if a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
  5. Free information...for a price It doesn't make sense to pay for free information, but some people on the Net will try to sell it to you, hoping that you won't notice. Here's an overview of the most common schemes.
  6. Buying and selling on the Net How can two strangers safely trade money for merchandise over the Internet? It's done all the time, but there is no foolproof method. Here is important information to help you avoid mistakes and misunderstandings.
  7. Pranks, spams, and time-wasters Care for some electronic junk mail? How about a hoax? Internet time-wasters range from amusing to annoying to financially costly. Here's the scoop on how to avoid wasting your valuable time.
  8. Strangers, friends, and lovers The Internet is a terrific place to meet people. But how can you "know" somebody you've never met in the flesh? We'll cover tips for getting around in chat groups, deciding whether to trust other users, managing Internet romance, and arranging a safe meeting in person.
  9. Parents and the Internet Frightened by recent headlines? Don't be. We'll discuss the unfrightening statistics on pornography, "pedophiles," and other Net scare stories.
  10. Your rights on the Net Here's what every user should know about basic, online legal issues. We'll discuss online service contracts, copyright, privacy, libel, harassment, anonymity, and protection from snoopers.
  11. What to do if you are ripped off Even if you follow all the tips in this book, a clever scammer still might fool you. Now it's time to get tough. We'll look at online and offline resources for getting help.
  12. What will the future bring? In the future, will we have more or less privacy online? Will scams increase or decrease? Are new laws on the horizon? Do we really need them? Listen as our panel of expert users speculates on the future of Internet banditry.
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