Coming Soon...

[ixl]

I don't know if any of you folks have seen the front page of the site recently but I just posted a "tease" there regarding a new piece of material I am hoping to publish within the next few weeks.

As you all are likely aware, I have not been updating the PC Guide reference material recently. OK, more than just recently, it's been a few years. I've been working on a large tome since early 2001, and it would have taken another year to finish it. So I decided instead to publish it in "pieces". The first piece is what I am working to finish off now.

It is going to be an extensive reference work on TCP/IP internetworking protocols. I have worked very hard on it and I feel the quality of the writing is above that of The PC Guide. Also, unlike The PC Guide, this work is heavily illustrated. It will have over 300 full-color diagrams. (Here's an example showing IP fragmentation. (http://www.pcguide.com/pers/ipfragmentation.gif)) It also is extensively hyperlinked and designed to really explain TCP/IP to those who are new to networking.

I would be curious to find out if anyone here might be interested in this material, and I might set up a small "beta test" scheme for those who are willing to review it and provide feedback. I am hoping to have the first cut done by the end of October.

This will be the first in a series of products all related to networking. Once this is done I can then get back to the PC stuff! :)

Please encourage me (he lamely added) since I've put several thousand hours into this project and am afraid nobody will care. :)

Charles

[sleddog]

I'm interested and willing to provide some feedback, provided I can find time :)

[Mark Miller]

Hi Charles,
I have the time and probably because I am in the middle of the road when it comes to expertise, I would be glad to help anyway possible in a beta test. I am sure you will need people who know or understand more but it will probably be good to have someone alittle way down the curve.
Let me know how I can help.
Mark Miller:)

[Paul Komski]

From your past efforts it is hard to believe the quality could be bad. Would be more interested in reviewing content than presentation and have a specific interest in TCP/IP from the historical aspect of the development of the internet.

[pave_spectre]

Certainly sounds interesting.And currently I have more spare time than any sane person should have to deal with so feel fre to "guinea pig" me right up! :p

[Budfred]

I would also be happy to review and give feedback, but I fear that I won't be able to tell you much about the topic you refer to. I don't have a clue what the example you posted is about for instance. If you are aiming for being able to communicate to a less technical audience, I can be helpful for that.

[ixl]

Thanks for the speedy response, all! :)

I am interested in feedback from those of all levels. While I certainly would value having people who are experienced with TCP/IP tell me if I have made any mistakes, that is not my primary concern. I am sure there are lots of errors in there, as there always are, and I will determine them in time. I am more interested in knowing if the material works. Meaning.. is it easy and enjoyable to read? Can you understand it? Most importantly, are you able to learn from it?

I have used a lot of networking resources in this project and I have found that while many are quite good, they almost all suffer from one problem: they assume too much about what the reader already knows. This material doesn't. It describes how things work from the ground up; it explains not only how things work but why, and it also attempts to anticipate questions on the part of the reader.

Paul: I have not written an extensive "history of the Internet" section, at least not yet. However, there is a brief overview of the history of TCP/IP, and I also have a history topic for each of the individual protocols. (There are over 40 covered in this Guide.)

Budfred: The diagram was just a sample. It only makes sense in the context of the three-page discussion that accompanies it. Sorry about that. ;)

c

[Jiggy]

Count me in, i fit into the all levels bit, and the "easy and enjoyable to read" sounds good for me.

[ixl]

Thanks Jiggy.

I wonder where Ghost_Hacker is? Based on his past postings I think he would probably like to see this thing, and I'd be curious about his opinions on it.

c

[david eaton]

Count me in too. Read a lot on the subject, and never really understood it. Perhaps yours will be more digestible! Kudos anyway for the effort involved in this sort of thing. I know, I've done it!

David

[stefanus]

Count me in also Charles. I am a disciple:D. Like Budfred I certainly do not have a clue.
:o
Stefanus

[classicsoftware]

Send it my, I'm always looking for some light reading before bedtime. And I agree, Ghost Hacker would be the best one to review this stuff. I thought I was a networking expert until I experienced his expertise.

[tommy]

Count me in. I have a good general computer background but my knowledge of TCP/IP is, in a word, nil.

Tom

[Fruss Tray Ted]

I am interested in feedback from those of all levels.
Is, about to step onto the first rung, a level? I would be happy to have a look-see if you would send me a copy as well, especially if you promise to underline all the parts I'll need to know to get my little home network going and also tied in to my broadband modem :p

I know it won't have much on that but thought I'd try.... ;)

[jabarnutcase]

Please encourage me (he lamely added) since I've put several thousand hours into this project and am afraid nobody will care.

Consider our replies encouragement!
Believe me, we'll care. Sounds great Charles!
I look forward to reading the material. I first found these forums while looking up info in the "PC Guide". (Which by the way, "outdated" or not, is still some of the best stuff around!)

I'm sure your new project will be excellent reading and a great learning experience for many of us! ;)

[BigBlue66]

As always Charles, I salute you for all the hard work you've done not only with the PC Guide, but on this new endeavor as well.

I too would be willing to give it a shot. Recently got four desktops and one notebook hooked up to broadband at home, but it wasn't really that hard...just plug a few things in here and there, well um, correctly of course. :rolleyes:

[FrankSG]

Charles, It looks interesting! I would be willing to read it and give you some feedback. That is--if you need another person who knows nothing about TCP/IP. The only thing that I know about it is that it works in sending information from one computer to another. Well--I think that's what it does. I am not very adept when it comes to anything too technical. So if I can understand it, most anyone else would be able to. By reading some of your other information, I have no doubt that this will be very good. I wish you well.
~Frank~

[setoguro]

Great I'm just now reading my butt off about networking and moving forward at a snails pace. I can't wait till you get it out and I can get my hands on it. I have to say your other writing is the best I have found and has taken me from zero knowledge about computers to building my own. I would be more than happy to give it a beta read.

[Mark Miller]

Charles,
Quick question, is it just tc/ip or the whole networking gambit? With wi-fi becoming so popular I was just wondering?
Mark

[saphalline]

Hehe, I also know not very much about TCP/IP and the hardcore networking stuff. I'm more of a chipset kind of person. :D

But networking is the future! Just like it's the present and the past of computer technology. Getting all our high-powered PC's to talk to one another is quite the project!

Just a few questions: How many hours a week of homework will we have? Do you only give end-of-chapter tests or are there pop quizzes, too? Are we graded on a curve? :D :p

[ixl]

Thanks again for the kind replies, all.

I hope some of you won't be disappointed. This is not a "how to set up your home LAN" type of reference. It's more of an electronic textbook about how TCP/IP works.

Mark: My project started out intending to cover all of networking. Except that the subject is HUGE and I am bad at saying "nah, I won't cover that." I wanted to cover nearly everything and in too much detail. So after 2.5 years I still wasn't done.

I decided to finish and sell the TCP/IP stuff because I really needed to get something "out there". In fact, I have written many hundreds of pages of other networking material already, including a section on 802.11 (of which "Wi-Fi" is the best known part).

The other material will be published hopefully in the winter and and spring of next year, and then with any luck I will also publish a "complete" guide to all of it, integrated together. To give you an idea of just how overboard I went, that complete guide will probably be somewhere in the vicinity of 4,000 pages.

c

[Abbadon]

Hi,

I'm just getting into the whole networking-stuff at school and would love to read your work. I won't have the expertise to scan out the errors (like there'd be any ;) ) but will have heaps to say on readability and understandability.

Abbadon

[bassman]

Aloha Charles,
Wonderful to see you back at it:) I would be happy to give it a look and give what feedback I can. I fear I share the same concerns as you though. Something this technical will only serve the totally immersed professional, but I’m sure you had that in mind when you wrote it;)
With the advances in 802.11b and now Bluetooth coupled with OS’s like XP and Server, knowledge of this monster is somewhat irrelevant to us laymen.
This will be a great opportunity for me to learn on this subject since I never finished reading my school material on it:rolleyes:

4000 pages??? I know the winters are long up there, but you do have a young son now. Guess I shouldn’t complain, the updates are coming:D
By the way, when do we get a new picture of this adorable child of your's??

Good luck
Frank

[Mark Miller]

Charles,
Whatever the size, I am impressed.
As I said I'll be glad to help from a semi nubie point of view any time.
You , Mjc, and Pete make this the best site on the net.
Mark


:D

[yawningdog]

I'm down, Chuck. Hit me.

[LadyGrey]

Count me in Charles. I can at least give a domestic engineers opinion on the easy reading and being able to learn part. I sincerely agree that most of what is out there assumes way too much about what the reader already knows, probably why I was never able to understand any of it. Take care. LG;)

[gracious]

I sincerely agree that most of what is out there assumes way too much about what the reader already knows

Boy is that the truth. Charles, All this puter stuff facinates me! I have always wondered about T1 connections and many you have before it changes to T2 andT3... and things like multiplexing and the different types of channel banking... I would be honored if I could participate. We use networking to do everything at work, ie. clocking in, personal data email..and also get our mortgage/lease docs via the internet. I probably won't understand all that I am reading but hey, you'll never learn anything sitting on your thumbs!:D

[Inka]

I would like to add my voice to the clamouring of excitement!

Networking is one of my pet subjects (imho) & would be most interested :)

Inka.

[papertech]

ditto!

[ixl]

Thanks for the recent replies to this thread. Glad at least a few people are interested in this thing. :)

I've run into a couple of snags, so it looks like mid-November may be more likely for getting this first writing job done. I'll keep you all updated. Though I'm afraid the T1/T3 and multiplexing stuff will be in a later e-book, perhaps next spring.

Charles

[1966]

I have never been involved with anything on a beta level and feel it would be a great learning tool as well plus if I have a weakness with computers in general it would be in networking. I want to know more, please count me in.

[pave_spectre]

Though I'm afraid the T1/T3 and multiplexing stuff will be in a later e-book

Damn, and there was me already prepared to start some multi plexing.:p

[ixl]

Hi all...

Well, the end of October came and went, and the project isn't done yet. Anyone surprised? :D

It *is* however, about 95% done. I have written, diagrammed, edited, and hyperlinked 1400 of approximately 1500 pages. If all goes well, it should be done at the end of the first week of December. I will then register it and should be able to start showing it to people.

Note that I will not really be having a formal "beta testing" period as I said earlier, because I just don't see any benefit to waiting before I try to sell this material. I am sure it has errors but all books do and I can correct them on the fly.

To those who have responded so far indicating interest, I will provide you with a free copy of this Guide when it is done, in exchange for your being willing to read and review it and provide me with a reasonable level of detail. I don't have any particular requirements in this regard, I would just like you to tell me as much as you can about what you think of the material.

thanks again.

c

[stefanus]

Thanks Charles. We are all looking forward to it , it will be read and commented on (Enthusiastically) I am sure by all of us. ;)
Stefanus

[norealm]

I look forward to purchasing a copy for if it is as good as the Pc Guide material it will be winner. What formats will the book be available in? Also, I suggest marketing it community colleges. I will be receiving my paper next May from a school in Nashville that has a networking program and can tell you that most of documentation is poorly written with few good illustrations.

[ixl]

Thanks Stefanus.

Charles, it will be published in PDF format, either for download or on CD. It will be a fairly large download, probably on the order of 25-30 MB. PDF is supported on pretty much all platforms these days, I believe.

c

[Jiggy]

Being as im not reading at this time, im ready.

Will you put up link to it?

[Mark Miller]

Really looking foward to it!!!
Mark:D

[ixl]

Thanks Mark, Jiggy.

I will make an announcement when it is done.

c

[FrankSG]

I wish you the best on this, Charles. You deserve it! From reading some of your material, I'm sure that this will be great!
~Frank~

[deddard]

I only just took a look at this thread!
I'm definitely interested in this - I'm studying my CCNA, and guess which bit we just got to? TCP/IP:D
I'm sure there's a few on my course who will be interested in this project as well.

[Ghost_Hacker]

I wonder where Ghost_Hacker is? Based on his past postings I think he would probably like to see this thing, and I'd be curious about his opinions on it.


Hey, am I too late to get in on this? I would love to read your work on TCP/IP( I can never get enough of that subject :D )

Anyway, hoping I can get in on the beta test. :)

[ixl]

Oh, sorry GH, the deadline was Wednesday!

Well, since I did mention you by name, I guess I can make an exception in this case. :D

Ugh, I just finished the section on HTTP today. That leaves only one section to go, a few more diagrams, about 100 pages of editing and the danged thing is DONE. My target for completion is December 8th, and I will hopefully be able to make it available a week after that.

c

[Jiggy]

Good to hear, keep up the work.:)


Ghost_Hacker-long time no see.:)

[ixl]

Thanks Jiggy, it will be good to have this stupid thing done with. :)

c

[Ghost_Hacker]

The week of the 15 huh?....can hardly wait :)

[papertech]

I'm still in and ready!

[ixl]

Okay, my last deadline for this was December 8th... and I am actually going to make it! Well, at least, I will be close. :) The document itself should be done by tomorrow or Tuesday. When I can share it with all of you is up to my lawyer. I'll keep you posted. --c

[Jiggy]

Good to hear lad, cant wait.

[FrankSG]

I wish you the best on this,Charles

[Mark Miller]

I agree, can't wait
Mark:D

[ixl]

Okay, the document is done. However, I can't share it with all of you just yet. Hopefully late next week. --c

[1966]

Thanks for keeping the group informed.:)

[stefanus]

I whole heartedly agree:)

[pave_spectre]

I am humming with anticipation! :eek:
Or maybe I just have the sub turned up too loud.:D

[jeeza]

In case the host of these forums, ixl, may have been overseen...
Merry Christmas, and keep us posted about that new book ! :) :cool:

[atc_traffic856]

Yes what ever I may be able to help from the land of Tundra>>

As of now this is all we have for the Internet Connection to our server>>
And whilst in the this tundra the forseeable future is only TCP/IP for us ..so I do believe we will be extrodinary molded to the concept>
And will learn so much more from your passable knowledge base>>

[halovivek]

i went through that diagram..it is really nice..keep it up

[John0904]

No horse is too dead to beat. :D

[donnezg]

I am willing as well to review it and provide feedback,
sounds quite enteresting.

[broncoapache]

Good for you because we should all be trying to hone our skills and I would be very much willing to help you and learn my TCP better. Keep us informed!:cool:

[jabarnutcase]

Well here you go then! ;)

http://www.tcpipguide.com/

[rik148755]

Looks very good indeed, nice work! ;)