Books take offbeat, sometimes harsh view of tech industry

No Starch Press tackles subjects other publishers avoid

By MIKE BERMAN
Scripps Howard News Service
07-JUN-06

It's rare that a small publishing company makes its mark in the industry, constantly overshadowed by those with deep pockets that can churn out a new title every 20 seconds. But No Starch Press seems to have hit the ground running with several of its offerings, including "The Cult of the Mac" by Leander Kahney ($39.95), "Steal This Computer Book 4.0" by Wallace Wang ($29.95) and the soon-to-be indispensable "It's Never Done that Before" by John Ross ($29.95).

Many of their books tend to take an offbeat --- sometimes harsh --- look at the industry, which makes them stand out from the throng of other tomes that grace bookstore shelves. For instance "Just Say No to Microsoft" by Tony Bove ($24.95) not only takes the gloves off, but can become incendiary when it comes to Microsoft bashing. He even attacks "Monopoly," which could be akin to giving your teacher an apple with a worm in it.

Many of the titles published by this upstart company tend to entertain as well as educate --- a definite no-no when it comes to the mega-serious world of computer publishing.

The Cult of the Mac

"The Cult of the Mac" is a lavishly illustrated look at the growing cult of Macintosh users and what lengths they'll go to to show their devotion. The book's cover, showing the back of a man's head shaved to display the Apple logo, is a big clue as to what waits within the book's covers. Of course, let us not forget the obligatory Microsoft-bashing, which is a requirement for all writings that deal with the so-called "alternative" operating systems.

Steal this Computer Book

"Steal This Computer Book 4.0" is an updated look at the world of hacking, spamming, phishing and other evils we've been subjected to when dealing with the wonders of cyberspace. Written by stand-up comedian Wallace Wang, the book reveals everything you need to know about the hazards of cyberspace, explaining in detail how con artists can lure you into home-based, money sucking businesses and other predators that lurk on the Internet. It also comes with a CD that's packed with programs designed to protect your computer from these fiends.

It's Never Done that Before

At first blush "It's Never Done That Before" looks like another in a long line of computer help books designed to aid Microsoft users in their battles against everything from non-booting machines to the aptly-named "blue screen of death." But its no-nonsense approach to dealing with the day-to-day annoyances of dealing with Windows XP sets it apart from the pack. In fact the publisher suggests that, when a neighbor or colleague bugs you about a PC problem, you just hand him the book and have him fix it himself.

Linux Made Easy

"Linux Made Easy" by Rickford Grant ($34.95) is one of the few books I've been able to find that's written for Linux "newbies" --- those of us that are not only unfamiliar with the operating system but may develop "the sweats" when even thinking about trying something other than Windows. The book is written in a language that even I can understand and covers everything from installing Linux to working with its constantly growing library of tools. It also comes with a CD containing "the Open Circulation Edition" of Xandros Linux and a coupon for 120 free SkypeOut minutes.

Ending SPAM

For those technophiles that want to deal spammers a deadly blow there's "Ending SPAM" by Jonathan A. Zdziarski ($39.95). This book is not for the casual computer user, aimed instead at those that can grasp the intricacies of developing anti-SPAM algorithms and is an in-depth look at what's being done to protect our PCs.

The eBay Survival Guide

The last book on my list is "The eBay Survival Guide" by Michael Banks ($19.95), which is one of several books on eBay published by No Starch Press. But this one is different. This book helps you avoid the pitfalls of buying and selling on what has become the auctioning monster of the Net, becoming sort of an eBay survival guide. It even gives you tips on how to discover the real value of items so you don't end up overpaying for that antique teapot, etc.

Lower-priced PDF versions of most of these books can be found at the company's Web site at www.nostarch.com.

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