Today we are building a national information infrastructure that will carry billions of bits of data per second, serve thousands of users simultaneously, and transmit not only electronic mail and data files but voice and video as well. Unfortunately, it is not easy to keep track of all the new developments in networking. According to some recent estimates, the amount of traffic on the Internet has been increasing 10 percent per month, and the number of new applications and services has been growing almost as quickly. You can now access thousands of different databases and bulletin boards on everything from medieval French literature to global warming . Since the Internet is a network of networks, there is no one place to go for information on what's available and how to access it.
Most users have to rely on friends and colleagues for information on the Internet.
That is why I welcome the revised edition of The Internet Companion. It should help both new and experienced Internet users learn how to make the best use of the network. For too many people the Internet has been uncharted territory, and as a result they have hesitated to explore the vast potential of networking. I trust this book will change that.