The penultimate chapter by Chen and Gaines argues that all activity on the Internet constitutes a form of 'Virtual Cooperative Interaction' or exchange between parties. The chapter also states that one way of understanding the different forms of interaction between an individual and the Internet and between individuals on the Internet is to conceptualize a continuum of interaction along which different forms of exchange take place. The book is distinguished by the rigour with which the contributors examine their subjects. Academic work into CMC has often been little more than descriptive. In contrast, the contributions to Network and Netplay demonstrate systematic application of sound methodological tools.
Some chapters also make interesting contributions to the subject.
Those with experience of IRC will know how fundamental playful interaction is in understanding what attracts people to this form of CMC, yet play has often been neglected in studies of IRC, so Danet et al.'s examination of the importance of play is welcome. The description of conduct-regulation on Usenet by Smith et al. also adds to the literature on the subject of control and CMC, and the piece by Witmer on risky CMC opens up a new area for consideration. Doyle and Hayes-Roth's chapter on the development of an agent is useful in helping the reader understand one potentially very important direction in which CMC may head. The book's concern with being 'Academic' does lead to some weaknesses. While the material is all of some interest, readers may find, as this reviewer did, that some of the chapters verge on the impenetrable.