worsley@ditmela.oz (Andrew Worsley) (09/16/88)
I just purchased my copy of the updated Computer Networks book by Tanenbaum for (Aus $37.95) for the Overseas Student Version at McGills in the City (if you live in Melbourne). It is excellent again and updates much of the previous edition. It goes even more into OSI and gives more details about X.400 and FTAM. As there are so few readable books in this area I think it is essential for people who are starting work in the network area or want to learn about other parts but don't have the time to read all the standards. At last a readable, deep and constructive introduction to OSI is available. (It doesn't mention MINIX or Amoeba but does talk about RPC and networking a lot) I was suprised that it didn't mention QPSX a new MAN standard but prehaps it is too new. It does seem to mention every other type of network including DATAKIT (which Edition 9 Unix is going to be based on at Bell Labs). Something else that could have been present was a discussion of the U.S.A. versus U.K. (Europe really) battle over how the OSI layers are to be done. i.e. U.S.A. wants TP4 over CNLS over X.25 whereas U.K. wants TP0 or 4 over CONS or CNLS. i.e. there really isn't a universally agreeded method to go from X.25 to CNLS networks. I haven't read it in detail yet but just skimmed it, but looking forward to it. Thanks Dr. Tanenbaum. Andrew Worsley