WebTV For Dummies (For Dummies (Computers))

The very fact that WebTV for Dummies, 3rd Edition exists might be a negative comment on the supposedly simple, television-based means of accessing the Internet. No matter: this book accomplishes several goals, chief among which is to explain how to use the WebTV interface, clueing you in on how to send and receive e-mail, surf the Web, and participate in interactive TV shows. Although it's weird to read a technical book about how to aim a handheld remote control, the coverage is complete and accurate. You also learn how to find and use the WebTV Communities, and how to organize them for easy repeat access. Plus, there's a tutorial on basic online safety, etiquette, and information-finding techniques.

On the negative side of the ledger, WebTV suffers from a dearth of illustrations. Of the ones that appear in these pages, many aren't too useful. (Who benefits by seeing a picture of Yahoo!, for example?) However, as do most of the latest Dummies books, this one distinguishes itself by the high quality of its procedures. Instead of intermingling descriptions of steps to take with statements of the effects you should see as a result of your steps, these books keep cause and effect separate. Readers almost always can tell what they should do next, and they always know how to tell if they're on the right track. That's the kind of reinforcement that users of WebTV need. --David Wall

Topics covered: WebTV for those who are unfamiliar with the Internet and the Web, with emphasis on using WebTV to participate in social groups, locate information via Internet search engines, and communicate by using e-mail.