The Matrix: Computer Networks and Conferencing Systems Worldwide
A Review by Steve Cisler

The Matrix: Computer Networks and Conferencing Systems
Worldwide by John Quarterman will be published by Digital Press.
The book's order number is EY-C176E-DP; the cost is $59.95 plus
local sales tax from the Sales Manager, Digital Press, 12 Crosby
Drive BUO/E94, Bedford, MA 01730. Ordering information is from
Computer Communication Review, April 1989, p.9.

This 631 page volume may become one of the holy books of the telecommunications world, especially for those who think the people using the technology are of more interest than the workings of the hardware, software, and physical networks that link the millions of people together. This is not to say that it is not a technical book; it is. The focus is more on the interesting interactions in the research community, among hobbyists, and more narrowly defined virtual communities that are being reinforced by this technology.

John Quarterman is the co-author of "Notable Computer Networks" which was published in the Communications of the Association for Computing Machinery in October 1986. The book builds on the article, but Quarterman acknowledges that it is not exhaustive. For instance, there are few references to library networks, some of which have thousands of nodes all over the world (OCLC, Inc in Dublin, Ohio). I am glad it is not exhaustive because the author will have a good reason to continue to revise this important work.

The book is divided into two sections: Background and The Matrix. The first sections contains very useful information on layers and protocols including the ISO reference model, TCP/IP, various proprietary architectures, connectivity, standards, user communities, effects of the technology, LAN's, MAN's (metropolitan area networks), and larger regional and national groupings of machines. The uncorrected page proofs contained no index, and this is essential for the print version. Considering the subject matter, I'd love to see an on disc or online version, but neither the author nor the publisher has indicated that an electronic verson is planned.

In order to find information, for example, about the Electronic Networking Association (ENA), I had to browse through the table of contents until I found "Standards Bodies" and found three paragraphs in the Conferences subheading: "...This is a very loosely structured organization, and its specific goals are unclear. In spite of or because of this, it has so far achieved a high level of communications among network users and has promoted connections to places that were previously unreachable. Nonetheless, ENA primarily consists of people from only one of the two major computer conferncing communities: that of the commercial systems. Many ENA members have never even heard of USENET."

The second section describes the Matrix, "a worldwide metanetwork of connected computer networks and conferencing systems..affects the personal and socail lives of millions of users and even influences national and international politics." Quarterman describes in detail worldwide networks such as BITNET, UUCP, FidoNet, VNET and the backbone(s) that they run on. There is a large chapter on the Internet (Quarterman's business is called Texas Internet Consulting), all the networks on each continent (263 pages), a short chapter on commercial networks such as NWI, The WELL, The META Network, Bix, TELEX, etc. (10 pages), and a groups of appendices on public data networks and on computer mediated communications and the law.

I highly recommend this work, and I encourage you to write the author with suggestions for enhancements and greater coverage of areas that concern your own network or user community. He can be reached at: The Matrix, TIC, 701 Brazos, Suite 500, Austin, Texas 78701-3242 U.S.A.