Do you ever wish that you could earn a living while leading a more simplified lifestyle? Authors Bourcier and Levesque claim that they can help you to fulfill your dreams with their "living" book. What's so special about it? The book uses a Web site to allow users to exchange experiences, read online advice, and use assessment tools.
In addition to access to the Web site (you need to send in a registration card), the book contains exercises and questions to make you ponder such areas as your value system, your dream job, and your skills. Numerous quotations are scattered throughout the guide, from "To be a nobody, do nothing!" (B.C. Forbes), to "Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is the probable reason so few engage in it."
The authors are generous with their self-help advice and examples, although some of it may seem rather trite to those who regularly read popular books of the "Everything I Needed to Know, I Learned in Kindergarten" variety. However, if you're genuinely frustrated with your life, or feeling as if you have no options for improving your existence, this book can provide a good starting place. And yes, there is hope: "An optimist may see a light where there is none, but why must the pessimist always run to blow it out?"
There are few nastier sights in the midst of a computer game than that little error message popping up that warns "This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down." If you run games on DOS, Windows 3.X, or Windows 95, this gaming guide just might help you play without problems.
The authors seek to "solve the inherent compatibility conflicts and get all the various components of your PC to work together," from sound card to hard drive to memory glitches. They begin with a "hardware clinic" in which you learn about solving problems with chips, memory, hard drive, CD-ROM, video cards, speed, and joysticks and similar controllers.
If you use DOS for games, you'll want to study their tips on "surviving the MS-DOS jungle" such as why a DOS game may lock up and how to solve that impasse. The authors offer special tips for Windows 3.X and Windows 95 users as well, and if you're consider upgrading to the latter, you should definitely read this chapter before making the final decision.
There's a full chapter devoted to the "hottest" games (such as Front Page Sports Football Pro 96, two different Star Trek games, and NBA Live), and details on multiplayer gaming. The latter chapter includes direct cable connections, and modem, Internet, and network gaming. Also included is information on finding and using patches, and details on CPU, video, CD-ROM, and communications upgrades.
Do you need to know how to create 3-D graphics in order to create an eye-catching Web site? Not necessarily. However, so-called virtual reality is becoming increasingly popular on the Internet, and if you want to try your hand at weaving a 3D Web, this book can take you through the lessons you need to master to become an expert. The VRML exercises provided here do not require expensive tools - all you need is a text editor. You'll also need to install CosmoPlayer, which is on the CD-ROM accompanying the book. CosmoPlayer, which runs under Windows 95, lets you view the VRML 2 creations that also are included on the CD-ROM, and, eventually, to view your own masterpieces.
In addition to the basics, you'll discover how to build compete VRML scenes, investigate how to change viewpoints, and add sound and backgrounds. The book also guides you through the process of adding movies and billboards to your virtual worlds. Many Web authors love special effects, and you'll learn how to set a visibility limit, use fog, create animation using texture coordinates, and utilize collision detection.
The appendices include a complete VRML node reference, VRML field and event types, and a glossary. In addition to the features noted before on the CD-ROM, that bonus includes a variety of Windows software, such as Polytrans, Hot Dog, MapThis imagemap utility, and more, both for Windows and for Macintosh.