Guardian

THAT the Internet has become a part of everyday life is stating the obvious. More pertinent, however, is the question: how can users make the most of its vast potentials?

Geoffrey Agbaeze attempts to answer this in his 177-page book, Unlimited Internet Resources.

While several books have been written on the subject, Agbaeze’s strength appears to be the presentation of an exhaustive volume on the Internet.

The author opens with an introduction to the subject. He explains: “The Internet offers information on just about every topic you care to think of. Whether your interests include current affairs, academic research, business or law, there is almost certain to be a website devoted to that topic somewhere.”

Realising that a platform linking millions of computers around the world also opens users to risks, Agbaeze itemises tips that could make surfers on the Internet safe and confident. He warns: “Never send any password by email and do not enter your password in unknown websites for any reason. Your password is the one thing you have to make your accounts safe.”

New users of electronic mail (email) would find the author’s ‘Managing Email’ an invaluable chapter, as he unveils how to use the medium efficiently; rules to email use; dos and don’ts of email, and of course, things users must know to protect themselves.

The book comes with a bonus– it lists over 400 websites in an array that includes news, religion, search, health, jobs, business, fashion etc.

For researchers eager to tap into the business profitability edge of the Internet, Agbaeze notes: “The 90s were about the World Wide Web of information and the power of linking web pages. Today, it is about the World Wide Web of people and the power of the social graph. Online social networks are fundamentally changing the way we live, work and interact. They offer businesses immense opportunities that touch virtually every business function, from sales and marketing to recruiting, collaboration to executive decision-making, product development to innovation. In Unlimited Internet Resources, I systematically outline the business promise of social networking and show how to transform that promise into reality.”

Faced by a sea of software, a beginner on the Internet could become lost quite easily. In order to avoid such situation, the author wades through the abundance of software available and selects a few that could be of immediate importance. There is, for instance, the Unlocker, Gmail Drive, Flash Player, PDF Creator, Mozilla Firefox and Adobe Media Player, among others.

In a chapter on shopping, Agbaeze shows his readers how the Internet can become a market where buyers, in the comfort of their rooms, could shop around the world. He goes on to explain the most practical payment methods, how to use ATM cards to shop online, how to use a debit card as a credit card online and how to shop online more safely, among others.

Visitors to the Internet who are interested in a handy and straightforward volume on advanced search strategies, online collaboration and the potentials of Facebook Google and Twitter, among others, would find Agbaeze’s work a helpful resource base.