The need for regulating the Net tackled in hard look at the future

Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace by Lawrence Lessig (Basic Books, $30)<br><br>In time, this book may be considered a landmark publication. Lawrence Lessig, a professor at Harvard Law School, confidently

Friday, April 7th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace by Lawrence Lessig (Basic Books, $30)

In time, this book may be considered a landmark publication. Lawrence Lessig, a professor at Harvard Law School, confidently addresses the hotly contested issue of cyberspace regulation.

Techies and savvy users have long cherished the belief that the Internet is impossible to regulate.

They believe that no matter what road the Internet travels, it should remain a stronghold of freedom and that cyberspace should remain devoid of government interference and regulations.

The problem with this belief is that it's not necessarily so. Dr. Lessig builds a solid case, showing us why we should worry about the future of cyberspace and its regulation.

Contrary to popular belief, unchecked growth of the Internet will not increase its freedoms, but rather create a more restrictive environment, he says. "We have every reason to believe that cyberspace, left to itself, will not fulfill the promise of freedom. Left to itself, cyberspace will become a perfect tool of control," he argues.

The entire book is built upon this premise, as the author coolly examines all angles of the possible future of cyberspace. His presentation is logical and convincing, and it is delivered with the force of a solid blow. Fortunately, Dr. Lessig doesn't leave readers hanging on the precipice; he offers alternatives, showing how the future can be changed while there's still time.

For anyone concerned about the future of cyberspace freedom, this book is a must-read.

A 'cool' guide that's middling cool
Internet Cool Guide, Rula Razek, editor (Nues Publishing, $14.95)

In the early days of the World Wide Web, a complete listing of its sites fit easily onto a 3-by-5-inch note card.

Those days are long gone; the Internet's spidery tendrils now stretch over the vast acreage of information. Users don't dare plunge blindly into the cyberjungle without a guide. No one knows exactly how big the Web is, but there's no shortage of books claiming to provide a comprehensive guide.

Internet Cool Guide is one of many vying for the reader's attention.

On the index of cool, this guide's coolness quotient probably falls in the middle. It's not a dud, but neither is it terribly inspiring.

The guide does have the good sense to limit itself to what the editor considers the best 1,000 Web sites, keeping the reader from being overwhelmed.

The comprehensive listing includes categories such as cars, arts and culture, and sports. Sites are well-reviewed, with rating symbols indicating "outstanding content," "originality" and "cool design." The slender book has some nifty graphics. Unfortunately, the book's format is lacking; the ratings symbols are so small that they're hard to see, and the headings are not easily distinguishable from the reviews themselves.

Overall, the book doesn't lend itself to quickly locating needed information.

This book meets the minimum requirements for a guide, but it lacks user-friendliness, causing it to fall short of being a Really Cool Book.

Packing a lot into a little book

The Rough Guide to the Internet 2000 by Angus J. Kennedy (Rough Guides, $9.95)
"We'll make you an Internet guru in the shortest possible time, guaranteed!" the author writes.

It's hard to pin down exactly what Mr. Kennedy means by the "shortest possible time," but there's no doubt that this 4-by-6-inch book is crammed full of advice, trouble-shooting tips and a massive listing of Web sites and newsgroups.

Listings are rather minimal, generally consisting of the Web address and a one-sentence description.

Selections are eclectic and feature nothing that distinguishes them from similar works.
But where this book really shines is its no-nonsense advice and explanations of Internet-related applications and processes.

Information and instruction are dispensed in clear, nontechnical fashion that travels the shortest route, so to speak.

Even hardened technophobes may find this teeny book irresistible as the mysteries of the Internet are unraveled in a casual, even cheerful manner.

This book may be small in size but it's definitely not lacking stature. Its valuable advice makes it a good choice to tote around.

Steve Powers is a free-lance writer in Denton.