Customer Reviews

ATM for Dummies

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I realize there is a little debate going on over the value of this book. Like all technical books it depends on what you're looking for. If you are approaching this as a person with little-or-no ATM experience (i.e., you're not an engineer and for whatever reason you'd like a basic understanding of ATM)--This is a good resource. Also, if you are someone who trains the non-technical and you'd like a book that helps you translate ATM into ENGLISH this is a good pick. And let's be reasonable here, at this book's low-price, you're not really making that much of a financial commitment. The information in this book helped me to screen the more expensive books so that I could do further research.

Bottom line: If you're someone that knows nothing about ATM and are afraid that any book you purchase will be over your head, rest easy, and order this book. If however you understand ATM and are looking for a detailed treatment on the subject consider migrating to other sources.

I found this to be an excellent introduction to ATM. This book does not talk down to you but at the same time does not skimp on the technical details. Many a times, when I come across technical jargons in trade magazines that seems arcane, I am pleasantly suprised that the book contains explanations of the jargons in ways that i can really comprehend. Also, the book is written by well established authors (Vice president and director of Telechoice !). They have a wealth of experience in product management and being a product manager myself, this book is really indispensable. Believe me, the title is misleading. This is, to me, the best introduction to ATM !

I'm the type of person who will keep a book, even if I have no intention of reading it, because you never know when it will come in handy. Since I have enough wood stockpiled for my fireplace this winter, I'll be taking this one back.

The most frustrating thing about this is the constant "ATM is great, as long as other technologies don't advance, don't become cheaper, and retain their current popularities." Additionally, the fact that this book was written five years ago, and refers to "upcoming plans for later implementations as late as 1998" makes me wonder just how much of technology mentioned in the book is not even valid anymore.

If you think you won't be able to understand ATM, this book will help you fulfill your prophecy. It avoids detail to the point of being useless - as a result it has nothing substantial to talk about. Reading it is like reading a collection of sales brochures.

I wasted a lot of time on this book - please do yourself a favor and find a real book on ATM.

If you're hoping against hope to get a quick overview of ATM, look elsewhere. If you can't deal with a technical book, then you really shouldn't be trying to learn about ATM yourself--just hire someone who knows what they're talking about.

Perhaps the breezy tone is an acceptable way to explain some topics, but it just does not suit ATM at all. I got so frustrated with the lack of concrete and usable information in this book that I put it away after the first couple of chapters.

If you are grown up enough to handle a real book, try the Ginsburg book on ATM from Addison-Wesley; it is way more complete though incredibly dense. Even better for the person in a hurry is Kercheval's book about TCP/IP over ATM, from Prentice-Hall.

This is one of the more poorly written books I've read...period. To try and understand ATM from it is impossible. Most of the book is taken up with pointless metaphors and insulting attempts at jokes. I found myself skimming more material than if I had actually just read a protocol spec.

I really like this book as an introduction to ATM. It is well laid out and very easy to understand. This book really doesn't 'get into the weeds' with ATM. But for a novice, it is a great place to start.

The ATM for Dummies book has provided me with an excellent foundation of ATM. I'm not a "techie", though I need to understand the ATM network in my current position. The authors have presented ATM simply and precisely...with straight forward definitions of acronyms and useful analogies to help the reader grasp the, sometimes confusing, ATM protocol. Where needed, the authors provide more detailed information in later chapters...perfect for when the reader is ready to move on. This book is an excellent resource for those new to ATM as well as those looking for a reference guide to keep at hand.

I'll give this book four stars because it does what you would expect it to do. Good place to start if you don't know too much about the topic. Gives you enough info. to discuss the topic in a business context.

Like most "Dummies" this is an excellent resource to get you started on your way to learning. I feel confident I can pick a more advanced book on ATM and step up to the plate and support an ATM network after reading this book. Can't wait to read the Cisco Networking and CCNA books.