Customer Reviews

Internet Collapses and Other Other InfoWorld Punditry

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In the spirit of full disclosure, let me start by acknowledging that I'm a huge fan of Bob Metcalfe. As you must know by now, Metcalfe invented Ethernet, founded 3Com, and served on MIT's board of trustees! How can you not be impressed?

Internet Collapses addresses sixteen topics concerning the high-tech industry, ranging from Microsoft's predatory business practices (Chapter 2) to the futures of wireless computing (Chapter 4) and the open source movement (Chapter 15). In each chapter, Metcalfe bundles a collection of his relevant InfoWorld articles with an uncensored rebuttal by an industry luminary. These industry heavies include executives from Microsoft, Allied Research, ICANN, a Nobel laureate and NEA venture partner, and a Harvard Business School professor.

Here's the scoop:

The format of Metcalfe's book grants the reader an understanding of the history (as least from 1992 to 1999) and the debate surrounding each topic. Unfortunately, this format also causes the book to feel like a Bob Metcalfe "greatest hits" anthology. And just like "greatest hits" record albums, unless you are a real fan, (I suspect) you will find reading over a hundred previously published articles a bit of a bore.

Put another way, I enjoyed it but I wouldn't be surprised if many did not.

"Internet Collapses" reminds me of those books where the story unfolds by reading the protagonist's letters. Metcalfe's columns are a facinating immersion in ancient history (1992) and highlight the energy and struggle to grow and manage a now multibillion dollar phenomenon.

My only complaint is that Metcalfe's book sorely needs a glossary. The pages are awash with an alphabet soup of acronyms--LANS, WANS, LECS, DSL, ISDN, ADSL... Not all of the terms are defined, and some of the definitions come in later columns. Did the publisher think that only internet designers fluent in the jargon would be interested in this book. If so, would not someone on the cutting edge consider a book passe. For the rest of us in the following herd, it's an interesting read; just have patience or a technical dictionary handy.

I was kind enough to include an entire chapter on Bob in my book, and there's nary a mention of me in his new one, but I won't hold that against him. Indeed, it might be another sign of his wisdom.Actually, for a fellow who had a pretty good track record in the high-tech and entrepreneuring fields, Bob has shown remarkable smarts in finally seeing the light and becoming a punditory journalist. This book of his is a wonderful compendium of what makes him always worth reading and usually worth a chortle. "Real" journalists could learn some things about skepticism and integrity from Bob Metcalfe.