Customer Reviews

Love at First Byte: Surviving Cyberspace

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

 

 

I found this book to be funny, to the point, and it demonstrated a fresh viewpoint on our cyber-culture. The glossary is humorous and educational! Sure, the technical stuff is somewhat out of date, but the underlying philosophy is timeless. The best! Highly recommended!

Dr. Steve tells a great story and the experience he deals with makes you glad you're able to learn from others and (hopefully) make different/wiser choices. Thanks for all the advice, Dr. Steve!

The insights into relationships in general and particularly online relationships still resonate, even though the computer information is absolutely outdated to the point of being laugh-out-loud funny. But of course that's the nature of the beast, isn't it? Remember that computer you bought last year that's already obsolete? Imagine writing a book one year and having it published the next year, and then people are still talking about it 15 years later. Ugh.

It's also hilarious that people review this book based on stuff that isn't even in the book. "They got a divorce" and "I know the guy's wife" are all irrelevant.

Here and now in 2009, this book is HISTORY. It was written when cable modems were unheard-of. Dialups were still below 12.8K. People didn't even know the term "social networking" but people were doing it on services like Prodigy and Delphi. AOL was new and most people didn't have browsers. They actually thought AOL was the internet (well, a lot of people did, anyway).

An interesting concept at the time, love in cyberspace moved on faster than the author, as did technology. Mostly a charming story of his own online experiences, there are very few other personal tales. Much of the book is instead devoted to computer info that was obsolete before the book's publication. The tales of online love are depressing failures for the most part...With so few personal love stories and so much dated technological jargon, the title is misleading.. Lows: a rather self-indulgent view of cyberlove padded with tech data from any computer mag pre-1995. Highs: there are some common sense words about dealing with strangers met via computer networks.

This book offers some thoughtful wisdom and understanding regarding online romance and cyber relationship building. It is a bit outdated at this point but still worth the read for anyone who routinely visits the chat rooms looking for more than cyber conversation. The subject of turning off your PC and locating a charitable organization or hobby to pursue and work on your communication skills with real people - face to face is not something highly promoted here. Truly, after watching the outcomes of many cyber relationships I believe we can attest to the fact that cyber relationships rarely succeed. Just as an example these two people went through a divorce some time ago. Don't forget we are social beings and sometimes, although it may be uncomfortable, socializing face to face will build much more confidence, self control and character. Cyber will build...well...who knows?

I have read a screen play written by Deborah, and her skills as an author are not reflected in this publication. Her ex-spouse as the review below dictates that maybe not all love is ever lasting via the internet. I've known Deborah(Maggie) for over 10-yrs, and know she moved to the Eastern NY to be closer to her roots. I feel the book is a reflection of what was a common search practice in the mid 1990's, before instant messaging became ever so popular. Many couples spent hours talking in chat rooms, getting to know each other behind closed doors. Reality was what one thought or wanted it to be. Then there came extentions, where by people would spend more time getting to know each other via letters, and phone calls. Even shipping gifts and bagels to start the day off on a kind note. Times have changed but have people really changed? Or have they just continued to seek out those who they boneded with years prior? This is a must read for the romantic at heart, and the believer who knows they only have but 1 true soul mate !