Rating: 
Summary: Everything you need to know on Network Programming
Review: This book has been in my wish list for pretty long time, and before I actually buy it decided to check it out of my school's library. Enjoyment started at the first chapters of the book that I read in the library's caffeteria. The book definitely covers all the aspects of the Network Progamming, not only with Perl, but in general as well. In the first chapters of the book, Lincoln Stein makes good use of such OO modules as IO::File and IO::Socket to demostrate that difference between local file operations and remote network programming isn't that much different at all ( at least in Perl ). Chapter 2 shows you several applications that are built on pipes. The best thing about the chapter was the signals part, where L. Stein shows examples, catching all sorts of signals that your progam receives and reacts accordingly. One example was reacting to pressing of CTRL+C sequence of keys to terminate the progam. I would call Chapter 3 the heart of the book, since it goes over Berkeley Sockets, the base for Network progamming in most systems, no matter what progamming language you tend to prefer. It also explains thoroughly Sockets Addressings, Network naming conventions, protocols, services and a lot more. This chapter, together with the Chapter 4 alone are worth the whole price of the book, I believe. The chapter in the end goes over some common netwook analysis tools, such as "nslookup", "ping", so on and so forth. Chapter 4 tells you all you need about TCP Protocol. Shows several examples as well. Goes over Adjusting Socket options, and their uses. Chapter 5 is not anything newer supposing you've been following all the pervious chapters. Untill this chapter, L. Stein demonstrates the coding using much low level Socket API. here Lincoln starts using IO::Socket's Object Oriented Interface for its handy functionalities that enable writing Networking applications more relieving. Chapters 6, 7, 8 and 9 takes you through writing several commong network clients such as SMTP/mailing clients, Telnet, FTP clients. Also provides their complete source codes in case you just feel likek copying them. Chapter 9 gets into the most fun part: LWP and HTML/XML Parsing. Spends good 50 pages on those. Very exciting indeed! The rest of the book (another half) is dedicated for writing Server applications, which I haven't read. I am sure the rest is as exciting as it's been up to this point. But no matter what, I am greatefull to the book for such an exciting and informative coverage of the topics. It's worth every penny that you spend on it. Buy it!
Rating:
Summary: Great coverage of network programming if you use perl
Review: This book has excellent coverage of forking, multithreading, multiplexing, and non-blocking IO. Good coverage of this material is hard to find. Most books just concentrate on specific protocols such as POP, IMAP, FTP, SMTP, etc. This book also covers that material, but unlike other books, this one will actually start you off understanding sockets, pipes and signals rather than just showing you how to to use a bunch of libs. There is plenty of example source code here too.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: This book is excellent. This is one of very few books that the author really takes time, has a good plan to write a book and have good understanding of the subject. I read many computer books that are just repetitive so it can make the books thick enough to look like a 'good book' (May be this is what US raaders like). I try my best to avoid those books. Those books do not say much in hundreds of pages. But this book is not that kind of book. Every pages are worth to read. It is quite easy to follow. (I do know a bit of TCP/IP from reading other books before I read this book.) E.g. Stevens TCP/IP books. Unfortunately he died and he won't be able to update those great books. Some authors are not professional, they just copy here and there. Then they put everything together. Those are terrible books to read. Those terrible books explain some simple concept again and again and take up hundreds of pages that can be done in half of volume. It is not just wasting the readers time (time is money) but also wasting the resource (trees)! Even most college textbooks are that way. Sometimes it is even worst since they know you won't haave much choices! I seldom to give 5 stars. This book does deserve 5 stars. You will enjoy this one if you like networking.
Rating:
Summary: Extraordinarily useful book
Review: This book, replete with code, is one of the most useful resources I've come across. There aren't just code snippets here -- there are complete and useful programs, with explanations for each line of code. These line-by-line explanations not only make the code crystal clear, but it demonstrates how you can adapt the code to suit your specific need. It discusses the esoteric topics such as threading, sockets, parsing binary email attachments, and more in a very understandable and open fashion. It also discusses existing modules and their "hidden" usefulness (Hint: Net::Telnet can be used to SSH). The author is to be commended on his ability to make these cryptic topics understood. When I first flipped through Network Programming with Perl, I immediately found the solution to a problem I was having for the previous few days. A few more moments, I saw solutions to problems that associates were having. It's not very often a single book can do that without a thorough reading, but this one came through brilliantly. I strongly recommend this book to anyone serious about taking their Perl expertise to the next level.
Rating:
Summary: Terrific book: Don't buy it!
Review: This is another terrific book about Perl, and is by my side as I learn and program Perl. Please don't buy it here, though; this company has broken its word to users by changing their privacy policy. They also have obtained ridiculous patents on obvious technology. Vote with your dollars on this good book.
Rating:
Summary: One of my favorite Perl books.
Review: This is one of my favorite Perl books. It really serves what it says it will. It covers a great amount of Perl coding, but like the title says, goes into a lot of networking code, functions and so on. For Perl network programming, you really should have and use this book.
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