Dictionary of e-Business : A Definitive Guide to Technology and Business Terms

Rating:
Summary: Many unusual errors for a dictionary
Review: My first impression of this book was not good. When I opened it the first time, it was to page 233, which is the start of the N section. The first entry is the definition of a nanosecond, which reads

A billionth of a metre.

Obviously, it should have been a billionth of a second, but is such an obvious error that it immediately calls into question the overall quality of the dictionary. The second entry of the N section is about Napster, which reads

A on-line audio file resource.

While this is slightly better, it says very little about what Napster really was and mentions nothing about the file-sharing aspects and legal ramifications about data posted on the Internet.
As I read other entries, my attitude improved a bit, although I still was not overly impressed with many of the definitions. For example, consider the following definition

Visual Java++ - A Microsoft development environment for writing, compiling and debugging Java applications and applets. Visual J++ may be used to integrate JDK packages into Java programs, and to create multithreaded Internet and intranet applications. InterDev is included in Microsoft Visual Studio 97.

In this definition, the name is changed to Visual J++. If you are not familiar with the package, this would be enormously confusing. Also, the reference to InterDev in the last sentence makes no sense in this context.

The definition of Bluetooth is as follows:

A wireless connection technology for home appliances.

Which is false, as the majority of Bluetooth applications are for business and industry.

Finally, the definition of the Apache web server mentions only that it is used with Unix. Given that 63% of all servers on the web run Apache and not all are on Unix, this will come as a shock to many people.
There are many other examples of definitions that are inaccurate or inappropriate. From my perspective, this is inexcusable and the author and editors should be much more careful when they check their work. Since the book is copyrighted 2003, they cannot appeal to the advance of technology to explain their errors.

Rating:
Summary: Bridges technical and technical terminology
Review: This is a handy reference for consultants, IT professionals and business analysts who are becoming overwhelmed by a barrage of new terms.

Reading through the terms and definitions in this book makes it apparent that E-business has little new terminology. Instead, the barrage of new terms has its roots in the blending of business and IT disciplines that characterize E-business. Because E-business encompasses both the business and technical domains, it's essential that business professionals learn IT terminology and IT professionals learn a business terminology. Consultants have to be well versed in the vocabularies of both domains, and are further burdened by the fact that we need to understand the unique vernacular of many different vertical industries. This book solves that by providing succinct definitions of terms covering a wide landscape of business and technical. Since E-business is inescapable, this book is a wonderful desk reference to which you'll probably refer frequently. It's complete and clear, and covers most of the IT terms and many of the business terms you're likely to encounter - at least until new ones are minted.

Rating:
Summary: Bridges technical and technical terminology
Review: This is a handy reference for consultants, IT professionals and business analysts who are becoming overwhelmed by a barrage of new terms.

Reading through the terms and definitions in this book makes it apparent that E-business has little new terminology. Instead, the barrage of new terms has its roots in the blending of business and IT disciplines that characterize E-business. Because E-business encompasses both the business and technical domains, it's essential that business professionals learn IT terminology and IT professionals learn a business terminology. Consultants have to be well versed in the vocabularies of both domains, and are further burdened by the fact that we need to understand the unique vernacular of many different vertical industries. This book solves that by providing succinct definitions of terms covering a wide landscape of business and technical. Since E-business is inescapable, this book is a wonderful desk reference to which you'll probably refer frequently. It's complete and clear, and covers most of the IT terms and many of the business terms you're likely to encounter - at least until new ones are minted.