The object of this book is to cover most of the currently relevant areas of data communications and networks. These include: 

• Communications protocols (especially TCP/IP)
• Networking (especially in Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, FDDI and ATM)
• Networking operating systems (especially in Windows NT, Novell NetWare and UNIX)
• Communications programs (especially in serial communications, parallel communications and TCP/IP)
• Computer hardware (especially in PC hardware, serial communications and parallel communication)

The book thus splits into 15 different areas, these are: 

• General data compression (Chapters 2 and 3)
• Video, images and sound (Chapters 4-11 )
• Error coding and encryption (Chapters 12-17)
• TCP/IP, WWW, Internets and Intranets (Chapters 18-20 and 23)
• Electronic Mail (Chapter 21 )
• HTML (Chapters 25 and 26)
• Java (Chapters 27-29)
• Communication Programs (Chapters 20, 29 and 49)
• Network Operating Systems (Chapters 31-34)
• LANs/WANs (Chapters 35, 38-46)
• Serial Communications (Chapters 47 and 48)
• Parallel Communications (Chapters 50-52)
• Local Communications (Chapters 53-57)
• Routing and Protocols (Chapters 36 and 37)
• Cables and connectors (Chapters 58--60)
  

Many handbooks and reference guides on the market contain endless tables and mathematics, or are dry to read and contain very little insight in their subject area. I have tried to make this book readable, but also contain key information which can be used by professionals.