Saturday, January 08, 2011

Dave Barry in Cyperspace


I almost like Dave Barry. His humor columns are almost rip-roaring funny. I almost really like his style.

But there is something that just gets on my nerve. I can't quite put my finger on it, but perhaps is the way he strays just a little too far from the facts. You almost hit the "yes I can relate, this is true". Then he veers off to the "this is ridiculously absurd" and starts to eek out laughs, before returning to the relational humor. It comes close to working, but doesn't quite make it.

Dave Barry in Cyberspace is a take on computers, circa 1996. Windows 95 is the big thing. The internet is there, but still reached by dial up modems. He provides a fair amount of facts regarding the history of computers, but also ventures off in to ridiculousness. He hits the "time wasting" aspect of computers right on.

Ironically, the cover features a MAC, while the book focuses almost exclusively on windows machines. (Macs are derided for being too easy to use.) Well, hey, while Macs are not good for time wasting, at least they make good covers.

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