Date: 23 Nov 93 12:25 -0600 From: Rob Slade Subject: Book Review: "The Smiley Dictionary"~ by Godin BKSMLDCT.RVW 931012 Peach Pit 2414 6th St. Berkeley, CA 94710 510-548-4393 fax: 510-548-5991 800-283-9444 "The Smiley Dictionary", Seth Godin, U$6.95/C$9.95 One assumes that this is meant to fall into the "computer gag gift" category. It is certainly an amusing diversion for those in the know and, of course, it doesn't take long to get in the know. The cover blurb's boast that this is "the world's most complete book of smileys" is only hype. To this volume's almost two hundred emoticons, we have to compare Sanderson and Dougherty's 650 (cf BKSMILEY.RVW). However, it is laid out in a more organized fashion with roughly topical sections and a cross index. The large print of the sample emoticons gives them an immediacy sometimes lacking in other lists, although the font sometimes makes the mid- lines of the face awkward. Aside from the smileys themselves, however, there is nothing here. Even the "non-smiley smileys" section has little in it, choosing not even to scratch the surface of the more common acronyms. There is no discussion of online etiquette. The few prose sections seem quite sarcastic and could do with a few smileys sprinkled throughout. (On the other hand, maybe "smirks" would be more appropriate.) For your non-computer literate friends, this is probably the gag to get. For even slightly more serious use, stick with Sanderson and Dougherty. Copyright Robert M. Slade, 1993 BKSMLDCT.RVW 931012. Permission to reprint only in TELECOM Digest and associated newsgroups/mailing lists. DECUS Canada Communications, Desktop, Education and Security group newsletters Editor and/or reviewer ROBERTS@decus.ca, RSlade@sfu.ca, Rob Slade at 1:153/733 DECUS Symposium '94, Vancouver, BC, Mar 1-3, 1994, contact: rulag@decus.ca ------------------------------