Customer comments on this selection.
 Good coverage of tech terms
One of the most prolific writers in the data communications texts, Mr. Stallings, did a good job. Some readers complained that it is too technical. But to understand data communications, you need to know the basic definitions and terminology. There is no short cut.
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br /Why call it "Business Data Communications"? Because it is where you apply the infrastructure, then the company benefits. Especially in today's environment with so much data security, spyware, firewall, etc.
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br /The book will be better, if it provides "hands-on" exercises to implement these strategies.
 Good textbook, but not a casual read
This book was required for a graduate class I took. The book is well written, easily understandable, one of the more up-to-date texts I've read. (not an easy feat in the IT field)
Highly Technical - not an easy read at all
For someone that judges a book by its cover, I was more than unplesantly fooled. This book is not an easy read; I would estimate that you need at least a year of technical training to fully comprehend the concepts. Luckily I have that background. However, many of my classmates did not and the text book was too difficult for them. There are many helpful diagrams and figures...but they make absolutely no sense whatsoever (without the technical knowledge).
 Very very technical
Having read reviews prior to purchasing the book, I thought, it can't be that bad. I was wrong. All of the reviews are accurate and true descriptions of the book. I purchased the book as required text for a graduate introductory course in data communications. What can you do if you're stuck with this book and you must read it " for class"? Read the summary at the end of each chapter FIRST. This might help you grasp what the author is trying to say in a long, extended, technical and scientific way.
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br /The book includes scientific descriptions of data communication. Perhaps the book is extremely on point for engineering students or someone with interest in creating a data communications or telecommunications system from scratch for an organization. However, addressing the issues from a business perspective is not the primary focus of the book. Reading the chapter demands utmost concentration and the ability to extract key concepts about the subject under discussion. It is not clear why this book seems to pop up so often as the required text. There are many books that address data communications from a business perspective. It is an arcane academic selection as required text for a non-engineering data communications course.
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 Priceless - or should be
I am completing my MSIS degree. I was required to use this textbook for one of my classes. I felt the book was possibly appropriate for an engineering computer science program on a "how things work" level but a terrible waste of time for business students. If I want to buy a cell phone I don't care HOW the cell phone works. I only care that it DOES work, and that it is dependable, accurate, reliable, and cost effective. Stop putting the OSI model in these textbooks. Just teach TCP/IP because that's what is used. If you're going to put problems at the end of the chapters, provide solutions to the students. Otherwise, you're just wasting paper because nobody will ever use them. Why work on them if you don't have a solution to compare your answers to? I have spoken to nearly half the people in my class. All agree. This textbook was a terrible choice for our class in the business program. None of us feel we learned anything of value from studying from this book.
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br /I sincerely hope our instructor and program director will find a different book to use for future classes.
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