Newton's Telecom Dictionary: The Official Dictionary of Telecommunications, Networking, and the Internet (17th Edition)

Newtons version covers LOTS of terms, with quick simple, sometimes too simple definitions. For acronyms it rules, if it is not here you probably wont find it anywhere. It is very simple, and 99.99% text.

The mcGraw version 3rd edition also has LOTS of terms, but does not include the funny terminology or interest items that Newtons does. What it does have are TONS of pictures-diagrams that help the definitions. The CD included with the book makes it more complete. The only bad thing about the McGraw Hill book is there are some typos....

I dont think I could live without either one of these books. They are very different in style and hard to compare, but both are great. Simply stated, the Newton dictionary is more QUANTITY oriented and has more terms, the McGraw-Hill dictionary is extremely QUALITY oriented. I would rate them both a 5..... but since the Newtons does not come with a reference CD I had to give it a 4.

This is a Must have book for anyone that works with or wants to know more about Voice and Data. Anyone serious about having a handy reference collection will probably own both this book and the McGraw Hill dictionary.


Great resource   April 8, 2001
 4 out of 4 found this review helpful

One of the best investments I made back in 1987 when I was attending a telecommunications class was purchasing this book (granted version 1). Over the years in my job I have kept this book close to my computer and have referenced countless times. What is amazing is how the communications industry creates acronyms. What is more amazing is how clear the author has made these acronyms clear with concise definitions mixed in with humor. If you're in the computer or telecommunications industry this is your dictionary.


Excellent Book! Get the 18th Edition!   February 8, 2002
 4 out of 4 found this review helpful

Can't do without it! Don't get fooled...into buying the 16th or 17th edition as the 18th edition goes to press this month.


Could be so much better   May 10, 2001
 3 out of 3 found this review helpful

The book has more acronyms than you can shake a stick at, far more than you would ever want to know, but the definitions are of mixed quality and often too chatty to precisely clarify the idea. More length on fewer topics would have made for a more useful book, but so many pages are given over to numbingly obscure material while big subjects get the same couple of paragraphs. On the other hand, it is a dictionary and if you accept it is only a starting point for investigation rather than the book that is really going to explain what you need to know, then it's an occasionally handy reference.


Official????   June 17, 2001
 3 out of 4 found this review helpful

The Attributes that I dislike about this book far outnumber the ones that I find likeable. It has an extroardinary number of definitions however most of them do nothing more than point out the obvious. The author obviously avoids technical detail. Since I bought this book I have been thrilled everytime I find a definition, but then let down by the lack of detail, and excess of ambiguity. My wish is for Mr. Newton the author, to add more detailed definitions in the next edition. The Encyclopedia of Telecommunications (McGraw Hill)is a richly detailed book, but does not have nearly as many entries as this one. If you can afford it, get them both.