The title of this book about electronic business, unusually these days, describes accurately its contents. It can only be described as a “meaty” text which gives extremely good value to its purchasers. Not only does it give an acceptable and useful overview of background techniques and software initiatives that can produce success in e‐business but also the details of the systems and software used. It even goes so far as to provide an accompanying CD‐ROM which contains some much prized software viz: Software AG’s Bolero product and also XML.
Developed in four sections, the book’s authors have tackled the main concepts and methodologies we want to read about. The first part is “Success in e‐business”. Then, in a second main part, “New thinking for new challenges” is the theme. The remaining parts consider “Enabling technology” and “Methodology”, and consider the more technical aspects. The latter parts give a good account of topics that cover object‐orientation, components and software reuse to user interfaces, as well as applets and mobile computing. Further studies on extranet and on the way old systems can be integrated are included in an Appendix. This, together with a glossary, bibliography and index, complete a very worthwhile and well structured text.
As a bonus the authors have included a CD‐ROM which features both XML and Bolero. Perhaps this is predictable since both authors work for Software AG and, understandably, have included descriptions of some company products. Even so, the coverage of both XML and Java provides some excellent background information that is relevant to the book’s main aims.
Although the first part of the book is readable by anyone involved with electronic business, a good half is really for those who want to go a lot deeper and have a more professional knowledge of the area and its products. For these potential readers it can most certainly be recommended, and for many the additional CD‐ROM will prove to be a highly attractive acquisition.
