User Friendly tells the story of Columbia Internet, "the friendliest, hardest-working, and most neurotic little Internet Service Provider in the world." Take three techs, two salespeople, a designer, two executives, a couple of administrative staff, mix in a mischievous Artificial Intelligence and a "dust puppy" born from the innards of a mega server, put them all together in a crowded little office, and you have the makings of one of the most off-beat, original, and funny comic strips to come along in years. User Friendly reads like Dilbert for the open-source community. Already in syndication in The National Post, one of Canada's leading national newspapers, and with a massive online following, it provides outsiders a lighthearted look at the world of the hard- core geek, and allows those who make their living dwelling in this world a chance to laugh at themselves.

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User Friendly Review,  April 25 2000
Submitted by Mermaid   [Respond | View]



Look. Everyone is entitled to an opinion. For example, my opinion is that the doofus who doesn't find UF just hilariously funny is a loser without a sense of humor - doomed forever to a life of celibacy. Of course, this is just my opinion.
UF has done something that few cartoons have been able to do. It has impressed me. It is consistently fresh and funny. I look forward to reading Illiad's wickedly twisted humor on a daily basis.
I have gone out of my way in the wilds of Nevada to *find* and internet connection just to read UF while on Vacation (Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a connection in the mountains? And once you have, try to explain that you just need to 'borrow' it for a few minutes to look at a cartoon...).
UF deserves to be worshipped and to be taught as a 'classic' in schools 300 years from now.


User Friendly Review,  April 20 2000
Submitted by Darren Gibbs   [Respond | View]



The guy who didn't find this funny either doesn't work in tech support, or doesn't have a sense of humour - one of the two.

Illiad rules - the cartoon set in this book with the Star Wars send up had me wetting myself with laughter - and one particular frame now proudly adornes the door of the server room at my {very} pro-WindoZe place of employ.

If you work in computers, and don't already follow User Friendly on the net - get this book. You won't regret it.



User Friendly Review,  April 12 2000
Submitted by Bryn Thompson   [Respond | View]



Loved the book! The scary thing is I recognize a lot of the traits of the characters in people I know! Myself included!!! AAARRRGGHHHH!!!!


User Friendly Review,  March 30 2000
Submitted by J.D. Roth   [Respond | View]



I hate to be the lone dissenting voice here, but I really didn't (and don't) find _User Friendly_ to be all that amusing. Based on rave reviews on Slashdot (and other sites), I plunked down my hard-earned cash for this book. You know, I didn't laugh, or smile, even once.

Perhaps this is some flaw in my own character. Or maybe the "humor" in the strip is an acquired taste. Whatever. It didn't amuse me.

I've got a copy of the book for sale cheap if anybody wants one...

--j.d.


User Friendly Review,  March 22 2000
Submitted by Shane Collinge (creator: HelpDex comic s   [Respond | View]



I was fortunate enoughto get hold of a copy of "USER FRIENDLY the comic strip". As a computer geek myself, I found many in-jokes and opportunities for a good old larf.

Charles Schultz (Peanuts) was a master of characterization. Bill Watterson (Calvin & Hobbes) is a genius at representing theology, Scott Addams (Dilbert) at corporate culture. With User Friendly, Iliad has captured the geek ethic and programmer culture. He sees as a computer professional sees, plays Quake as they play Quake and eats sugar-rich foods as they do. In this anthology you'll expect to see Quake jokes, Microsoft jibes, corporate takeovers and accents that change more quickly than the bug list>for Windows 2000.

The only criticism I can raise is that having been spoilt by Gary Larson's "Prehistory of the Far Side", I would have liked to see some of the nuts & bolts behind the scenes, like a "Techniques" section or a "Ideas rejected by the editor" section.

Other than that, I sat and read it cover to cover. Every time I'd go to put it down, I'd hit another storyline and I wanted to see how it would end. The Star Wars storyline was my favourite. Yeah, Sith Lords *do* get the coolest lightsabers!


User Friendly Review,  January 28 2000
Submitted by Belgand   [Respond | View]



While I have to admit a certain ammount of bias towards the subject matter at hand I can firmly reccomend this book to anyone with the faintest geekish traits in them. Often useful for converting others (just leaving it around has brought numerous others into the fold for me) and yourself when you have to go off the grid or don't want to use a laptop to do your bedtime reading. Buy it now, thank yourself later.


User Friendly Review,  September 22 1999
Submitted by JT   [Respond | View]



Two Words: Get it!


User Friendly Review,  August 05 1999
Submitted by Lumpish Scholar   [Respond | View]



The dreaded "User Friendly productivity virus" strikes when a company first discovers User Friendly, and spends the next day catching up on old strips. Here's a way to reduce the impact of UFPV on your staff, your servers, your ISP, and your loved ones. (Besides, if you run into him at a Linux conference, you can't get Illiad to sign a Web site, can you?)


User Friendly Review,  August 05 1999
Submitted by Alan Starr   [Respond | View]



If you've seen it on the web, then you know you'll like it. Head over to the userfriendly homepage and check it out for free.


User Friendly Review,  December 06 1997
Submitted by Samantha   [Respond | View]



Absolutely excellent! Hillarious!

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