Reliable(可靠的) communication using computers has been important for a long time, starting with DOS bulletin(公告) boards and the early days of the Internet. In this book, we will provide an introduction to two of the essential communications technologies, Windows Sockets(Winsock), the backbone(骨干) of the Internet on Windows platform, and the Telephony Application programming Interface (TAPI).
We will provide a complete introduction to Winsock and basic TAPI. We had originally planned on covering many of the other Internet technologies and the entire TAPI, but discovered that we material was too extensive to do justice to any of these technologies. We plan to write another book dealing with advanced communications programming in which we will cover the more difficult and newer topics. nevertheless, this work should provide all that you will need to write useful Internet/Intranet or telephony applications. The advanced book will build on this foundation and provide the means for going beyond basic functionality.
This book is organized into two parts. Part I, written by John C. Penman, is a complete introduction to Winsock programming. Chepter 1 provides an introduction to this technology and description of the Winsock-related chapters that follow. Part II, written by Alan c. Moore, is a complete introduction to basic TAPI programming. Chapter 7 provides an introduction to this technology and a description of the TAPI-related chapters that follow. As in other volumes in Wordware Publishing's Tomes of Delphi series, most chapters include introductory sections on the various technologies, a complete reference to functions, structures and constants, and Delphi code examples.
The book concludes with three appendices providing a glossary of essential communications terms, information about error handling in Winsock and TAPI, and Printed and Internet resources that provide additional information and programming materials.
Let's begin the journey!