Business editor Laurie Petersen talked about online business recently with Bruce Judson, the author of HYPERWARS: 11 STRATEGIES FOR SURVIVAL AND PROFIT IN THE ERA OF ONLINE BUSINESS.

Barnes & Noble.com:  Why did you write this book?

Bruce Judson:  People kept asking me on a very personal level: What does the Web mean? Am I going to have a job? Is my business going to change? I also knew that this would be a huge online Christmas and that afterward people would be asking, What does it all mean? I felt that I have something to say to help navigate the potentially murky waters. I am a businessperson writing to businesspeople. I'm not an academic.

bn:  What do you want people to take from the book?

BJ:  I would like people to walk away with a deeper understanding of why the world is changing and with five practical things they can do tomorrow to make their business better. That's one reason I put so many examples in the book. Each example won't relate to everyone's business, but there are enough there for everyone to find something relevant.

bn:  What makes your book different from the other Net business titles?

BJ:  I took a highly practical approach. And I talk about today's business world, too. It's not all about online businesses. I focus on what the Web means to everyone. And I try to bring it to life with many practical answers. For instance, I provide an audit for people to evaluate their own companies.

bn:  What surprises you about how the online marketplace has evolved since your days at Pathfinder?

BJ:  In general, I'm surprised by how much valuable information is still available for free. I don't think it's possible to create a profitable business where you're creating original content and it's supported by advertising.

bn:  What do you think about the evolution/devolution of Pathfinder?

BJ:  The original notion of Pathfinder was that it was a portal -- a guide to the Web from a trusted source. I think other people grabbed that position.

bn:  What did you think of how you were depicted by Michael Wolff, who talked about his company's attempts to hire you, the "Jewish Barksdale," in BURN RATE?

BJ:  I called Michael Wolff and I said: I have two questions for you. 1) Does everything I say end in an exclamation point? 2) You used to say you liked my suits, so why did you say they were too big in the book? Michael makes everyone larger than life. It was an out-of-body experience to be a character in a book. The funny lesson I learned is that without exception, the first thing people who were featured in the book have commented on is Michael's description of their physical appearance. What I've concluded is that you can write or say anything you want about someone as long as you say they are handsome or beautiful. My literary agent and I were joking about whether there was any way I could get "the Jewish Barksdale" on the jacket of HYPERWARS.

bn:  What are you doing now?

BJ:  I started what is now one of the few profitable online businesses, Bruce Judson's Grow Your Profits. It's a newsletter about freebies online for business. Its an edited experience of the Web for businesspeople by a businessperson. I've also opened a web site at www.hyperwars.com to continue the book and answer reader questions.

bn:  What other books do you recommend?

BJ:  THE FIFTH DISCIPLINE by Peter Senge. This book is all about change, and this business is all about rapid change and how you change and experiment.

LIFE AFTER TELEVISION by George Gilder. When you think how long ago that book was written, it is still a framework for thinking about how this world is evolving.

BURN RATE by Michael Wolff. For people who are contemplating getting into this business, BURN RATE does give you a particular perspective.

DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF by Richard Carlson. You've got to know what's a priority.

ESSENTIAL BUSINESS TACTICS FOR THE NET by Larry Chase.

Bruce Judson is also the author of NETMARKETING.