Subjects:  1. Business/Economics    2. Computer Literacy    3. Computer Science Research    4. Data processing    5. Electronic Data Processing    6. General    7. Research    8. Technology & Industrial Arts    9. Business information systems    10. Impact of computing & IT on society   

Editorial Review

Manuel Castells concludes the Information Age trilogy by considering the intersection of the global network society and factional project identities. As always, the scope of Castell's argument is far-ranging. Among the subjects addressed are the collapse of the Soviet Union; the potential emergence of the Asian Pacific as the next region of major world power; and the rapidly increasing growth of a "Fourth World"-- a series of "black holes of informational capitalism" (areas that have been cut off from the flow of wealth and information in the global economy) that refuses to confine itself to national borders--as likely to appear in the American inner city as it is in sub-Saharan Africa. He also raises the specter of a "global criminal economy," a dark counterpart to transnational corporations, and suggests that trends such as fascination with gangster movies "may well indicate the cultural breakdown of traditional moral order, and the implicit recognition of a new society, made up of communal identity and unruly competition."Read more

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Reviews (5)

Sent an old edition
I was sent the first edition of this book even though a second is already out and has been for years.Not disclosed that this was older edition.

Is information technology the culprit?
Many of the observations Prof. Catells made are valid, however the connection between information technology and the social problems are not very strong. The network states, global criminal society, wealth disparity, etc. are more or less the byproduct of globalization. Yes, information technology accelerates the rate of globalization. But would those social problems exist without information technology? Mostly likely yes. These phenomena are not new, they predate the advent of the Information Age (the World Wide Web and mass adoption of internet is a post-1990 phenomenon). Multinatioal organizations (or globalization) have been around for many decades, same goes for the North-South polical economic paradigm. So, attributing all these social problems to the Information Age (at least that is the impression I got out of it) may not be an accurate representation. Nonetheless, his trilogy does demonstrate the acute problem of a global digital divide, and he suggested some possible solutions in some of his other books.

don't read it if you can help it
This is a horrible book and very hard to read.The author writes with long sentences that use big words throughout, that are not necessary in understanding his concepts.This book could have been written in half the words and you would have actually been able to comprehend it.VCR manuals read better than this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1970-    2. 1990-    3. Anthropology - Cultural    4. Economic Conditions    5. Economic history    6. General    7. Internet - General    8. Social History    9. Social Science    10. Sociology    11. Sociology - General    12. Technology And Social Change    13. Technology and civilization    14. Business & Economics / Economic History    15. ECONOMIC HISTORY_1990-    16. Globalization    17. INFORMATION SOCIETY    18. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY    19. Impact of science & technology on society    20. Social theory   

Reviews (3)

Timeless work joins philosophy, computing, and mathematics
Norbert Wiener was interested in the means by which feedback could be communicated to help correct the problems that develop in an organism. In investigating this matter, Weiner investigates a number of topics that differentiate between mere computation and intelligence and the importance that information plays in both. This is the unifying theme of a book that seems to wander through many topics using philosophy, mathematics, and the theory of computation.
Welcome to the Machine
Why is everything called "cyber" (cyberspace, cyberpunk)? Because of this book from 1948 in which Norbert Wiener, a prof at MIT, coined the phrase "cybernetics," from the Greek word "kybernutos" meaning "governor." If you're tired of viewing your computer as a black box (the input goes in here, the output comes out there, and something mysterious happens inside), or if you wonder if the tech world has any relation to the natural world, check out this unusual book, which is rewarding on many different levels.
A fundamental law that is applicable to almost everything
Two books, both written in the late 1940s stand out as contributing much to our understanding of the world around us.One of these is "Cybernetics" by Weiner and the other is "The mathematicaltheory of communication" by Shannon.Both require some study bycontain many sections that are easily readable by anyone which get the mainpoints across in an understandable manner.Read more

Subjects:  1. Computer Books: General    2. Computer Science    3. Computers    4. Cybernetics    5. General    6. Psychology    7. Questions & Answers    8. Robotics    9. Computer Communications & Networking    10. Computers / Computer Science    11. Cybernetics & systems theory    12. Zoology & animal sciences   

Reviews (14)

Bleh
Leonardo's Laptop Response:
Decent class of cover....that's it
Approximately 250 pages of hybridised vacuity build from snippets of information coralled together.I can best describe this work as almost entirely cliche ridden.It is further evidence that human computer interaction studies are largely 'solutions' in search of problems.The chapter on 'mega-creativity' is replete with casual opinion and banal anecdotes.Likewise chapters on the 'new education' and 'new medicine' are pitched several degrees below what the average Time or News Week reader would expect in content.Overall this is a poor piece of work in terms of content and I regret having wasted money on it.At some point in time, I hope that a Shokal equivalent emerges to debunk the self-aggrandising twaddle that typifies most HCI work.

repetitive, but somehow doesn't say anything
Schneiderman's "Leonardo's Laptop" is singularly disappointing.Promising to raise our expectation of what we should get from technology, he instead uses a forced extended metaphor in the form of Leonardo da Vinci.What would Leonardo do?, we are repeatedly asked.Schneiderman attempts to answer the question.Sadly, his answers are neither new nor groundbreaking.I cannot believe that Leonardo would simply recount solutions that are already available and attempt to make such solutions sound visionary and forward-thinking.
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Subjects:  1. Computer Books: General    2. Computers    3. Computers - General Information    4. Social Aspects - Human-Computer Interaction    5. Applications of Computing    6. Computers / Social Aspects / Human-Computer Interaction    7. Human-computer interaction    8. Impact of computing & IT on society   

Editorial Review

This is a first-rate detective story--and all true. It's the story of a seemingly invincible electronic thief, con man, and stalker--and the people who tracked him down. Jonathan Littman brings his readers straight into the world of cyberpunk crime as he shows the origins, development, and climax of the wildest and most audacious known crime spree in cyberspace. Hundreds of hours of interviews allow Littman to tell much of the story through the eyes of those who lived it, and his own edgy style and excellent pacing make for a thriller that's hard to put down. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

An absorbing story...
Jonathan Littman's The Watchman is well written and engaged me enough to read it in one sitting. I wanted for some time to learn more about Kevin Poulsen having heard about some of the exploits attributed to him. This story accomplishes that in a compelling way and manages to be pertinent years later. This is required reading for anyone wishing to know the darker side of the hacker sub-culture, about Kevin Poulsen, Ron Austin or Justin Petersen and some of their creative mischief and crimes.

The ultimate hacker - a true crime story
If you like true crime stories, this one is for you. I wont try and debate the truth of the book, (it's a controversial subject)because I dont know the truth. But I know this is a good story, even if there are a few fabrications here and there.
An inside look at hacker culture
I had no idea who Kevin Poulson was when I picked up this book.All I knew was that I wanted to read a book which dealt with computer hackers and this book had been recommended to me by a friend of mine.Suffice to say I was not disappointed.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1965-    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Computer Crime    6. Computer crimes    7. Computer hackers    8. Computer security    9. General    10. Nonfiction - True Crime / Espionage    11. Other Miscellaneous Crimes    12. Poulsen, Kevin,    13. Scientists - General    14. Security - General    15. True Crime / Espionage    16. United States    17. Current Events / General   

Reviews (13)

Great photos, but beware of the errors..
There are a lot of great photos of many early personal computers. Also included are some specs and history on each machine.
PK's Review on Digital Retro
A pretty good chronology of the eveolution of the home computer in the 70's and 80's. Reading a book like this takes you back to the days of BASIC and tape loading programs.
Beautiful Pictures
Perfect pictures of your favourite microcomputers of the eighties. Apple II, ZX80, Spectrum, Amstrad, even the NeXT Cube are here, beautifully photographed both with clear orthogonal views as well as with a three-quarter view. These are the pictures of these machines that you wanted to see. You can clearly see all of the case, including the underside if I/O ports exist there. The text is interesting enough though in some cases the precise machine photographed might not be the exact machine described. (Though the Amiga 500 is clearly labelled as such so there is no dishonesty here.)
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Subjects:  1. Computer Architecture - General    2. Computer Books: General    3. Computers    4. Computers - General Information    5. History    6. Microcomputer Design    7. Microcomputers    8. Computers / History    9. Social & Legal Aspects of Computing   

Editorial Review

A computer is dandy, and two computers mean fun for the whole family. But to get the most out of your investment in computer equipment--which is to say, printers, scanners, digital cameras, and high-speed Internet connections as well as computers--you need a local-area network. Read more

Reviews (3)

Broad appeal
Directed at a very general audience. Freed does not assume you are proficient with either hardware or software related to building out a home network. He gives careful exposition of a wired ethernet LAN and of the increasingly popular wireless LAN.
Great guide - even if you are not a beginner
This is a very thorough guide to the variety of home networking options available.Both wired and wireless networking is covered (in their own chapters,) and it offers good advice on selecting equipment, as well as complete step by step instructions for setting up the network, installing computers and other machines (like TiVo, Media Servers, networked DVD players and more,) sharing internet access, printers, all the configuration and troubleshooting - everything you need to get up and running with a home network. Basic information
This is an OK book for a beginner who knows little or nothing about networking. It does describe the various types of home networking available today, with a lot of information about wireless technologies. It could have been better organized by covering ethernet and wireless in separate sections. It is neither very clear for one getting started in home networking nor very helpful for one with basic knowledge who is looking to establish a more complex home network. It is an easy read and the "tips" inserts are helpful--really the best informative parts of the book. However, unless you are brand new to computers and networking, that is about all that is useful. Otherwise, save your money. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Computer Books: General    2. Computer networks    3. Computers    4. Computers - Communications / Networking    5. Home computer networks    6. Microcomputer Networks    7. Networking - General    8. Computer Communications & Networking    9. Computer Hardware & Operating Systems    10. Computers / General    11. Social & Legal Aspects of Computing   

Reviews (7)

Great book -- a must-read
Ron Burnett's "How Images Think" is a major contribution to the current discussion surrounding images and the digital universe, and is essential reading for anyone interested in thinking about the implications of our relationship to analog and digital media. The book itself is gorgeously designed, with a luminous cover; each chapter is absorbing, and the reading experience is enhanced by the inclusion of additional sidebar comments/text, and interesting photographs. Most importantly, the text is full of intelligent and honest ideas about the contemporary process of interacting with images. It is academic and personal, complex and readable. The author's discussion of the internet as a "gateway" that transforms the computer from a device into a portal (ref. Chapter 6 "Humans--Machines"), is very astute, as are his thoughts on how current discussions of mind/consciousness often draw on metaphors used in computer science and engineering. A great book, overall, which I recommend to all.

How Ron Burnett Thinks
How Images Think never quite lives up to its clever title or Douglas Coupland's glowing endorsement on the back cover. Ron Burnett's wide-ranging interests, as evident in his excellent bibliography, too often distract from his focus on the way images work in today's computer mediated world.
One of the best books I have read in a while
What a wonderful experience! This books is both personal and critical. I was impressed with the author's range of knowledge and desire to bring new ideas to the reader. His range is wonderful!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Assemblage Art    3. Cognitive Psychology    4. General    5. Social Aspects    6. Social Aspects - Human-Computer Interaction    7. Technology & Industrial Arts    8. Art / Mixed-Media    9. Impact of science & technology on society    10. Media studies   

Subjects:  1. Business Law    2. Business/Economics    3. Civil Procedure    4. Contracts    5. Data processing    6. Electronic Engineering (Specific Aspects)    7. Electronic contracts    8. Electronic data interchange    9. General    10. Law and legislation    11. Technology & Industrial Arts    12. United States    13. Contract law    14. EDI (electronic data interchange)    15. Law as it applies to other professions    16. Publishing industry    17. Social & Legal Aspects of Computing    18. USA   

Reviews (9)

A viable approach for furthering business, coming from business owners who offer real-world techniques and ideas
Blogging isn't just for the chatty consumer: not with the appearance of PUBLISH & PROSPER: BLOGGING FOR YOUR BUSINESS. Here it turns into a viable approach for furthering business, coming from business owners who offer real-world techniques and ideas to blog to improve business. Learn how to start such a blog and build momentum and interest to promote a brand, products, or customer relations. The authors have extensive background in the blogging world and in business alike and have put their premises to the test, so this offers realistic ideas already applied to solid business pursuits.
Specialist Book Seller
I need a blog for the homebuilt aircraft community, particularly those working with composite (fiberglass) technology. I work alone and will require additional help with developing a good active blog. This book has helped me to ask the right questions of the professional IT type who must help me get the blog going.

Great! (and not just for businesses)
As a longtime blogger and an entrepreneur I approached this title from New Riders with interest. I was happy to find out a wide range of information that I immediately put to good use in my own blogs. Interestingly enough, though the focus of the book is on blogging for businesses, the elements it presents are not limited to the business world. As a matter of fact, there at times throughout the book that you forget about the title of the book and get sunk into it due to the usefulness of the knowledge the authors share from their experience.
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Subjects:  1. Computer Books: General    2. Computers    3. Computers - General Information    4. Information Technology    5. Information Technology (Engineering)    6. Marketing    7. Marketing - General    8. Social Aspects - General    9. Business communication & presentation    10. Computers / Social Aspects / General    11. Impact of computing & IT on society   

Reviews (2)

Awesome book.
Starts out a little dry, but it's the necessary building blocks for the rest of the book. This is a great end-to-end description of the science of IW. Good buy!

A thorough introduction to a complex discipline
This book presents an information warfare framework that is more aligned to national infrastructure and military systems protection than commercial enterprises.However, the framework and systematic discussion of all of the relevant elements of information warfare can be applied to any environment - commercial, government or military.Read more

Subjects:  1. Computer - Internet    2. Computer Crime    3. Information Technology    4. Intelligence Operations    5. Internet - Security    6. Military Science    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Technology    9. Applications of Computing    10. Data security & data encryption    11. War & defence operations   

Subjects:  1. Computer Books: General    2. Computers - General Information    3. Congresses    4. General    5. Industrial Technology    6. Information Technology    7. Information Technology (Engineering)    8. Information resources manageme    9. Information resources management    10. Social Aspects    11. Technology    12. Technology And Society    13. Business & Economics-General    14. Business information systems    15. Computers / Information Technology    16. Computers / Management Information Systems    17. Impact of science & technology on society    18. Technology-Social Aspects   

Reviews (1)

A really interesting little-ish book
This book was on the prescribed text list for the masters I am doing (Master of Informaiton Technology) and I must say I was pleasantly surprised to read it. Being a technical (engineer) person, it's a generalized opinion that this group (enclave?) we like mathematics, science and engineering books, but not so called 'arty farty' stuff like philosophy. Speaking for me personally, isn't far from the truth...So I thought...groan, not another one of these idealistic, pointless, ultimately altruistic and futile failures to read. Indeed not! I actually enjoyed reading it! (shock-horror). Tavani uses the ploy of relating hisideas to real-life situations (stalking, cracking, etc). This lends the book a serious air of legitimacy. The ivory tower is nowehere in sight. He doesn't lecture at you like you're a poor, misguided computer geek who could never possibly understand human morals and ethics in a digital world (the point is to help you do that...which Tavani does).
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Subjects:  1. Business Ethics    2. Computer networks    3. Computers - General Information    4. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    5. Moral and ethical aspects    6. Science/Mathematics    7. Social Aspects - General    8. Technology    9. Telecommunications    10. Computers / General    11. Social & Legal Aspects of Computing   

Reviews (11)

Magneto might have a legitimate point of view, after all
I found "Citizen Cyborg" quite readable, and James Hughes brings up a number of interesting arguments against both the bio-Luddite and libertarian-Extropian views of human transformation through technological means. Regarding the latter, Hughes points to the contradiction between the Extropians' desire to re-engineer naturally evolved biology without limits, versus their taboo against intervening into the evolved "spontaneous orders" of markets. Ironically the Extropians' guru F.A. Hayek in "The Fatal Conceit" asserts that we cannot rationally control the direction of an evolved system of any sort, even in principle. But Extropians deliberately ignore that aspect of Hayek's philosophy because it conflicts with their biological agenda.
Pondering the Post-human--It Portends a Plethora of Problems
The day I finished reading "Citizen Cyborg" I met friends for a late dinner in an upscale Georgetown bistro. As a measure of the power of medical ethicist James Hughes' book, our dinner conversation revolved around the potential of babies free of genetic defects, the elimination of most of the diseases that now decimates our population, the potential of creating non-human sentient beings that might well have legal rights, and the possibility of near immortality. The domination of these issues among such an eclectic group of young Washingtonians is a measure of the book's saliency in the first part of the twenty-first century. I recommend "Citizen Cyborg" as an entertaining, challenging, and provocative exploration of the meaning of the post-human in modern American society.
Down to Earth talk on perils/promise of advanced bio/nano tech
Many highly enthusiastic books have appeared on Transhumanism and the Singularity, a time when we become potentially immortal by modifying ourselves with advanced bio/nano technologies.They mention only lightly the efforts of the Luddites to stop progress in the name of preserving humans as humans, and in the name of preventing dangerous science from being done, e.g., making nanobots that accidently turn the world into a gray goo.
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Subjects:  1. Biotechnology    2. Biotechnology (General)    3. Computers - General Information    4. Cybernetics    5. Medical innovations    6. Nanotechnology    7. Philosophy & Social Aspects    8. Science    9. Science/Mathematics    10. Security - General    11. Social Aspects - Human-Computer Interaction    12. Social aspects    13. Sociology Of Medicine    14. Impact of computing & IT on society   

Editorial Review

Don Tapscott, author of Read more

Reviews (42)

N-Geners are Heroes
This book will definitely appeal to young people.The author creates the term 'N-Generation' obstensibly because Generation-Y was owned by another author.The book creates a super youth culture that is underappreciated and misunderstood.If you want to write a book that will appeal to young people and get a good rating on the college campus ... just trash the previous generation and the youth will scramble on board the turnip cart.This book does a disservice to youth and to the previous generation by promoting stereotypes, underscoring obscure opinions, and understating the contributions made by the Boomers. A slanted perspective on it...
When I first read it years ago, and rereading it today, I find a lot in this book that is insightful and, moreso, true. The author gives a look into the trends, ways, and lives of the N-Gen that is intriguing. Being one of this generation, it is like looking into my past and recalling my childhood.

Best of the best.
This is absolutely one of the best researched, most interesting, well written, and easy to read books on this topic. A must read for educators ofInfo-Age youngsters. It will enlighten the pre- Info-Age generations to a whole new world and way of thinking! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Computer Books: Internet General    2. Computer networks    3. Computers    4. Computers and civilization    5. Future Studies    6. Internet - General    7. Popular Culture - General    8. Sociology    9. Technology and youth    10. Computers-Internet - General    11. Impact of computing & IT on society    12. Social Science / Popular Culture    13. Social Science-Future Studies   

Reviews (16)

Greatfor novices and begginers!
This a great book that improves your skills.It is great for skimming through or evening reading cover to cover.Great addition for Civilization fans!

Good Information
Gives you a lot of information in tables and charts.Well orgainzed and easy to reference. Has some helpful hints and clues to make the game easier to learn.It is NOT going to help you WIN.You have to think and reason on your own to accomplish this on your own ability.Use the brain GOD gave you and say thanks.Great Game and Great Information Book.

Expanded Instruction Manual - Little Strategy
I bought this manual hoping to quickly get up to speed with the new game.I knew enough to play at the more basic levels but wanted tips on how to improve my playing level. What I found in this book was a nicely complete instruction manual, and very little in the way of strategies, tips, etc.Read more

Subjects:  1. Computer Books: General    2. Computers - Games    3. Entertainment & Games - Strategy Games    4. Games    5. Games/Puzzles    6. Role Playing & Fantasy - General    7. Video & Electronic - General    8. Video & Electronic - Strategy Games    9. Civilization    10. Computer games    11. Games / Video & Electronic    12. Meier, Sid   

Editorial Review

Observing the dot-com boom and bust was like watchingtime-lapse photography; it seemed unreal, unsettling, yet deeplycompelling. How can we try to understand the cultural changes wreakedby the last "new economy" of the 20th century? Oxford scholar ChristineA. Finn spent 2000 in San Jose and its surrounding valley, exploringthe personal and material culture of the area. Her outsider's report,Read more

Reviews (6)

Disappointed
I had high expectations for this book, however I was severely disappointed.The book makes claims at being some sort of archaeologist's study, but it reads like a badly written vacation journal written by an easily impressed child.Finn locks onto the most trivial aspects of Silicon Valley and Internet culture and romanticizes them in a way that only someone who doesn't understand them would.

A different view of the valley, removed from the hype
This book takes a look at the other side of the Silicon Valley: the side removed from the glitz and glamour of the Silicon Valley (or at least what it had during the writing of the book). get English-Lueck's Cultures@SiliconValley instead
This is not the best book for insights about the Valley.As the other reviewers suggest, this book has a bit of a split personality.On the one hand, one has a stream of observational anecdotes about the Valley.All of the usual cliches are here: Fry's, Buck's Diner, the cherry stands, the 101 traffic jams.These read like someone is trying their hand at writing a confessional ethnographic tale, but without a theoretical argument to provide a central structure.On the other hand, one has a stream of stories about computer-as-artifact -- tales about the collectors, like Nathan Myhrvold, and the people who recycle computers, and so on.One gets the feeling that the author set out to write a book about the latter, found it a bit thin, and the editor suggested fleshing it out with some bubble-era backdrop. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Archaeology    3. Archaeology / Anthropology    4. California    5. Civilization    6. Computer Science    7. Computers    8. Computers And Society    9. Description and travel    10. General    11. Material culture    12. Nanotechnology    13. Santa Clara Valley (Santa Clar    14. Santa Clara Valley (Santa Clara County)    15. Science/Mathematics    16. Social aspects    17. Social life and customs    18. Technological Innovations    19. Technology    20. United States - State & Local - General    21. Computers / Computer Science    22. Finn, Christine    23. Impact of computing & IT on society    24. Journeys    25. Popular culture   

Reviews (1)

Excellent Ground Breaking Book
The story of the Bletchley Park code breaking efforts towards the German Enigma machine are well known. (If you are not familar the best book on the Enigma is:The German Enigma Cipher Machine: Beginnings, Success, and Ultimate Failure - ISBN 1-58053-996-3) Down through the years there have been only casual references to the Colossus machine that was used on the more sophisticated German coding machines.