Editorial Review

It is said that information wants to be free, but most days on the net, don't you feel that all it wants to do is be in your face every last minute? Did you ever feel yourself go "tilt" when a search engine retrieves 30,000 possible hits to your query? Or downloads 50 pieces of new e-mail? Perhaps some relief will come when you know the Read more

Reviews (19)

Somewhat Outdated
I read this book as a requirement for a master's degree course.Although the information presented is very compelling, it is somewhat outdated.
New approach to information overload, yet no solutions
This book covers interesting ground regarding the social ramifications of too much information.However, it offers little in the way of hands-on solutions.
Overwhelmed by Information?This book might help
Are we drowning in a sea of information? Blinded by a smog of data? That's Shenk's premise, and I have to admit I'm in somewhat of an agreement with him. It's either agree with him, or admit that I'm getting old and can't keep up anymore. We are of an age, however--he relates how his first computer was a Macintosh in 1984. He talks about becoming involved in the early days of digital communication (back then, there was Compu$erve, the $ource, and local BBSes). He went on the reporting route, while I took the technology route. Now we both feel surrounded by too much stuff, data being the prime component. Shenk blames it on the new medium, whereas I think that maybe it is the nature of our general society.Read more

Subjects:  1. Communication (Specific Aspects)    2. Computers and civilization    3. General    4. Information Technology    5. Information society    6. Mass Media - General    7. Media Studies    8. New Age    9. Politics - Current Events    10. Politics / Current Events    11. Social Science    12. Social aspects    13. Sociology - General    14. Technology And Social Change    15. United States    16. General Theory of Computing   

Subjects:  1. Automobile industry and trade    2. Business/Economics    3. Detroit    4. History    5. History Of Individual Cities    6. Michigan    7. Technology And Social Change    8. United States    9. Impact of science & technology on society    10. Local history    11. Social history    12. Urban communities   

Subjects:  1. Disasters    2. Human Geography    3. Risk    4. Social aspects    5. Technology    6. Technology And Social Change   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business networks    4. Business/Economics    5. Communication    6. Future Studies    7. Government & Business    8. Information society    9. International - General    10. International Relations - General    11. Knowledge management    12. Public Policy - General    13. Social Aspects    14. Technology And Social Change   

Editorial Review

New digital technologies promise to enable large numbers of people to work wherever and whenever they wish and to choose between a stationary or nomadic lifestyle. In Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Digital communications    5. Effect of technological innova    6. Effect of technological innovations on    7. Employees    8. Human Resources & Personnel Management    9. Management - General    10. Residential mobility    11. Technology And Social Change    12. Telecommuting    13. Impact of computing & IT on society    14. Labour economics    15. Personnel & human resources management    16. Social Science / Emigration & Immigration   

Reviews (7)

Reid's Review - Pretty good & easy read
Digital Convergence by Andy Covell provides a great introduction into the world of the ever crossing over of technologies as stated in the title of the book by stating brief histories of different forms of technologies, how the digitization of these technologies allows work to increase in productivity and speed, and lays down the basics of networking and communication technologies.If you are looking for a book on the convergence of computer, networking, and multimedia technologies that is easy to read and full of bits of information then this may be the next read for you.
a good and easy guide for understanding digital technologies
Technologies have existed throughout our history from physical tools such as hammer and wheel to intellectual skills such as know-how of organization management. With the advent and acceptance of new technologies, people have experienced the change of life pattern correspondingly. Since the late 1990s, a variety of information and communication technologies (ICTs) have also changed our lives. For example, mobile telephone made it easier to make and adjust appointments. Internet brings about both richness and overload of available information. Andy Covell tries to show the potential opportunity new digital technologies offer individuals through his book Digital Convergence. Digital Convergence Review
Andy Covell's "Digital Convergence" provides lots information regarding the conventional and current technologies.The author talks about the history and development of conventional technologies, such as telephone, prints, and radios, and how digital technology makes it differently.The author also discusses computing, digital communications technology, and digital multimedia in detail on each technology.Read more

Subjects:  1. Computer Bks - General Information    2. Computer Literacy    3. Computers - General Information    4. Economic aspects    5. General    6. Information Economics    7. Reference    8. Social Aspects - General    9. Social aspects    10. Technological innovations    11. Technology And Social Change   

Reviews (1)

Great Visual Critique of American Culture
This book presents the viewer (it is photo-documentary) with a wonderful, and slightly disturbing look at America's culture of watching television. From the llama watching tv with its owners, to the children watching tv with no heat (but who do apparently have cable) the concept of what it isto be a tv viewer is uniquely examined. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. History: American    3. Mass Media - Electronics Media    4. Media Studies - Electronic Media    5. Performing Arts    6. Pictorial works    7. Social aspects    8. Technology And Social Change    9. Television Broadcasting    10. United States    11. Impact of science & technology on society    12. Media studies    13. Radio & television industry    14. Sociology, Social Studies   

Reviews (1)

A wide breadth of analysis
The value in Computer Technology and Social Issues is the range of reference material Garson brings together within the pages of a 400-page text. Most readers will be convinced after reading this book that thesimple prescriptions popularly associated with computer technology arewholly inadequate if one is to come to a meaningful understanding ofcomputers in society. To that end, teachers wishing to devise a condensed"social issues in computing" course may be attracted to the text.Also, those beginning social research in a particular area of computertechnology may find the text useful to gain familiarity with a particularsubject area. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Automation    2. Computers - General Information    3. Computers And Society    4. Economic aspects    5. General    6. Information technology    7. Social Aspects - General    8. Social Science    9. Social aspects    10. Sociology    11. United States    12. Impact of science & technology on society    13. Information resources manageme    14. Social & Legal Aspects of Computing    15. Technology And Social Change   

Reviews (1)

Meticulous research
This book is an in-depth exploration into the social forces behind the adoption of 4 technologies into rural American households in the early Twentieth century: the telephone, the automobile, the radio, and electricity.The book also describes some of the social changes that came about as a result of the adoption of these technologies.Read more

Subjects:  1. Country life    2. General    3. History: American    4. Rural Sociology    5. Social Aspects    6. Social Science    7. Sociology    8. Sociology - Rural    9. Technology    10. Technology And Social Change    11. United States    12. United States - General    13. 20th century    14. American history: from c 1900 -    15. Impact of science & technology on society    16. Science / Biology    17. Social history    18. USA   

Subjects:  1. History    2. Social aspects    3. Technology    4. Technology And Social Change   

Reviews (3)

Unreadable except by communications academics
This book is targeted at an academic audience and not at the general reader - and the academic area is not networking but human communications.If you're looking for a readable history of networks (including the Internet), look elsewhere.

useful nuggets, but a lot of mud
This book is written for an academic audience, and is only of limited relevance to telecom professionals looking for historical perspective on their industry. A sample quote: "Utterance is, for Saussure, thesurface expression of a deep-seated mental competence.In Chomskyanterms..." EXCELLENT PIECE OF RESEARCH & ANALYSIS
This book won the 1998 Best Book Award by the American Association for History and Computing. It not only provides a comprehensive account of the history of electronic communications from telegraphy to the Internet, butalso offers a model with which to understand the processes of change in thetechnologies of communication.Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Communication    3. Communication Engineering    4. History    5. Mass media    6. Media Studies    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Social aspects    9. Sociology - General    10. Technological innovations    11. Technology    12. Technology & Industrial Arts    13. Technology And Social Change    14. Telecommunications    15. History of engineering & technology    16. Impact of computing & IT on society    17. Impact of science & technology on society    18. Media, information & communication industries    19. Performing Arts / Mass Media    20. Social history   

Subjects:  1. Political Theory    2. Technology And Social Change   

Editorial Review

This wise and informative book explains how grassroots networks can be implemented at little cost in a socially directed way. As a founding member of the Seattle Community Network--one of the first and most innovative free networking projects in the world--Schuler provides great practical advice with a refreshing dose of social conscience.Read more

Reviews (1)

Doug Schuler's Landmark Text Stands the Test of Time
This book after a year and a half since publishing remains a valuable guidebook for communities stepping out onto the telecommunications scene.There are some inspirational examples of community spirit described.Read more

Subjects:  1. Community    2. Community life    3. Community organization    4. Computer Bks - Communications / Networking    5. Computer networks    6. Networking - General    7. Social aspects    8. Sociology - General    9. Technological innovations    10. Technology And Social Change    11. Computer Communications & Networking   

Subjects:  1. Bibliography    2. Civilization    3. Social aspects    4. Technology    5. Technology (General)    6. Technology And Social Change    7. Technology and civilization    8. United States   

Subjects:  1. Developing countries    2. Science/Mathematics    3. Technology    4. Technology (General)    5. Technology And Social Change   

Reviews (1)

Entertaining, Informative, and Humorous!
I am an avid user of computers at home and use them extensively at work as a Paramedic.I read this book based on a recommendation from a friend and found it interesting, funny, and containing lots of useful information about the software industry and the geeks down the hall. Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business & Economics / Industries / Computer Industry    3. Business enterprises    4. Computer networks    5. Industries - Computer Industry    6. Information Management    7. Information technology    8. Social aspects    9. Technology    10. Technology And Social Change   

Subjects:  1. Communications    2. Computer Networks    3. Cyberspace    4. Democracy    5. Government - U.S. Government    6. Information Technology    7. Internet    8. Internet - General    9. Political aspects    10. Politics / Current Events    11. Politics/International Relations    12. Social Science    13. Social aspects    14. Sociology - General    15. Technology And Social Change    16. Impact of computing & IT on society   

Subjects:  1. Automation    2. Cross-cultural studies    3. Employee participation    4. Employment And Technological Change    5. Government policy    6. Management    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Technological innovations    9. Technology & Industrial Arts    10. Technology And Industrial Growth    11. Research & development management    12. Sociology, Social Studies   

Subjects:  1. Economic aspects    2. Electronic Engineering (General)    3. Microcomputers    4. Microelectronics    5. Social aspects    6. Technology And Social Change    7. Reference, Information and Interdisciplinary Subjects   

Reviews (1)

Good compilation of articles from many different view points
High Technology and Low-Income Communities Prospects for the positive Use of Advanced Information TechnologyRead more

Subjects:  1. Computer Industry    2. Computers - General Information    3. Computers And Society    4. Industrial Technology    5. Information technology    6. Poor    7. Popular Culture - General    8. Science/Mathematics    9. Social Aspects    10. Sociology - General    11. Sociology - Urban    12. Technology    13. Technology And Social Change    14. Architecture / Planning    15. Cultural studies    16. Impact of computing & IT on society    17. Impact of science & technology on society    18. Urban communities