Best of
Technology

1991

In the Absence of the Sacred: The Failure of Technology & the Survival of the Indian Nations


Jerry Mander - 1991
    "Will interest all readers concerned about our environment and quality of life."-- Publishers Weekly.

Programming Perl


Tom Christiansen - 1991
    The first edition of this book, Programming Perl, hit the shelves in 1990, and was quickly adopted as the undisputed bible of the language. Since then, Perl has grown with the times, and so has this book.Programming Perl is not just a book about Perl. It is also a unique introduction to the language and its culture, as one might expect only from its authors. Larry Wall is the inventor of Perl, and provides a unique perspective on the evolution of Perl and its future direction. Tom Christiansen was one of the first champions of the language, and lives and breathes the complexities of Perl internals as few other mortals do. Jon Orwant is the editor of The Perl Journal, which has brought together the Perl community as a common forum for new developments in Perl.Any Perl book can show the syntax of Perl's functions, but only this one is a comprehensive guide to all the nooks and crannies of the language. Any Perl book can explain typeglobs, pseudohashes, and closures, but only this one shows how they really work. Any Perl book can say that my is faster than local, but only this one explains why. Any Perl book can have a title, but only this book is affectionately known by all Perl programmers as "The Camel."This third edition of Programming Perl has been expanded to cover version 5.6 of this maturing language. New topics include threading, the compiler, Unicode, and other new features that have been added since the previous edition.

The Electra Story: The Dramatic History of Aviation's Most Controversial Airliner


Robert J. Serling - 1991
    on the humid night of September 29, 1959, Braniff Flight 542 crashed on a farm near Buffalo, Texas. Less than six months later, Northwest Flight 710 crashed in a soybean field near Tell City, Indiana. Both planes were Lockheed Electras, and both, for no apparent reason, had lost a wing in mid-air. The combined toll of the two crashes was 97 lives. There were no survivors. Early the following October, during take-off from Boston’s Logan Airport, there was another Electra disaster, and the plane that had been supposedly foolproof became the object of the ugliest controversy in the history of commercial aviation. The Electra Story is an illuminating and incomparably thorough study of the plane’s entire career. From design through construction, rigorous testing, and brilliant initial performance, to the minute-by-minute record of the fatal flights, the scenes of wreckage, and then the painstaking efforts to solve the mystery. While the search for a “probable cause” went on, there was a crucial decision to be made: whether or not to let the Electras go on flying. Elwood R. Quesada, then Administrator of the Federal Aviation Agency, had to make that decision, and how he coped with this frightening responsibility is a remarkable tale in itself. The plane that had been a dream, then became a nightmare, is still flying today, and out of tragedy has come an important advance in man’s knowledge. Robert Serling’s evaluation of The Electra Story is an enlightening, vivid, unbiased and rare documented account. It is a human story of suspense, with dedication and courage. And as a story of how government, industry, technology, science and the public were all trapped in one intricate web, it is both revealing and significant. Praise for Robert Serling ‘High level of suspense and excitement.’ - De Moines Sunday Register ‘Serling has spun another winner’ – Publisher’s Weekly ‘…keeps you guessing til the end’ - Arizona Daily Star ‘Aviation buffs will revel in this thoroughgoing chronicle’ – Kirkus Robert J. Serling (1918-2010) was aviation editor of United Press International and won the annual TWA Best Aviation News Reporting Award for four years running.

Chamonix to Zermatt: The Classic Walker's Haute Route (Cicerone Trekking Guides)


Kev Reynolds - 1991
    The 180km Walker's Haute Route crosses 11 passes, gains more than 12,000 metres in height and is a strong contender for the title of Most Beautiful Walk in Europe. The route is described in 14-day stages, with variants and is suitable for walkers with some previous alpine trekking experience. In 2 weeks of mountain travel you will see the greatest collection of 4000 metre peaks in the Alps and visit some of the most spectacular valleys. The guidebook also includes essential practical information on travel to and from Chamonix and Zermatt, as well as information on accommodation in alpine villages and mountain refuges, trekking safety, itinerary planning and how to best plan and prepare for this challenging but rewarding trek.

Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio


Tom Lewis - 1991
    It is a story of pioneering technology, of the American entrepreneurial spirit, and of the tragic collision between the corporation and the lone inventor. Published in conjunction with the PBS documentary. 8 pages of photographs.

There Are No Electrons: Electronics for Earthlings


Kenn Amdahl - 1991
    Despite its title, it's not wild ranting pseudo-science to be dismissed by those with brains. Rather, Amdahl maintains that one need not understand quantum physics to grasp how electricity works in practical applications. To understand your toaster or your fax machine, it doesn't really matter whether there are electrons or not, and it's a lot easier and more fun to start with the toaster than with quarks and calculus. The book is mildly weird, often funny, always clear and easy to understand. It assumes the reader doesn't know a volt from a hole in the ground and gently leads him or her through integrated circuits, radio, oscillators and the basics of the digital revolution using examples that include green buffalo, microscopic beer parties, break-dancing chickens and naked Norwegian girls in rowboats. OK, it's more than mildly weird.The book has been reprinted numerous times since 1991 and has achieved minor cult status. Reviewed and praised in dozens of electronics and educational magazines, it is used as a text by major corporations, colleges, high schools, military schools and trade schools. It has been studied by education programs at colleges across the United States. This book was making wise cracks in the corner before anyone thought of designing books for dummies and idiots; some say it helped to inspire that industry.It may be the only "introduction to electronics books" with back cover comments by Dave Barry, Ray Bradbury, Clive Cussler, and George Garrett, as well as recomendations from Robert Hazen, Bob Mostafapour, Dr. Roger Young, Dr. Wayne Green, Scott Rundle, Brian Battles, Michelle Guido, Herb Reichert and Emil Venere. As Monitoring Times said, "Perhaps the best electronics book ever. If you'd like to learn about basic electronics but haven't been able to pull it off, get There Are No Electrons. Just trust us. Get the book."

The New Hacker's Dictionary


Eric S. Raymond - 1991
    Historically and etymologically richer than its predecessor, it supplies additional background on existing entries and clarifies the murky origins of several important jargon terms (overturning a few long-standing folk etymologies) while still retaining its high giggle value.Sample definitionhacker n. [originally, someone who makes furniture with an axe] 1. A person who enjoys exploring the details of programmable systems and how to stretch their capabilities, as opposed to most users, who prefer to learn only the minimum necessary. 2. One who programs enthusiastically (even obsessively) or who enjoys programming rather than just theorizing about programming. 3. A person capable of appreciating {hack value}. 4. A person who is good at programming quickly. 5. An expert at a particular program, or one who frequently does work using it or on it; as in `a UNIX hacker'. (Definitions 1 through 5 are correlated, and people who fit them congregate.) 6. An expert or enthusiast of any kind. One might be an astronomy hacker, for example. 7. One who enjoys the intellectual challenge of creatively overcoming or circumventing limitations. 8. [deprecated] A malicious meddler who tries to discover sensitive information by poking around. Hence `password hacker', `network hacker'. The correct term is {cracker}.The term 'hacker' also tends to connote membership in the global community defined by the net (see {network, the} and {Internet address}). It also implies that the person described is seen to subscribe to some version of the hacker ethic (see {hacker ethic, the}).It is better to be described as a hacker by others than to describe oneself that way. Hackers consider themselves something of an elite (a meritocracy based on ability), though one to which new members are gladly welcome. There is thus a certain ego satisfaction to be had in identifying yourself as a hacker (but if you claim to be one and are not, you'll quickly be labeled {bogus}). See also {wannabee}.

War in the Age of Intelligent Machines


Manuel DeLanda - 1991
    For Manuel DeLanda, however, this new weaponry has a significance that goes far beyond military applications; he shows how it represents a profound historical shift in the relation of human beings both to machines and to information. The recent emergence of intelligent and autonomous bombs and missiles equipped with artificial perception and decision-making capabilities is, for Delanda, part of a much larger transfer of cognitive structures from humans to machines in the late twentieth century.War in the Age of Intelligent Machines provides a rich panorama of these astonishing developments; it details the mutating history of information analysis and machinic organization from the mobile siege artillery of the Renaissance, the clockwork armies of the Thirty Years War, the Napoleonic campaigns, and the Nazi blitzkrieg up to present-day cybernetic battle-management systems and satellite reconnaissance networks. Much more than a history of warfare, DeLanda's account is an unprecedented philosophical and historical reflection on the changing forms through which human bodies and materials are combined, organized, deployed, and made effective.Manuel DeLanda has published essays on philosophy and film theory. He is a computer programmer and a film artist.A Swerve Edition, distributed for Zone Books

Fundamentals of Software Engineering


Carlo Ghezzi - 1991
    In contrast to other books which are based on the lifecycle model of software development, the authors emphasize identifying and applying fundamental principles that are applicable throughout the software lifecycle. This emphasis enables readers to respond to the rapid changes in technology that are common today. Principles and techniques are emphasized rather than specific tools--users learn why particular techniques should or should not be used. Understanding the principles and techniques on which tools are based makes mastering a variety of specific tools easier. KEY TOPICS: The authors discuss principles such as design, specification, verification, production, management and tools. Now coverage includes: more detailed analysis and explanation of object-oriented techniques; the use of Unified Modeling Language (UML); requirements analysis and software architecture; Model checking--a technique that provides automatic support to the human activity of software verification; GQM--used to evaluate software quality and help improve the software process; Z specification language. MARKET: For software engineers.

Fire from Ice: Searcing for the Truth Behind the Cold Fusion Furor


Eugene J. Mallove - 1991
    Book by Mallove, Eugene J.

The Acceleration of Knowledge: The Jumping Jesus Phenomenon


Robert Anton Wilson - 1991
    

The Ideas of Particle Physics: An Introduction for Scientists


G.D. Coughlan - 1991
    It bridges the gap between traditional textbooks on the subject and popular accounts that assume little or no background knowledge. Carefully revised and updated, this edition covers all of the important concepts in our modern understanding of particle physics. The theoretical development of the subject is traced from the foundations of quantum mechanics and relativity through to particle discoveries and the formulation of modern string theory. It includes a full description of the prospects for the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, which will allow many key ideas to be tested. The book is intended for anyone with a background in the physical sciences who wishes to learn more about particle physics. It is also valuable to students of physics wishing to gain an introductory overview of the subject.

Spacecraft Systems Engineering


Peter Fortescue - 1991
    With emphasis on recent developments in space activities, this new edition has been completely revised. Every chapter has been updated and rewritten by an expert engineer in the field, with emphasis on the bus rather than the payload. Encompassing the fundamentals of spacecraft engineering, the book begins with front-end system-level issues, such as environment, mission analysis and system engineering, and progresses to a detailed examination of subsystem elements which represent the core of spacecraft design - mechanical, electrical, propulsion, thermal, control etc. This quantitative treatment is supplemented by an appreciation of the interactions between the elements, which deeply influence the process of spacecraft systems design. In particular the revised text includes * A new chapter on small satellites engineering and applications which has been contributed by two internationally-recognised experts, with insights into small satellite systems engineering. * Additions to the mission analysis chapter, treating issues of aero-manouevring, constellation design and small body missions. In summary, this is an outstanding textbook for aerospace engineering and design students, and offers essential reading for spacecraft engineers, designers and research scientists. The comprehensive approach provides an invaluable resource to spacecraft manufacturers and agencies across the world.

Footwear Impression Evidence: Detection, Recovery and Examination


William J. Bodziak - 1991
    In this new edition, everything, including the original twelve chapters, bibliography, appendix, etc., has been clarified, updated and expanded. This edition includes updated and new information on recovery procedures and materials such as lifting, photography and casting; chemical enhancement; updated information about footwear manufacturing; footwear sizing; and known impression techniques and materials.WHAT S NEW IN THE SECOND EDITION:Besides updating and expanding the twelve original chapters, Footwear Impression Evidence: Detection, Recovery and Examination, Second Edition adds three new chapters: one chapter on barefoot evidence, which concerns impressions made by the naked or sock-clad foot or those which remain in abandoned or discarded footwear; another new chapter on several cases in which the footwear impression evidence was of primary importance in bringing about a conviction or confession; and finally, a new chapter on the footwear impression evidence in the O.J. Simpson criminal and civil cases.

Critical Theory of Technology


Andrew Feenberg - 1991
    Social critics claim that we must choose between this way of life and human values. Critical Theory of Technology challenges that pessimistic cliche. This pathbreaking bookargues that the roots of the degradation of labor, education, and the environment lie not in technology per se but in the cultural values embodied in its design. Rejecting such popular solutions as economic simplicity or spiritual renewal, Feenberg presents a compelling argument for broaderdemocratic participation in technological choices. This book will be of special interest to scholars and students of philosophy, sociology, contemporary Marxism, and Critical Theory.

Feminism Confronts Technology


Judy Wajcman - 1991
    Wajcman argues that the identification between men and machines is not immutable but is the result of ideological and cultural processes. She surveys sociological and feminist literature on technology, highlighting the male bias in the way technology is defined as well as developed.Over the last two decades feminists have identified men's monopoly on technology as an important source of their power, women's lack of technological skills as an important element in their dependence on men. During this period, women's efforts to control their fertility have extended from abortion and contraception to mobilizing around the new reproductive technologies. At the same time there has been a proliferation of new technologies in the home and in the workplace. The political struggles emerging around reproductive technology, as well as the technologies affecting domestic work, paid labor, and the built environment, are the focus of this book.

The Perfect Machine: Television and the Bomb


Joyce Nelson - 1991
    

Sclerotherapy Expert Consult - Online and Print: Treatment of Varicose and Telangiectatic Leg Veins, Text with DVD


Mitchel P. Goldman - 1991
    Mitchel P. Goldman, Jean-Jerome Guex, and Robert A Weiss, equips you to implement the latest cosmetic procedures for the treatment of varicose and telangiectatic leg veins. Completely revised with contributions from U.S.-based and international authorities, this classic reference is packed with everything you need to know about sclerotherapy, and provides extensive discussions of the latest techniques, solutions, and possible complications. Case studies, detailed color illustrations, and procedural videos on DVD-ROM offer practical, step-by-step visual guidance as well as expert hints and tips for implementing the latest cosmetic procedures into your practice including foam sclerotherapy, endovenous radiofrequency (RF) and laser closure, ambulatory phlebectomy and laser treatment of spider telangiectasia. You can also access the full content and videos online at www.expertconsult.com.Optimize outcomes and improve your surgical, injection and laser techniques with comprehensive, visual guidance about common pitfalls and tricks of the trade from practically minded, technically skilled, hands-on experts.Implement the latest approaches with completely updated chapters reflecting the most recent advances in sclerotherapy and surgical treatment of varicose and telangiectatic leg veins.See how to perform a variety of key procedures with step-by-step videos, on DVD-ROM, demonstrating endovenous radiofrequency closure, CoolTouch endovenous ablation, cross polarization visualization, PPG digital measuring, sclerotherapy of the lateral venous system showing reflux, foam sclerotherapy, telangiectatic matting, ambulatory phlebectomy, and draining of intravascular coagulum.Apply the best practices and global perspectives from a newly reorganized team of U.S.-based and international authors and contributors.Access the complete contents from any computer at www.expertconsult.com, complete with the full text and entire image bank. Master the latest sclerotherapy procedures with step-by-step video guidance.

A Suspiciously Simple History of Science and Invention: Without the Boring Bits


John Farman - 1991
    The book covers a range of subjects from the earliest fish hooks to the Norwegian Project Phoenix - a floating hotel/island for 5600 passengers.

Data Compression Book


Mark Nelson - 1991
    This second edition has been updated to include fractal compression techniques and all the latest developments in the compression field. All the code in the previous edition has been updated to run with today's compilers and has been tested on multiple platforms to ensure flawless performance. You'll learn to write C programs for nearly any environment as you explore different compression methods. Nelson and Gailly discuss the theory behind each method and apply the techniques involved to shrink data down to a minimum. Each technique is illustrated with a complete, functional C program that not only demonstrates how data compression works, but it also can be incorporated into your own data compression programs. You'll also get detailed benchmarks demonstrating the speed and compression ability of each technique. The code in this book has been tested on a variety of platforms and compilers including Microsoft Visual C++ 1.5 with MS-DOS 5.0 and 6.22; Borland C++ 4.0 and 4.5 with MS-DOS 5.0 and 6.22; Symantec C++ 6.0 and 7.0 with MS-DOS 5.0 & 6.22; Interactive Unix System 3.2 with the portable C compiler; Solaris 2.4 with the SunSoft compiler; and Linux 1.1 with the Gnu C Compiler. Topics Include:The Shannon-Fano and Huffman coding techniques Adaptive Huffman coding techniques Lossy compression The JPEG compression algorithm Fractal compression techniques Arithmetic coding Dictionary compression methods

How the Internet Works (How It Works)


Preston Gralla - 1991
     The Internet has changed the world... and, with everything from blogs to podcasts, Internet phones to video, it's still changing the world. Now, it's easy to understand how it all works! This book's big, brilliant, full-color illustrations and clear explanations make it all incredibly simple! DISCOVER HOW THE INTERNET REALLY WORKS... IT'S AMAZINGLY EASY! This new edition has been completely updated for today's hottest Internet technologies, Web connections, hardware, communications and entertainment services, and much more! - See how the Internet can deliver any kind of information, anywhere: web pages, email, music, video, phone calls, and more! - Understand the most exciting new Internet technologies, from blogs and podcasting to wikis and BitTorrent - Discover how your connection to the Internet works... wireless, cable modem, DSL, even cellphones - Go behind the scenes with today's most sophisticated websites, applications, and services - Protect yourself from the latest Internet dangers, including phishing, web surveillance, and wireless hacking Preston Gralla is the award-winning author of more than 30 books, including How the Internet Works, Complete Idiot's Guide to Internet Privacy and Security, Complete Idiot's Guide to Protecting Your Child Online, and How Wireless Works. He has written frequently about security issues, computer technology, the Internet, and has been a columnist for many magazines, websites and newspapers.

Algorithms and Data Structures: Design, Correctness, Analysis


Jeffrey H. Kingston - 1991
    This book provides a look at the central algorithms and data structures of computer science, together with an introduction to the techniques of design, correctness and analysis required for understanding them.

Laser Material Processing


William M. Steen - 1991
    Background information on surface treatment processes is provided to give the reader a real understanding of the process mechanisms, method of application, and industrial potential. Additionally, there are sections on basic optics, theoretical modelling, automation and safety. The material presented is based upon a course Professor Steen presents to groups from British Aerospace, and to his own MSc students in laser technology. This unique combination of topics has excellent potential as university course material for undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate studies in optoelectronics, laser processing, and advanced manufacturing. Engineers and technicians in these areas will also find the book a welcome source of information on the rapidly expanding use of industrial lasers.

A History Of The International Chemical Industry


Fred Aftalion - 1991
    This new edition includes events from 1990 to 2000, when major companies began selling off their divisions, seeking to specialize in a particular business. Aftalion explores the pitfalls these companies encountered as well as the successes of "contrarians"--those companies that remained broad and diversified. He uses BASF, Dow, and Bayer as examples of true contrarians.

The Waite Group's Object-Oriented Programming in Turbo C++


Robert Lafore - 1991
    

Submarine Technology for the 21st Century


Stan Zimmerman - 1991
    Yet these few submariners can command a sea or destroy a civilization. Never has so much combat power been wielded by so few warriors. This concentration of power is made possible by innovative use of technologies, including rocketry, acoustics, hydrodynamics, nuclear power, advanced chemistry, unique materials and a host of others. Unlike other 20th century military innovations - the tank, the airplane and nuclear explosives - the submarine remains shrouded in secrecy, a truly "silent service." This book surveys the state of submarine technology worldwide, and examines research advances that will shape the second century of submarines.

A Beginner's Book of Tex


Raymond Seroul - 1991
    The principle behind the new technology is simple: imagine a very fine mesh superimposed on a sheet of paper. Digital typesetting consists in darkening the appropriate pixels (tiny squares) of this mesh, in patterns corresponding to each character and symbol of the text being set. The actual darkening is done by some printing device, say a laser printer or phototypesetter, which must be told exactly where the ink should go. Since the mesh is very fine-the dashes surrounding this sentence are some six pixels thick, and more than 200 pixels long-the printer can only be controlled by a computer program, which takes a "high-level" description of the page in terms of text, fonts, and formatting commands, and digests all of that into "low-level" commands for the printer. TEX is such a program, created by Donald E. Knuth, a computer scientist at Stanford University.

The Invisible Weapon: Telecommunications and International Politics, 1851-1945


Daniel R. Headrick - 1991
    In this book, Headrick examines the political history of telecommunications from the mid-nineteenth century to the end of World War II. He argues that this technology gave society new options. In times of peace, the telegraph and radio were, as many predicted, instruments of peace; in times of tension, they became instruments of politics, tools for rival interests, and weapons of war. Writing in a lively, accessible style, Headrick illuminates the political aspects of information technology, showing how in both World Wars, the use of radio led to a shadowy war of disinformation, cryptography, and communications intelligence, with decisive consequences.

The Fail-Safe Society: Community Defiance and the End of American Technological Optimism


Charles Piller - 1991
    Charles Piller shows how ecological disasters and technological breakdowns have robbed Americans of their faith in the beneficence of technology, and he offers a guide for achieving meaningful public involvement in scientific and technological decision-making.

The Archeology of the Atomic Bomb: A Submerged Cultural Resources Assessment of the Sunken Fleet of Operation Crossroads at Bikini and Kwajalein Atoll Lagoons


James P. Delgado - 1991
    

Diagnosis and Troubleshooting of Automotive Electrical, Electronic, and Computer Systems


James D. Halderman - 1991
    NATEF-correlated, the text presents the principles and practices of diagnosis and troubleshooting of automotive electrical, electronic, and computer systems in a clear, concise format and at a level of detail that far exceeds most similar texts.

Mixed and Hybrid Finite Element Methods


Franco Brezzi - 1991
    The presentation is built around a few classic examples: Dirichlet's problem, Stokes problem, Linear elasticity. The authors provide with this publication an analysis of the methods in order to understand their properties as thoroughly as possible.

Chinese Thought, Society, and Science: The Intellectual and Social Background of Science and Technology in Pre-Modern China


Derk Bodde - 1991
    Yet it was Europe, not China, that experienced the scientific and technological revolution that transformed the world from the 17th century onward. In this study, Derk Bodde examines the cultural requisites for science and technology in early China and other pre-modern civilizations.

Macsbug Reference and Debugging Guide: For Macsbug 6.2


Apple Inc. - 1991
    The Apple Technical Library provides Macintosh developers with the official treatment of all the major new technologies that Apple releases. Timely, accurate, and clear, this collection of books is the essential resource for anyone developing software for the Macintosh. You'll find definitive coverage of the newest and most important technologies, such as QuickDraw 3D and Apple Guide. You'll also find the classic cornerstones of Macintosh development, like Macintosh Human Interface Guidelines, MacsBug Reference and Debugging Guide, and Planning and Managing AppleTalk Networks. Care has been taken to provide the information using the most appropriate medium. From the multimedia presentations of Electronic Guide to Macintosh Human Interface Design to the electronic reference included with Advanced Color Imaging on the Mac OS, the material is presented in the way that allows you to access it most effectively. 0201567679B04062001

Instrumental Realism: The Interface Between Philosophy of Science and Philosophy of Technology


Don Ihde - 1991
    Ihde's book breaks new ground and... makes an important debate accessible." --Robert AckermannInstrumental Realism has three principal aims: to advocate a "praxis-perception" approach to the philosophy of science; to explore ways in which such an approach offers a mutually illuminating overlap with a philosophy of technology; and to examine comparatively and critically the work of some who advocate an "instrumental realist" approach to the philosophy of science.