Product Description
Intended as an introduction to the fundamental electrical and electronic concepts and principles that underlie modern communication systems and products. Spiral. DLC: Telecommunication. ... Read more

Product Description
This important volume reviews the history of the telecommunication superhighway pointing out its beginnings in the interactive TV and broadband highway of the wired cities more than two decades ago. It explains the technological uncertainties of the superhighway and many of its futuristic services, and also gives an understandable review of the technological principles behind today's modern telecommunication networks and systems.

Recognizing that technology is only one factor in shaping the future, the author, a well-recognized telecommunications expert, analyzes the financial, policy, business, and consumer issues that undermine the superhighway. The book concludes by showing that today's switched telephone network and CATV systems already form a telecommunication superhighway carrying voice, data, image, and video communication for a wide variety of services that enable us to stay in contact with anyone anywhere on our planet.

Highway of Dreams is written clearly with understandable explanations for nonspecialists. It challenges the technological utopia offered by the promoters of the superhighway and suggests that consumer needs, finance, corporate culture, and policy often have far greater impact on the future than technology alone.
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Product Description
A complete introduction to communication technologies and systems, offering a solid understanding of the fundamentals, history and future direction of this ever-changing field. Geared towards non-technical business professionals and students, this resource integrates human physiology and factors, important inventors and business people, and basic technological principles to explain the key concepts and developments of modern communications. This self-teaching book uses modern communication systems - such as the compact disc, television, the telephone, and the computer - as the motivation for the reader to study their basic principles. From analog-to-digital conversion, spectrum and bandwidth, and packet and circuit switching, to electricity and electronics, modulation and multiplexing, and computer processing, the author takes a thorough and phased approach in presenting major topics. Structured in a modular format, the book covers audio technology, video systems, speech communication systems, and written communication systems, applying key concepts in each area to real-world communication systems. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

understandable to a wide audience
For the scope of its subject, the book is quite small. Noll quickly goes over a large number of areas. From the history of various communications methods since the 19th century, to explaining about computers and the Internet. It is partly a history book.

It is not very technical. Seems to be aimed at a reader who is outside the engineering and computing field. But for such a person, Noll gives a good description of the key ideas and people who made it happen. Should be readily understandable to a wide audience. ... Read more

Product Description
A concise introduction to the evolution of communication media, The Evolution of Media is unique in that it treats both mass media and interpersonal media. The first part of the book describes the history and development of media technology. The second and third parts develop a taxonomy for media and compare their technological requirements, applications, and other significant elements. The last section presents a simple methodology to help predict the success of new media products and services. This book is a useful supplement for foundational courses in mass communication and communication history, as well as a primer for anyone interested in the big picture of communication media. ... Read more

Product Description
Provides telephone system managers, telecommunications sales professionals, and students with nontechnical, easy-to-understand explanations of the major aspects of today's telecommunications systems. DLC: Telephone. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Demystifies much about Telco stuff
I read this because I wanted to learn more about telco equipment.I am a network engineer and work with switches and routers, but didn't know much about the telco stuff.I learned a lot from the book.The most practicalthings for me were the information on the different types of fiber(multimode, single mode) and how they are different, how voice is sampled(explains why DS0 circuits are 64K) and how calls get routed from point Ato point B.It explains a lot about time division multiplexing, wavedivision multiplexing, and various types of switching equipment.Now Iunderstand what it means to put in my router configuration a line like"isdn switch-type primary-dms100".I think it is a great book toread for someone like myself that is familiar with data networking butwants to know more about the telco side.

Introduction to the owrld of phones
Had to read this to get a handle on new responsibilities at my company. I found this book to be full of information but the writing style is both dry and scattered. If it were put into a better format (easier to absorb) I amsure it would be much better.

interesting and helpful
I liked the book because it helped me on a report. I got an A. Yahoo! Thank You very much ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Good book
This book has become a little dated, but has some very interesting historical signifigance and a unique perspective on the electronic communications that has invaded our society, and forever changed the way we relate to one another.

Essential if you want to understand the phone company.
I work in data communications and until I read this book I found the folks at the phone company baffling.

This book captures well the technical culture of the phone company right before the Internet took off.

A lot of really great explanation of how things like analog modems work- with a lot of great pictures.

Hard to find an equivalent title
This book covers physical, information theoretic, and electronic issues in data communication.While the book is a bit dated, the classic material really hasn't changed that much.Pierce and Nolls give a masterful treatment of this material at an introductory to intermediate level.If you are looking for a book packed with equations and proofs or a book devoid of such things you will be disappointed.Rather, the book is heavy on qualitative understanding, with some analysis and equations following from the qualitative understanding.

When I got this book, I picked it up in a bargain bin, and thought that it was worth a ...gamble that it might have some content (it looked a little too accessible, not deep).After reading this book and Pierce's (same author) Introduction to Information Theory: Signals Systems and Noise, I have a new appreciation.Pierce is the kind of guy who can get a point across, and give an understanding of some deep concepts.This book is great, and I'm really glad I have it.

Easy intro to electronic signals
Given that electronic signals are central to both artificial computers and biological nervous systems, this easy-to-read reference on electronic signals may prove useful to readers of many backgrounds. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Journal of Cultural Geography, published by Thomson Gale on March 22, 2007. The length of the article is 708 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Germany's Nature: Cultural Landscapes and Environmental History.(Book review)
Author: Michael G. Noll
Publication: Journal of Cultural Geography (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 22, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 24Issue: 2Page: 111(3)

Article Type: Book review

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
The unique contribution of this book is its exclusive focus on the current impact of managed care on social service organizations and delivery systems, public sector systems, and professional practice. It is one of the only books to address managed care from a social work perspective. It is also the first to address the impact of managed care on services for children. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Euphemism for Insurance companies to skim off tax dollars
"Managed Care"...another creative way for insurance companies to skim off government money via social services. ... Read more