It is exhilarating or frightening to look at the recent technological past then translate it to the rate of change in the near future. Consider what we now take for granted, like the power of the laptop on which this review is being written or the ubiquitous mobile phone with all its clever gadgets (ignoring its infuriating intrusion into travel, meetings and everywhere else), then try and guess their further sophistication over the next five or ten years. This is all brought home by these two volumes in particular, within a series where we have previously given a favourable review (Satellites, RR 98/454). The computer and communications are at the heart of current revolution; so how much more important they must be to a younger generation since it is their lives which will be shaped even more dramatically by these inventions and their spread within a world quite unlike that in which my generation grew up.
These are typically attractive, fact‐packed, modern designed additions to the series. There are plenty of colour illustrations and diagrams with imaginative and consistent use of typefaces, and coloured fact boxes including panels of “future trends” for each aspect discussed; at last I think I understand digital TV (a useful position to be in before I actually get one: whether I shall know how to work it is another matter entirely, although I am sure my grandsons will help). There is much concentration on today and what is changing and being developed at the moment: future possibilities are confined to a single chapter in Computers and to fact boxes in Communications, although a final chapter there raises some of the vital issues: for example, communications overload, the joy of discovery (as opposed to everything being there at the push of a button), and will we need to travel?
A lot of information (technical and non‐technical) is presented in each volume, but all is well designed with variety of layout and presentation (almost like a series of computer screens: I shall avoid pointing any morals as my views on the versatility and ultimate durability of the book have been often enough expressed), and ending with the usual glossary and index. The integration of imaginative design with the clear presentation of fact makes these volumes particularly useful and excellent vehicles for their purpose, whether in school, library or home. The book may have learned useful lessons from computer screen presentation (or was that the other way round?) but these results are especially satisfying in a series developing into a valuable resource.
