Close Encounters of the Fourth Kind: A Reporter's Notebook on Alien Abduction, UFOs, and the Conference at M.I.T.

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Comprehensive historical overview of a complex subject.

Where do we come in?

Read alone at night for the full effect!

First rate read

First half is good. Second half is silly.

Close Encounters of the Fourth Kind: A Reporter's Notebook on Alien Abduction, UFOs, and the Conference at M.I.T.
C. D. B. Bryan
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0140195270

Amazon.com

Inspired perhaps by this summer's blockbuster film adaptation of Carl Sagan's Contact, a handful of nonfiction works have been reissued, all of which explore the possibility that we are not alone. C.D.B. Bryan's Close Encounters of the Fourth Kind--an engrossing work written for those skeptical about extraterrestrial visitors--is a compilation of testimonials and interviews about alien abductions. Bryan's sources, interviewed at a five-day academic conference held at M.I.T., include psychiatrists, researchers, science writers, "ufologists," and abductees, including John Mack, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard and author of Abduction: Human Encounters with Aliens. In addition, Close Encounters includes transcripts from hypnotherapy sessions with self-described "abductees." Bryan, journalist and author of Friendly Fire (1976), blends a reporter's objectivity with great compassion for the traumatized victims of these mysterious and horrific violations.

Customer Reviews:

Comprehensive historical overview of a complex subject........2006-08-04

C.D.B. Bryan's journalistic report of his attendance at a huge UFO & alien abduction conference in the early 1990's held at M.I.T. is a clearly written and fair minded look at a complicated and often controversial subject.

Despite the fact that most recent polls indicate that the majority of Americans & indeed the world believe "we're not alone", there are many who refuse to accept or are fearful of discussing the alien abduction phenomenon. Similarly, even when UFO enthusiasts come to agreement about various elements within their own community, there are breaks in the ranks in terms of everything from the effective use of hypnotic regression to the incredibly disturbing notion of alien/human hybrids being harvested.

It can all be dizzyingly confusing and even discouraging for the newly interested and so Bryan's book remains one of the more well organized and objective treatments on the subject. The author never tries to sway the reader in any direction. He stays steadfast to his job of reporting what he saw and trying to make some sense of it without being judgmental or partial to a particular mindset.

In-depth, informative, solidly entertaining and yes at times even patently unbelievable, but it's never boring nor a waste of your time. This would be a great starting point for the novice researcher and a great reference book for the seasoned UFO devotee. I subtracted one star for lack of photos, since a few photos of conference participants would have been a welcome addition and personal touch to this otherwise excellent book.

Where do we come in?.......2005-07-08

This book added to my suspician of a government cover up, opened the pandoras box to Alien abduction, government cover-up, military technology, Similarities between everyone abductee. Theories on all of this and more kept me reading this book cover to cover. Skeptics that want to remain skeptical should not read this book. If you have a closed mind but dont want it to be pried open do not read this book. However anyone else should definitely pick up a copy. Every question I had became answered and questions I never asked were asked and answered. It blows your mind at what could be and what is going on out there. With the help of this book I have come to believe that the government is hostile toward whatever it is that IS out there. We had no part in deciding their welcome, who knows what is to come.

Read alone at night for the full effect!.......2004-09-28

I am nearing the end of this book and have found it incredibly interesting and just as frightening!

I was skeptical about the reports of alien abductions until I started reading this. Now it takes me a while to pluck up the courage to turn off the lights when I stop reading each night!

A definite must-read for all you skeptics!

First rate read.......2004-07-31

If this book is fiction, it stands up all the way. If not its a bonus, but a pretty scary one if we`re under that much control. What do I think? I underwent a total paradigm shift every time I opened the book so perhaps the question is unfair.

First half is good. Second half is silly........2003-06-17

The books starts out well. The author is attending a conference at MIT about abductions by flying saucers. He's skeptical but respectful. He introduces you to the experts, the scholars, and the abductees. So far, so good.

But in the second half, he gives you LENGTHY descriptions of hypnosis sessions with a pair of abductees --- two women whose stories start off where you'd expect and then get crazier as they progress.

Actually, "crazy" is the wrong word. "Implausible" or "transparent" would be better. The two women need to add a little extra juice to their stories to keep your attention, so they add more alien beings, more strange events, and new places to explore.

Amazon.com

Physics and computer science genius Stephen Wolfram, whose Mathematica computer language launched a multimillion-dollar company, now sets his sights on a more daunting goal: understanding the universe. Wolfram lets the world see his work in A New Kind of Science, a gorgeous, 1,280-page tome more than a decade in the making. With patience, insight, and self-confidence to spare, Wolfram outlines a fundamental new way of modeling complex systems.

On the frontier of complexity science since he was a boy, Wolfram is a champion of cellular automata--256 "programs" governed by simple nonmathematical rules. He points out that even the most complex equations fail to accurately model biological systems, but the simplest cellular automata can produce results straight out of nature--tree branches, stream eddies, and leopard spots, for instance. The graphics in A New Kind of Science show striking resemblance to the patterns we see in nature every day.

Wolfram wrote the book in a distinct style meant to make it easy to read, even for nontechies; a basic familiarity with logic is helpful but not essential. Readers will find themselves swept away by the elegant simplicity of Wolfram's ideas and the accidental artistry of the cellular automaton models. Whether or not Wolfram's revolution ultimately gives us the keys to the universe, his new science is absolutely awe-inspiring. --Therese Littleton

Book Description

This long-awaited work from one of the world's most respected scientists presents a series of dramatic discoveries never before made public. Starting from a collection of simple computer experiments---illustrated in the book by striking computer graphics---Wolfram shows how their unexpected results force a whole new way of looking at the operation of our universe.

Wolfram uses his approach to tackle a remarkable array of fundamental problems in science: from the origin of the Second Law of thermodynamics, to the development of complexity in biology, the computational limitations of mathematics, the possibility of a truly fundamental theory of physics, and the interplay between free will and determinism.

Written with exceptional clarity, and illustrated by more than a thousand original pictures, this seminal book allows scientists and non-scientists alike to participate in what promises to be a major intellectual revolution.

Customer Reviews:

Well, it isn't a pop science book.......2007-06-25

I just finished the book, and yes it is big, but actually easy to read. This book is not written or edited to achieve popularity among casual readers. But this does not seem to be Wolfram's goal. I must admit he seems arrogant and overconfident in the first pages, but that mellows, and you realize he is writing with a goal of clarity and consciously avoids modesty for this reason (he addresses this in his notes).
In short, truly a novel concept and worthy of the title even if some of his predictions don't materialize. Clearly in the scienctific world (especially in complexity, which is the next major hurdle in science) we need some new approaches, and Wolfram does an amazing job of delving into multiple areas to pursue this. This man has worked hard with a goal of a new idea, and he has the history of success to back it up. It is amazing that a person who possibly could be one of the most proficient in advanced practical mathematics seems to be telling us we need to find a new road to solving complexity problems in different ways than using a conventional mathematical approach.
History will tell if this man has somthing profound or is just off on a tangent, but my feeling is that he has many ideas that are true. A good book if you are an innovative thinker, but surely it will be boring to a conventional mind.

An interesting, but very thick, book.......2006-12-15

My very first reaction to this book was the reverse of my reaction to the back cover of "1066 and all that." That book cited a "review" by "the bookworm" which read "...this thin volume..." Obviously, I had to laugh. And when I saw this book, needless to say, my first thought was of that bookworm saying "...yum, this is the kind of book I can really dig into!"

Yes, this volume is too thick. But my review has to be about the contents.

I would like to admit that I know something about the theory of computation, that I have taught university classes on the subject, and that I have discovered a few things of my own about it. Maybe that is why I found the book reasonably easy to read. And in fact, one benefit of having all this material is that one can see what Wolfram did and follow his reasoning.

It is true that pretty much all computer science students, certainly including those who took one of my classes, know that simple programs can produce very highly ordered output, very highly complex output, or very irregular output. But that does not mean that Wolfram has accomplished nothing by discovering some more examples of this. I found this work to be intriguing.

Still, there are some problems with the book, as many of the other reviewers have pointed out. And quite a few are valid. On the other hand, I am not quite so willing to accept the complaints about Wolfram merely trying all sorts of ideas on a computer and seeing what happens. I think that computer searches are excellent ways to discover things. And I think Wolfram's tale is worth something by showing this.

Wolfram says he believes that "no system can ever carry out explicit computations that are more sophisticated than those carried out by systems like cellular automata and Turing machines." Um, that sounds fair. After all, any computable function can be produced by a Turing machine. It does not seem unreasonable to say that any process in the universe can be represented by computable functions.

I like the chapter on fundamental physics. Here, Wolfram suggests using automata as models to explain the very existence of fundamental physical laws. That still leaves unanswered such questions as why matter exists. But I think it is a good way to look at things.

Wolfram makes the point that some of his rules do not obey the Second Law of Thermodynamics. That is not a surprise to me. After all, chaos does tend to produce order! I think that stable, self-repairing, regenerating, and reproducing entities ought to quickly dominate any scene; everything else decomposes, decays, or gets eaten. And that should not look like it complies with the Second Law of Thermodynamics!

There is also a chapter on "implications for everyday systems." The most obvious is natural selection in biology. Here, I feel from the work I have done that iterative improvement is extremely, even surprisingly, powerful. That iterative improvement can be made to sequences. But while the initial sequence might be generated by a simple cellular automaton, the mutations would be in the product of the cellular automaton, not (as I think Wolfram implies) in the automaton itself. Wolfram argues that biological complexity can be generated by rather simple means. I think this is a good point. Even though DNA may look pretty complex to us, it is much easier if the biological growth pattern follows an intrinsically simple algorithm. I would add that natural selection can add to some of the apparent complexity.

Nevertheless, this book is simply too big. It needed better editing. There needed to be better references to previous work. Basic facts about automata needed to be better separated from the variety of speculations connecting them to so many other fields.

I guess this book is stimulating. So I can't simply give it one star. But just as Newton's Principia suffered from so much polishing as to make it almost unreadable, this book suffers from way too little polishing. I'll settle for three stars.

Infomercial.......2006-11-10

I am amazed that serious scientists spent many hours writing reviews of this book, here and elsewhere on the Internet.

Don't they see that this is an infomercial, designed solely to sell more copies of Mathematica?

Gould has formulated the real new kind of science.......2006-10-04

Anyone interested in finding out about the real nature of biological diversity
should read " The Structure of Evolutionary Theory" by Stephen Jay Gould.

There is no "New Kind of Science" here.......2006-07-30

I was very disappointed by this book. I was very eager to read this book and learn about Wolfram's thoughts about a new approach to science, but there is nothing in this book that justifies such a lofty title. The first six chapters of the book describe various types of cellular automata, which are computational models whose evolutionary behavior is governed by simple rules. Wolfram devoted much of his scientific career studying such systems.

One particular system that has caught Wolfram's interest is a cellular automata model that he calls "Rule 30". What is so remarkable about "Rule 30"? Rule 30 starts off with a single element and, through repeated application of a simple rule, rapidly evolves into a system involving apparently complex behavior.

There were two big problems with the first six chapters of this book. First, Wolfram never bothers to try to explain what is so special about "Rule 30". Why doesn't Rule 29 or Rule 31 show complex behavior? What are the essential elements of Rule 30 that give complexity? Wolfram gives no information on this. A second big problem is that Wolfram is much too repetitive. The point that complexity can be generated by simple rules is hammered in over and over again. This book could clearly have used a lot of editing.

The rest of the book describes ways in which cellular automota can by applied to various scientific problems, but no concrete, specific pathways are given for how to tackle these various problems. Rather, the chapters consist of various suggestions and musings by Wolfram on how cellular automata may relate to a wide range of scientific problems. The breadth of his discussions is more impressive than their depth, which often never gets much deeper than noting visual similarities between some of his diagrams and the physical appearances of shells, tiger stripes, snowflakes, etc.

A key problem with this book is that it never attempts to analyze why some rules give "complex" behavior and why others don't. I'm reminded of a story that Wolfram himself related about the time he showed Richard Feynman a printout of "Rule 30":

"Well, we'd just been crawling around the floor--with help with some other people--trying to use meter rules to measure some feature of a giant printout of it. And Feynman takes me aside, rather conspiratorially, and says: "Look, I just want to ask you one thing: how did you know rule 30 would do all this crazy stuff?" "You know me," I said. "I didn't. I just had a computer try all the possible rules. And I found it." "Ah," he said, "now I feel much better. I was worried you had some way to figure it out." "

Both Wolfram and Feynman are geniuses, but Feynman had something that Wolfram doesn't: A gift for seeing past the unessentials and getting to the gist of a problem. Wolfram fills his books with countless pages of diagrams showing "complex" behavior, but never tries to explain the essential nature of Rule 30.

After reading this book, I'm also reminded of a statement by Freeman Dyson, another brilliant scientist, after he looked at Wolfram's book: "There's a tradition of scientists approaching senility tocome up with grand, improbable theories. Wolfram is unusual in that he's doing this in his 40's".

Advanced Interactive Video Design: New Techniques and Applications (Video Bookshelf)

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Advanced Interactive Video Design: New Techniques and Applications (Video Bookshelf)
Nicholas V. Iuppa , and Carl Anderson
Manufacturer: Knowledge Industry Publications Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Mind at Light Speed: A New Kind of Intelligence

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give me a break
From the review in Nature magazine
Light as a Paradigm Shift in Artificial Intelligence
Totally Overhyped, Zero Information on the Core Topic

Mind at Light Speed: A New Kind of Intelligence
David D. Nolte
Manufacturer: Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0743205014
Release Date: 2001-11-27

Amazon.com

Technology is neat, but the Industrial Revolution didn't really take off until machines starting doing things humans couldn't possibly do. Purdue physicist David Nolte says the same thing will launch the real Information Revolution--when computers start performing functions we can't even understand, much less program. Mind at Light Speed is his outline of the future of computing, including all-optical components "reading" pictures as instruction sets millions of times faster than linear, language-based programs.

This in itself will be a huge advance, giving rise to machines as incomprehensible as our next-door neighbors, and Nolte describes the technology and possible consequences with simple enthusiasm. He also discusses quantum computing at length, proposing an equally mind-boggling leapfrog over optical computing--if it can be made practical. Nolte's insights carry the reader farther into the domain of science fiction than most cyberprophets, but Mind at Light Speed makes a strong case for his world of the future. --Rob Lightner

Book Description

Mind at Light Speed is the ultimate story of artificial intelligence -- and how it will revolutionize the world in which we live. David Nolte, Professor of Physics at Purdue University, and his research colleagues have devoted their lives to building computers that use light instead of electricity for computation. These machines will be so fast and efficient that they will generate a new kind of intelligence, which for centuries has only been dreamed of by visionaries and mystics. That science fiction is now real.

Since the invention of the laser right up to the recent news that a light particle was halted as if it were a baseball caught in a mitt, we have watched the manipulation of light grow ever more sophisticated and ingenious. That line of research is about to pay off more dramatically than we could have hoped. Nolte's and his colleagues' simple yet revolutionary idea is that, while electric charge may have always done the calculating in our computers -- and inside our brains -- we can build machines that compute with light, with photons, instead. Such optical computers would operate at light speed and in the process redefine intelligence. That technology is happening.

The much-discussed bandwidth revolution is being driven by fiber-optic cables that make optical computing inevitable. Nolte shows how the photons that travel down those cables will soon stop not at the curb in front of your house but flow right inside your home and inside your computer, passing information from chip to hard-drive -- and then the photons will move right onto the chips themselves. These machines will be the first light computers. Their hard drives will be holograms able to access everything at once and, in time, their switches will become quantum switches. Nolte already holds patents on the optical processors that will be the heart of these new machines, and, in a goldmine appendix on the light speed economy, he lists the optical research and development companies he finds most intriguing.

If machines ever become beings, their minds, to borrow a phrase from Hermann Hesse, will be a "glass bead game" in a stream of light. Combining expertise in linguistics, information sciences, computer science, physics, and engineering, this account from the pinnacle of human technological endeavor reveals the future of intelligence, and of our lives.

Customer Reviews:

give me a break.......2002-12-04

If the reader above is such a layman and doesnt even have
a job, then how can she write such an outstanding reveiw
for the 2 star book. how bogus.

From the review in Nature magazine.......2002-04-05

"Nolte makes a convincing case that light can act as both Mercury and Apollo - messenger and diviner - through the development of new nonlinear optical materials... He provides a fairly complete picture for the student and interested amateur of why the technology works the way it does, describes the roadblocks to improving system performance, and discusses the effects on telecommunications and data processing..."

Light as a Paradigm Shift in Artificial Intelligence.......2002-01-15

I am a layman- no physical science degree or job, but I have an interest in new technology applications, particularly light. Nolte's book is great for both the layman as well as the expert- the difference being how fast you will be able to read and absorb the building blocks of knowledge he stacks up (e.g; the physics of how humans see). His focus is a new paradigm of computer intelligence based on photons, not electrons- with implications of quantum leaps in computing power/intelligence and speed. If you have an interest in the power of "light" versus electricity (the 20ieth century paradigm), you will enjoy this thought provoking book. 'Mind at the Speed of Light' compliments recent best sellers like 'Telecosm'(opto-electronics), 'The City of Light' (history of fiber optics). It avoids hype but gets the reader intrigued about the future which is within reach. My only criticism is that the book and its lay readers would benefit greatly from more pictures or diagrams.

Totally Overhyped, Zero Information on the Core Topic.......2002-01-13

David Nolte may be an optics expert, but he certainly is neither a computer expert, an algorithm expert, a software development expoert nor a vision expert or AI expert. The quality of the latter topics is about 0.1%, 0%, 0%, 5%, 0.1% respectively of introductory texts for these fields.

This book gives zero information on the key topic of how his optical computers (or any other) are going to handle the topics AIs, Intelligence and Vision. (Of course this is due to the fact that nobody knows how to do it today, but at least they do not claim so).

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Magic of Self-organization

A New Kind of Social Science: Study of Self-organization of Human Dynamics
Vlad Dimitrov
Manufacturer: Lulu.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1411601424

Customer Reviews:

Magic of Self-organization.......2003-10-11

This book introduces a new kind of social inquiry centred in the exploration of the self-organizing nature of human dynamics. The unfolding of these dynamics reflects the drive towards self-realization and self-fulfillment inherent in each individual. By studying the ways this drive manifets: its origin and characteristics, its stimulators and impediments, catalysts and inhibitors, factors which support, sustain, impede, or block its inward and outward reslizations, the author reveals new challenging insights, which remain hidden if one continues to study society as an object of research separatd from the unique and fathomless richness of the whirling complexity of the individual dynamics.

Book Description

Explores the moral and philosophical underpinnings of Vonnegut's work.

Customer Reviews:

An advanced and formal literary analysis.......2006-10-04

Kurt Vonnegut's Crusade: Or How A Post Modern Harlequin Preached A New Kind Of Humanism by Todd D. Davis (Assistant Professor of English at Penn State) explores the humanistic angle of the fiction of celebrated 60's and 70's author Kurt Vonnegut. Vonnegut's wish to preserve the world from environmental and military destruction, to use writing as an instrument of good citizenship and offer hope for the power of writing through provisional narratives are among the themes explored at length. An advanced and formal literary analysis, recommended for college library shelves.

Metaphysical Encounters of a Fourth Kind: An Exacting Science

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Metaphysical Encounters of a Fourth Kind: An Exacting Science
Audrey Craft Davis
Manufacturer: Blue Dolphin Publishing, Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Prosperity Consciousness: A Metaphysical Guide to Your Natural Wealth

ASIN: 1577332040
Release Date: 2006-10-06

Book Description

Metaphysical Encounters of a Fourth Kind Audrey Craft Davis * Dr. Davis takes the profound knowledge of the spiritual and metaphysical realm and makes it easy to understand. "Metaphysics made easy" could define this book * The reader can identify with the examples, personal and otherwise. * After reading this book, one will never fear death. * Learn to achieve miracles and take back your power, through instruction and examples of the magical force in applying the book's principles. * Words and thoughts are things. They materialize. You can control your thoughts! * Don't give them your life force by thinking about them or speaking them, unless the subject is one you will want to materialize in your life. Man is God's only creation with the ability to change his world by changing his thoughts and words. Learn how to go into the silence to quiet your mind. * Collective words and thoughts can and do change the world and civilization. Mantras and chants are very powerful. * Love is the greatest force in the world. Learn the love technique for surrounding your loved ones and yourself with the "white light" protection. This was proven in the author's life and others. It is not your imagination. * You can communicate with those from the other side. Read the author's personal experience as well as others. * Learn to use your right brain through your alpha, theta and delta brain wave frequencies. * Do you know your guardian angels and spirit guides? They have been with you since the day you were born. Learn how to talk to them and gain their help. * 11. Out-of-body (OBE) experiences: you can learn astral projection by using the technique given in this book. The author has given precautions so you need not fear this phenomenon. OBE experiences can happen without your volition as in auto accidents or surgery, and prisoners of war. * Do you know the steps to materializing the things you want? Treasure-mapping along with cyber-optic viewing is one very successful method. There are others. Read on. * Why do we dream? Learn a technique for remembering your dreams. Dreams can be a warning. Do you have prophetic dreams? What about dream symbols and what they mean? * Spirit possession: multiple personalities are often actually possession. When treated as such, most cases are healed. Dr. Edith Fiore, a psychiatrist, says it has been so in her every case. * Why do children die? Do they grow up on the other side? Do they remain children? Are they the secret playmates of your childhood? Remember your invisible companions? * Learn about spirits and ghosts from the distant past, like those in the White House and the phantom train that carries the body of President Lincoln along the same route as it did in real life, except it never reaches its destination. Thousands have witnessed this phenomenon. * Read about the eighth wonder of the world, the Coral Castle, built in Florida, single-handed by a 97-pound man, using stones which weigh several tons each. These stones equal the size of the stones in the pyramids. This book is phenomenal in the way it explores the mysterious wonders of the world. You will be truly astounded and enlightened. Endorsements "Dr. Audrey Craft Davis is one of those rare people who can present a complex subject simply and clearly. As an introduction to metaphysics this book is first-rate. -- Rev. Paul Daniele

Malinowski's Kiriwina: Fieldwork Photography 1915-1918

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Malinowski's Kiriwina: Fieldwork Photography 1915-1918
Michael W. Young
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0226876500

Book Description

Kiriwina, the largest of the Trobriand Islands in eastern Papua New Guinea, is anthropology's "sacred place." It was here that Bronislaw Malinowski conducted the path-breaking fieldwork that enabled him to revolutionize British social anthropology. And it was here that he developed one of anthropology's most important tools: photography.

Malinowski's Kiriwina presents nearly two hundred of Malinowski's previously unpublished photographs, taken between 1915 and 1918, of the Trobriand Islanders. The images are more than embellishments of his ethnography; they are a recreation in striking detail of a distant world. Michael Young, an anthropologist and Malinowski's authorized biographer, has selected the photographs based on one of Malinowski's unpublished studies of the region, and the plan of that abandoned project has helped structure this book.

Divided into fourteen sections, Malinowski's Kiriwina is a series of linked photo-essays based on Trobriand institutions and cultural themes as described by Malinowski. The introductory essay by Young appraises the founding anthropologist's photographic oeuvre, explains the historical circumstances and technical aspects of the images, and puts them in their colonial context. Young illuminates the photographs with quotations from Malinowski's diaries, letters, and field notes, thereby giving a biographical dimension to the collection. Commentaries on the images by contemporary Trobrianders add a further layer of interpretation. The result is a stunning record not only of a fascinating place, but of the mutual relationship between ethnography and the visual.

Advanced Television Systems: Brave New TV

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Excellent overview of a fast developing industry
Superficial treatment of a complex subject.
Don't waste your time or money on this book!
Excellent..ITV heralds Internet Broadcasting...

Advanced Television Systems: Brave New TV
Joan Van Tassel
Manufacturer: Focal Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Customer Reviews:

Excellent overview of a fast developing industry.......2000-11-29

Joan's book covers a lot of territory, and is a great way to understand the other sides of the industry for someone who is deeply involved in only part of it. While no book covering such a complex and quickly changing subject is perfect, Joan's is the best of breed in an area with few alternatives. It is written in an easy to understand manner and an enjoyable style. I was surprised to note that the only negative reviews posted here were both written by the same person, under two names, and were flames without substance. Joan's award winning book is the best way I know to broaden one's knowledge of this field, and her columns for the Hollywood Reporter and Price Waterhouse Coopers... are an excellent way to remain current.

Superficial treatment of a complex subject........1998-12-06

Don't waste your time or money with this book. A superficial treatment of a complex subject. Book is filled with technical inaccuracies.

Don't waste your time or money on this book!.......1998-12-01

Like so many of the others, this author tries to explain a highly technical subject to non-technical folks and fails in the attempt. The book is filled with technical inaccuracies and leaves the non-technical reader scratching their head after reading a chapter. It's almost as if Ms. Van Tassel had this stuff explained to her by a technical person that either didn't want to take the time to do it right or didn't know the subject.

Excellent..ITV heralds Internet Broadcasting..........1997-12-11

The information is very relevant to today's internet broadcasting market - server situations, and how advanced TV is forming the future of digital television or internet broadcasting. One of few - Joan's commentary is great. The diagrams are worth it - seeing how things are done in ATV that could be down with webcasting. Cheers to Joan Van Tassell.

Digital Nonlinear Editing: New Approaches to Editing Film and Video

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Nuts and bolts survey of the world of non-linear editing

Digital Nonlinear Editing: New Approaches to Editing Film and Video
Thomas A. Ohanian
Manufacturer: Focal Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Customer Reviews:

Nuts and bolts survey of the world of non-linear editing.......1998-04-28

Filmaking is at a unique point in time where the previously independant and separate realms of images are merging into a forced compatibility. Video, film and computer graphics are struggling to coexist and fit into some sort of standard. It can be very confusing and challenging to apply all this fresh emerging and changing technology into flowing art to deliver an esthetic message. This book brought me out of darkness and into the world of nonlinear editing. It is a perfect survey course for anyone having the need define clearly the technology available to the filmaker. Leon Rodriguez Writer/Director/Filmaker

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