B C, Before Computers

B C, Before Computers PDF Author: Stephen Robertson
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Get Book Here

Book Description
The idea that the digital age has revolutionized our day-to-day experience of the world is nothing new, and has been amply recognized by cultural historians. In contrast, Stephen Robertson's BC: Before Computers is a work which questions the idea that the mid-twentieth century saw a single moment of rupture. It is about all the things that we had to learn, invent, and understand - all the ways we had to evolve our thinking - before we could enter the information technology revolution of the second half of the twentieth century. Its focus ranges from the beginnings of data processing, right back to such originary forms of human technology as the development of writing systems, gathering a whole history of revolutionary moments in the development of information technologies into a single, although not linear narrative. Treading the line between philosophy and technical history, Robertson draws on his extensive technical knowledge to produce a text which is both thought-provoking and accessible to a wide range of readers. The book is wide in scope, exploring the development of technologies in such diverse areas as cryptography, visual art and music, and the postal system. Through all this, it does not simply aim to tell the story of computer developments but to show that those developments rely on a long history of humans creating technologies for increasingly sophisticated methods of manipulating information. Through a clear structure and engaging style, it brings together a wealth of informative and conceptual explorations into the history of human technologies, and avoids assumptions about any prior knowledge on the part of the reader. As such the expert and the general reader alike will find it of interest.

B C, Before Computers

B C, Before Computers PDF Author: Stephen Robertson
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Get Book Here

Book Description
The idea that the digital age has revolutionized our day-to-day experience of the world is nothing new, and has been amply recognized by cultural historians. In contrast, Stephen Robertson's BC: Before Computers is a work which questions the idea that the mid-twentieth century saw a single moment of rupture. It is about all the things that we had to learn, invent, and understand - all the ways we had to evolve our thinking - before we could enter the information technology revolution of the second half of the twentieth century. Its focus ranges from the beginnings of data processing, right back to such originary forms of human technology as the development of writing systems, gathering a whole history of revolutionary moments in the development of information technologies into a single, although not linear narrative. Treading the line between philosophy and technical history, Robertson draws on his extensive technical knowledge to produce a text which is both thought-provoking and accessible to a wide range of readers. The book is wide in scope, exploring the development of technologies in such diverse areas as cryptography, visual art and music, and the postal system. Through all this, it does not simply aim to tell the story of computer developments but to show that those developments rely on a long history of humans creating technologies for increasingly sophisticated methods of manipulating information. Through a clear structure and engaging style, it brings together a wealth of informative and conceptual explorations into the history of human technologies, and avoids assumptions about any prior knowledge on the part of the reader. As such the expert and the general reader alike will find it of interest.

B C, Before Computers

B C, Before Computers PDF Author: Stephen Edward Robertson
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781800640313
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 156

Get Book Here

Book Description
The idea that the digital age has revolutionized our day-to-day experience of the world is nothing new, and has been amply recognized by cultural historians. In contrast, Stephen Robertson's BC: Before Computers is a work which questions the idea that the mid-twentieth century saw a single moment of rupture. It is about all the things that we had to learn, invent, and understand - all the ways we had to evolve our thinking - before we could enter the information technology revolution of the second half of the twentieth century. Its focus ranges from the beginnings of data processing, right bac.

Smoke and Mirrors - Special Visual Effects B.C. (Before Computers)

Smoke and Mirrors - Special Visual Effects B.C. (Before Computers) PDF Author: Mark D. Wolf
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781629336534
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Get Book Here

Book Description
Visit the realms of The Twilight Zone, journey to The Outer Limits and boldly go on a Star Trek! Read how motion picture and TV special effects were created before computers! From Lon Chaney to Ray Harryhausen, from Georges Melies to George Lucas, meet the multi-talented magicians-many of whom never received screen recognition-who invented ways to conjure up ferocious dinosaurs battling a giant ape in King Kong or the catastrophic natural disasters in Earthquake. They brought people uncomfortably close to Boris Karloff's Frankenstein and the fanciful, beloved Wizard of Oz. During WWII they gave home audiences a taste of distant warfare without risking any actors and in the 1950s they introduced us to destructive invaders from other worlds - without a real national landmark being destroyed. Dozens of rare, unpublished behind-the-scenes photos from classic films and obscure productions reveal the best kept secret tricks of the trade: miniatures, matte paintings, makeup effects, special props, mechanicals, animatronics, stop-motion and more.

Corpus Linguistics 25 Years on

Corpus Linguistics 25 Years on PDF Author:
Publisher: BRILL
ISBN: 9401204349
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 391

Get Book Here

Book Description
This volume offers a state-of-the-art picture of work undertaken in the field of computer-aided corpus linguistics. While the focus is on English, central insights can be generalised to other languages, as well. As a work intended to mark the Silver Jubilee of ICAME, the International Computer Archive of Modern and Medieval English, the book combines surveys of the discipline by some of its major pioneers, including founders of ICAME itself, with cutting-edge work by younger scholars. It is divided into three sections: “Overviewing years of corpus linguistic studies”, “Descriptive studies in English syntax and semantics”, and “Second Language Acquisition, parallel corpora and specialist corpora”. The book bears witness to the impressive advances that have characterised the development of corpus linguistics over the past few decades – from terminological issues to practical applications, from theoretical and descriptive research to applied approaches, from monolingual to multilingual and specialist corpora, from corpus design to corpus exploitation tools.

B C, Before Computers: On Information Technology from Writing to the Age of Digital Data

B C, Before Computers: On Information Technology from Writing to the Age of Digital Data PDF Author: Stephen Robertson
Publisher: Open Book Publishers
ISBN: 1800641044
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 218

Get Book Here

Book Description
I found it a delight to read. The author is not trying to write yet another book on the history of computer developments but rather to show that those developments rely on a long history of humans creating solutions to problems that arose as they became more and more sophisticated in their treatment of concepts of information and its manipulation. In many ways it resembles a work of philosophy more than a technical history, but relies on explaining that technical history to make his points. Michael R. Williams, Department of Computer Sciences, University of Calgary The idea that the digital age has revolutionized our day-to-day experience of the world is nothing new, and has been amply recognized by cultural historians. In contrast, Stephen Robertson’s BC: Before Computers is a work which questions the idea that the mid-twentieth century saw a single moment of rupture. It is about all the things that we had to learn, invent, and understand – all the ways we had to evolve our thinking – before we could enter the information technology revolution of the second half of the twentieth century. Its focus ranges from the beginnings of data processing, right back to such originary forms of human technology as the development of writing systems, gathering a whole history of revolutionary moments in the development of information technologies into a single, although not linear narrative. Treading the line between philosophy and technical history, Robertson draws on his extensive technical knowledge to produce a text which is both thought-provoking and accessible to a wide range of readers. The book is wide in scope, exploring the development of technologies in such diverse areas as cryptography, visual art and music, and the postal system. Through all this, it does not simply aim to tell the story of computer developments but to show that those developments rely on a long history of humans creating technologies for increasingly sophisticated methods of manipulating information. Through a clear structure and engaging style, it brings together a wealth of informative and conceptual explorations into the history of human technologies, and avoids assumptions about any prior knowledge on the part of the reader. As such the expert and the general reader alike will find it of interest.

Warriors for the Working Day

Warriors for the Working Day PDF Author: John Wiznuk
Publisher: FriesenPress
ISBN: 1525516140
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 209

Get Book Here

Book Description
In 1990, seeking an escape from city life, John Wiznuk moved to Saturna Island in British Columbia’s Southern Gulf Islands. Two years later, a friend invited him to one of the regular practices of the volunteer fire department. What began as a volunteer, part-time hobby soon became his life, launching a twenty-year involvement with the Saturna Island Volunteer Fire Department. He resigned as fire chief in 2012. Most people’s understanding of what volunteer firefighters do extends no further than childhood notions of big red trucks with flashing lights and screaming sirens zooming somewhere to save the day. The reality is more complex. Firefighters never know what the next call will be, or what they will find when they reach the site. The challenges extend beyond the physical ones of extinguishing flames, rescuing individuals, and dealing with disaster. People in stressful situations are unpredictable. Even those being helped may lash out. And within the fire department itself, as there are wherever there are human beings, there are squabbles, politics, and personality conflicts. Yet through it all, volunteer firefighters persevere, thinking quickly, adapting, dealing with the inevitable problems, focusing on solutions—making it happen, somehow, someway. In this heartfelt, fascinating, and deeply felt memoir, Wiznuk recounts the struggles and achievements, failures and successes, of his two decades as an emergency responder. It’s the story of one small rural volunteer fire service—but it’s also the universal story of similar services across Canada and around the world, wherever ordinary citizens voluntarily join forces to protect their homes and community...and in the process, become extraordinary.

You Can Get Bitter or Better!

You Can Get Bitter or Better! PDF Author: Rev. James W. Moore
Publisher: Abingdon Press
ISBN: 1426729049
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 176

Get Book Here

Book Description
Includes Study Guide All of us, at one time or another, face sorrow, grief, or loss—these challenges spare no one. The question is, How will we respond to these challenges? In this new edition of his uplifting book, James W. Moore shows us that we have a choice. We can become bitter, or we can ask for God’s help to grow into better people. The author shares his supportive and upbeat message through compelling stories of healing through faith, hope, and resilience. Each chapter features a key passage of Scripture, as well as inspirational examples of the way others have dealt positively with life’s challenges. James W. Moore also offers uplifting advice to show how, through God’s help, we can see problems as opportunities, convert defeat into victory, grow spiritually, and look at change as a way to begin a new and more meaningful way of life.

Sensational After 60

Sensational After 60 PDF Author: Shirley Mitchell
Publisher: New Leaf Publishing Group
ISBN: 9780892216093
Category : Family & Relationships
Languages : en
Pages : 220

Get Book Here

Book Description
Sensational After 60 encourages women to impact others with their lives, make every moment count, live a legacy of love, and defy the bias that "younger is better." Shirley Mitchell wonderfully helps women approach this special time of their lives with grace and confidence.

Compositing Visual Effects

Compositing Visual Effects PDF Author: Steve Wright
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1136139974
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 264

Get Book Here

Book Description
Put the essential concepts and techniques of digital compositing to work for you without the need of a single mathematical equation. Compositing Visual Effects is lavishly illustrated with hundreds of film shots, figures, illustrations and diagrams to help the visual reader gain a valuable vocabulary and understanding of the full range of visual effects, in which digital compositing plays a key role. Beginning with an inspirational tour of the scope and magnitude of digital compositing you get a solid overview of the kinds of digital effects routinely executed today. See how CGI (Computer Generated Image) is composited with live action, how set extensions are done, and what a match-move shot is. Following that, you learn each of the key applications of digital compositing, which include bluescreen compositing, bullet time shots, motion tracking, and rotoscoping, and you get a primer on digital images, key concepts, and terms used in the compositing process. The subsequent chapters dig down into each of the major digital compositing applications, introducing the fundamental concepts and processes behind them. This includes the many ways to composite CGI, bluescreen compositing, animation, creating masks, working with digital keyers, and many more; but most importantly, the art of digital compositing-making your shots look not just photorealistic, but cool. Learn what is easy and hard, possible and impossible, and what to expect when working on a job that entails digital compositing. There are tips on when not to use the new low-end DV video cameras and tips for the client, such as guidelines on how to shoot a quality bluescreen or greenscreen to get the best results at compositing time. All the while, special attention is paid to defining new terminology and telling a clear story from the ground up, with the only requirement being that you have read the previous chapters.

The Visual Effects Arsenal

The Visual Effects Arsenal PDF Author: Bill Byrne
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 113613798X
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 335

Get Book Here

Book Description
Build your VFX arsenal with quick-access, step-by-step instruction on how to create today's hottest digital VFX shots. This essential toolkit provides techniques for creating effects seen in movies such as 300, Spiderman 3, Predator and others, with lessons on how-to: * splatter blood or digitally lop someone's arm off * create a scene with actors running from an explosion * create the "twin effect" (same actor, same location, 2 performances) * produce space-ship dog fights Organized in a 'cookbook' style, this allows you to reference a certain effect in the index and immediately access concise instructions to create that effect. Techniques are demonstrated in each of the most popular software tools- After Effects, Final Cut Studio, Photoshop, and Combustion are all covered. Brilliant, 4-color presentation provides inspiration and stimulating visual guidance to the lessons presented, while the downloadable resources contain project media files enabling you to put concepts learned into immediate practice.