Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

The love of making things need not be confined to the physical world - electronic form giving can also be a rewarding hands-on experience. In this investigation of the possibility of craft in the digital realm, Malcolm McCullough observes that the emergence of computation as a medium, rather than just as a set of tools, suggests a growing correspondence between digital work and traditional craft.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Preface (p. ix)
• Acknowledgments (p. xiii)
• Introduction (p. xv)
• I Human Context (p. xix)
• 1 Hands Five Prologues (p. 1)
• 2 Eyes (p. 31)
• 3 Tools (p. 59)
• II Technological Context (p. 83)
• 4 Symbols (p. 85)
• 5 Interfaces (p. 113)
• 6 Constructions (p. 155)
• III Personal Context (p. 191)
• 7 Medium (p. 193)
• 8 Play (p. 221)
• 9 Practice (p. 243)
• Notes (p. 273)
• References (p. 289)
• Illustration Credits (p. 299)
• Index (p. 301)

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

McCullough discusses what current-day digital craft people are doing with today's tools and software and how their actions fit within our larger intellectual history. He argues that there is little difference between traditional visual, tactile craft design as practiced throughout history and the current digital architecture undertaken with Photoshop and virtual reality modeling. The actions and mind sets are very similar. An excellent, thoughtful book on the meaning as well as practice of design, this is recommended for all academic and large public libraries. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

CHOICE Review

McCullough has written an optimistic discourse on the relationship between humans and computers. He explores a vast range of interrelated topics in a concise, meaningful format to ultimately convey a philosophical statement about a surprisingly practical subject. This book is about the application of computers to produce various outcomes. The message is that these outcomes are essentially human endeavors and, as such, good "products" will be the result of the skillful use of these new "tools"--a commonsense viewpoint for a world that no longer fears computer technology and is becoming comfortable with it. The content of this book will undoubtedly be of interest to a wide range of readers. Yet, perhaps the single factor that will most limit the size of the audience it reaches will be its high reading level. However, this is good, challenging reading for undergraduates and an excellent resource for use in the recently popular study of science, technology, and society. General readers; undergraduates through professionals. M. Snyder; Pennsylvania College of Technology