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108 reviews for:
The Victorian Internet: The Remarkable Story of the Telegraph and the Nineteenth Century's On-Line Pioneers
Tom Standage
3.85 AVERAGE
108 reviews for:
The Victorian Internet: The Remarkable Story of the Telegraph and the Nineteenth Century's On-Line Pioneers
Tom Standage
3.85 AVERAGE
I liked this one. The author has a way of simplifying concepts so the average reader can understand. I liked the parallels he made between the telegraph and the Internet and I thought the chapters on online romance and crime were pretty entertaining.
Very interesting history of the development of the telegraph. It. Started out as a physical signaling device that used line of sight and spy glasses to the electronic technology it used until its demise. It brought the world into modern instantaneous commutations.
An interesting general overview of the invention, development and use of the telegraph. I found it frustratingly lacking in detail, which may be explained by my academic background, but the bibliography is very brief and many of the quotations are not in any way referenced. I was hoping to use it as a springboard into more detailed study-but I have clues rather than links to follow up.
Yes, the Victorians had an internet: telegraphy!
"In the middle of Queen Victoria's reign this new communications technology annihilated distance and shrank the world faster than ever before. [It] revolutionised business practice and gave rise to new forms of crime. Romances blossomed over its cables. Governments tried and failed to regulate it. Meanwhile, out on the wires, a technological subculture with its own customs and vocabulary was establishing itself. Does all this sound familiar?"
At only 200 pages of large-ish print, this is a short and straightforward look at the history of telegraphy, but with good anecdotes and many parallels to, yep, the internet.
Follow this up with or re-read Terry Pratchett's The Fifth Elephant and Going Postal for enhanced appreciation of telegraphy humor!
"In the middle of Queen Victoria's reign this new communications technology annihilated distance and shrank the world faster than ever before. [It] revolutionised business practice and gave rise to new forms of crime. Romances blossomed over its cables. Governments tried and failed to regulate it. Meanwhile, out on the wires, a technological subculture with its own customs and vocabulary was establishing itself. Does all this sound familiar?"
At only 200 pages of large-ish print, this is a short and straightforward look at the history of telegraphy, but with good anecdotes and many parallels to, yep, the internet.
Follow this up with or re-read Terry Pratchett's The Fifth Elephant and Going Postal for enhanced appreciation of telegraphy humor!
Fascinating story, well chosen details. Something I new NOTHING about going in. The title is very apt.
informative
medium-paced
Good history for the general reader. It would work very well for a high school level course on the history of the internet.
adventurous
informative
reflective
Quick and fun, this is the kind of thing that I like to read, as a person who likes to read Wikipedia articles about just about anything.
informative
medium-paced