The social, political and technological implications of the information revolution are the focus of this textbook. It explores the major social and technological issues surrounding the introduction of information technology into everyday life.

This book is an edited version of part of the teaching text used for the Open University's undergraduate course 'T283 Introductory Electronics', first presented in 1980. The original text was pro- duced by a course team of nine authors and nine support staff. The team was also responsible for student experimental kits, television and radio programmes. The approach adopted by the course team was to try and teach, where possible, through specification of the problem rather than through discussion of the operation of a selection of available devices and components; since this leads more...