You are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto

Jaron Lanier

Alfred A. Knopf, 2010 - Computers - 209 pages

A NATIONAL BESTSELLER

A programmer, musician, and father of virtual reality technology, Jaron Lanier was a pioneer in digital media, and among the first to predict the revolutionary changes it would bring to our commerce and culture. Now, with the Web influencing virtually every aspect of our lives, he offers this provocative critique of how digital design is shaping society, for better and for worse.

Informed by Lanier's experience and expertise as a computer scientist, You Are Not a Gadget discusses the technical and cultural problems that have unwittingly risen from programming choices—such as the nature of user identity—that were “locked-in” at the birth of digital media and considers what a future based on current design philosophies will bring. With the proliferation of social networks, cloud-based data storage systems, and Web 2.0 designs that elevate the “wisdom” of mobs and computer algorithms over the intelligence and wisdom of individuals, his message has never been more urgent.

What people are saying

LibraryThing Review

User Review  - arewenotben - LibraryThing

Some interesting observations here, don't agree with it all (especially his rant about modern music, and his seemingly almost complete ignorance of electronic music) but he's on to a couple of things ...

LibraryThing Review

User Review  - nnschiller - LibraryThing

I tend to align myself with many of those that Lanier directly criticizes, but I found a lot that is valuable in this book. I was a little disappointed that Lanier's arguments hadn't taken into ...

Contents

• The Noosphere Is Just Another Name: 45
• PART: 73
• PART THREE: 117
• PART FOUR: 149
• pART FIVE: 175
• aFTeRword TD THE PaperBack edition: 193
• acknowledgMents: 209

About the author

Jaron Lanier is known as the father of virtual reality technology and has worked on the interface between computer science and medicine, physics, and neuroscience. He lives in Berkeley, California.

Visit the author's website at www.jaronlanier.com.

Bibliographic information

• Title: You are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto
• Author: Jaron Lanier
• Edition: reprint
• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf, 2010
• ISBN: 0307389979, 9780307389978
• Length: 209 pages
• Subjects: Computers / Internet / General; Computers / Social Aspects; Technology & Engineering / Social Aspects