Critical Mass: A Primer for Living with the Future [Paperback]

Pat McGrew (Author), Bill McDaniel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 6, 2000

Critical Mass looks at where we are going in terms of the things we already know that shape our desires and needs for the future. Ever wonder why science fiction tells the future? Have you noticed a bit of Jane Jetson creeping into your kitchen? This fast and informative read puts it into perspective.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An entertaining and informative crash course on the technology that's coming down the pike." -- David Weinberger, co-author of The Cluetrain Manifesto and editor of the Journal of the Hyperlinked Organization

"Ms. McGrew and Mr. McDaniel's vision of the future embraces technology and the effects technology will have on our lives." - -- Donald J. Davis, Jr., VP/Investment Officer, 1st Union Securities

"The book was fab - I look forward to seeing much more." -- Jina Kim, Conference Director, International Quality & Productivity Centre, Toronto

About the Author

W.D. (Bill) McDaniel, EDPP has been active in Information Technology since the mid-1970's. He started in the industry with a 3-year run as a computer operator, learning the practical requirements of data manipulation, application design, and usability requirements. That position included two years in the UK managing operations of a payment processing system. From there he returned to the US and a position with a company specializing in insurance document applications. He designed and was responsible for the initial implementation of their lead product, including it's underlying data management technology.

P.C. (Pat) McGrew, EDPP began in journalism as a reporter, editor and writer for industries as diverse as archeological consulting groups, trade press in the music industry, and car racing magazines. In 1980, she changed direction and moved into Technical Writing and ultimately on to end user documentation design and implementation for software products. After completing assignments to create documentation for accounting systems, MRP and Order Entry systems, backup and recovery test plans, and computer center operations manuals, she took a position working for an insurance application developer. There she served as Manager of Documentation, responsible for the creation and implementation of the end user documentation as well as providing internal and external consulting for all products created by the leading vendor of merging applications in the insurance industry. In 1989, McGrew and McDaniel left their employer and formed GenText, inc., with McGrew as the president and McDaniel as the CRO until its sale in 1998. Since 1985 they have co-authored four books, including In House Publishing in a Mainframe Environment and Online Text Management: Hypertext and other techniques, published by McGraw-Hill. They also contributed a chapter to the VM Handbook. Since 1990, they have been frequent authors in the trade press, including Xplorations Magazine and Document Processing Technology magazine. They have written hundreds of articles for the trade press, are quoted regularly on topics dealing with emerging technologies and legacy data migrations, and speak regularly at industry conferences and executive retreats.

Product Details

• Paperback: 141 pages
• Publisher: MC2 Books (October 6, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 189334701X
• ISBN-13: 978-1893347014
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,079,467 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This Book Rocks, March 8, 2001

By 

Tim (Blame, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Critical Mass: A Primer for Living with the Future (Paperback)

These guys have a cool approach to technology. They understand it and are actually users (where possible) and it seems in the know (where not)!

They are like a couple of teenagers - they embrace technology for useability and functionality's sake genuinely impressed and enthusiastic by "Wow" stuff, but able to cut through the "salesy" clutter that tends to dupe journalists. The autnors have great insight into where technology is headed and what the future holds!

If you only see one movie this summer.......

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-read roller-coaster ride through tomorrow., February 26, 2001

By 

Paul S. (Arizona) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Critical Mass: A Primer for Living with the Future (Paperback)

Authors Pat McGrew and Bill McDaniel have managed to intelligently and enjoyably synthesize the effects of technological changes on our everyday lives. Rather than just a recitation of different technologies past and present, Critical Mass asks the What if? and What then? questions that allow the reader the treat of glimpsing possible and probable futures. Through the use of succinct historical perpsectives and delightful references, the reader is left smiling as the whole mind-boggling picture falls into place. As an added bonus, websites are listed when referred to, next to the text, so one does not have to go thumbing back and forth to an appendix. If only all books would follow suit. Not to be missed!

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-read tour-de-force!, February 22, 2001

By 

Paul S. (Arizona) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Critical Mass: A Primer for Living with the Future (Paperback)

Authors Pat McGrew and Bill McDaniel have written a highly engaging work which successfully makes sense out of the technological sea-changes rocking our world. Grabbing the reader by the collar, Critical Mass provides an informed perspective on where those changes have taken us, and where we are headed next. Rather than a mere laundry-list of technical advances, this work relates these changes to the fabric of everyday existence. Drawing on extensive experience in the fields of software, technical writing and journalism, McGrew and McDaniel integrate and extrapolate as only they can. What might have been an unwieldy topic in lesser hands is served admirably here. This book never talks down, nor does it talk over the head of the reasonably informed reader. The foreword alone is worth the price. Not to be missed.