Customer Reviews

Holograms & Holography: Design, Techniques, & Commercial Applications (Science and Computing Series)

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(3)

 

 

This book is inaccurate, out of date and misleading. It should never have been published, but as it has been the "author" and publisher should at least have had the grace to acknowledge the fact that much of the content has been copied wholesale from previously published papers and web sites. It won't help anyone to make or understand holograms - its science is confusing and wrong, its techniques are even more confusing and inadequate.
As an editor of a holography book myself I declare an interest, but I would have been pleased to see a good book on the topic. This book is not it. In fact, it's utter rubbish (how's that for a carefully reasoned response?)

I believe this book does a great disservice to our industry bringing the worst "Internet ethics" into the realm of technical literature. It exploits the fact that there is a real need for a new book on this subject and cynically fails to deliver the goods, whilst disingenuously dressing up the package to make a quick sale. most of the text has simply been lifted from other sources (mostly the internet where one can read it for free) and is now several years out of date. The new reader would have no reason to suspect this, however, as in the author's "end notes" he cites his sources as being from the last couple of years. That might not matter, except that the world has moved on and it is now a little sad, to read chapters about building a studio for silver halide holography, as though we were in 1981 rather than 2001. It's like reading a typewriter manual, or a guidebook for Windows 3.1. - it's just not relevant anymore.

Holograms & Holography: Design, Techniques, & Commercial Applications is a complete, in-depth book and CD-ROM technical manual for the combination of physics and optics that allows the creating of a beautiful, shiny, three-dimensional image on a two-dimensional surface. From the myriad uses of hologram technology to the economic value of holograms and how to create them with a computer, Holograms & Holography Design is more than a straightforward instruction book - it also has helpful instructions for how to best put holograms to commercial and practical use. The text is "intermediate to advanced" level; while it covers some very complex and technical subjects, it strives to do so in an explicitly clear manner, that anyone with a basic understanding of the physics involved can grasp. Diagrams, appendices, glossary, and an index complete the handy accessibility of this reference. The CD-ROM that comes with the book contains hologram-related images, animations, and web sites. In order to view the CD-ROM's files, a separate graphics program software such as Paint Shop Pro or Visio is required for the image files, and a separate movie player such as Quicktime, Windows Media Player, or Real Player Plug-in is required for the movies. Adobe Acrobat Reader and any web browser software (such as Netscape) are also useful for taking full advantage of the CD-ROM. Highly recommended!

John Vacca provides a complete insight into holograms in this book. In the first place, he defines holographic applications - practical and commercial as well as artistic. He relates some fascinating history, goes into extreme technical details on the various types, and even has a chapter on "How to Make Your Own Holograms".

Although I will not likely be making my own, and the technology was somewhat overwhelming, I personally have a new understanding of holography.

Although John Vacca has accostomed us to his clear and effective writing, this time he truly succeded in giving us a full, informative well documented case for the Holograms and how it's done. A pleasure reading on an otherwise cold technical matter. Anybody that really want to know how things are should not miss a chance to follow John as he goes on bringing us insight on matters which are bound to affect our way of life, or the one of our children. Keep it up John

This book is a real pity that it was ever published. Obviously this author has never made a hologram in his life, as he gives 20 year out of date processing details. But the big pity is that this book is a shameless ripoff of the web sites of Rudie Berkhout and Chris Outwater! Don't buy it!

Having graduate with a Bachelors of Science in Electo-Optics I found John's treatment of this subject very through but, unlike my rather dry college textbooks, very enlighting. Highly recommended reading for anyone with an interest in the future of technology.

As with most of his other books, John Vacca begins this text with some very interesting history and little known details of holographic imagery that pushes the curious reader ever forward and deeper into the text. The particular areas of this type of technology that I was interested in are very well covered but I learned quite a bit more than I bargained for when I "peaked" at other chapters. John was very thorough and I appreciate the point of view he takes when he writes... he knows his readers aren't all "techno-junkies" who know the lingo!

This book provides an in-depth discussion of holograms, as well as information about commercial applications. The indexes cover a vast array of topics, from holographic theory and research to frequently asked questions and related websites. This book should be required reading for all holographic developers.

I've been keenly interested in holography since a child and have read or reviewed most books on this subject. I have not read a better book! This book covers the A-Z of holography and is strongly recommended as an excellent reference book for the technical engineer's or hobbyist's bookshelf. In an extremely readable format, the author discusses the practical and theoretical aspects of holography and it's current manufacturing techniques. In addition, there is much discussion about marketing this new technology- which should be of interest to marketing and business managers and entrepreneurs. This book is easy, enjoyable and fascinating to read. The hologram included is simply awesome.