Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Geography and the Web, March 3, 2004
Cyberspace has a connectivity all its own; these days most commonly expressed by the linkages between HTML documents put on the web. Conversely, the real world has a physical geography. Thus far, there have been some linkages between the two, like mapping software on the web.But the authors go way beyond that simple application. They provide imaginative suggestions of how cyberspace, and most importantly, a pervasive wireless connectivity to it, can enable a nomadic environment where you can get information from cyberspace about your physical surroundings. Plus, of course, enhanced interactions with those surroundings, based on this data. It appears that the study and use of geography, as currently performed, may soon undergo profound changes, in a way that will give it key commercial utility.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
does not live up to expectations.., April 30, 2006
Although the book boasts what seems as an interesting approach, it rarely lives up to the idea of cross-breeding geography with studies of the Internet. I found myself lost in endless rants on what can now be assumed to be common wisdom (i.e. explanations and definitions of the www, e-mail, usenet, etc.). Furthermore, I have found a lot of typos, which I find not only sloppy, but simply disgusting given the price of the book. Methodologically the book seems very rich, but it fails to elaborate thorougly on issues. An example of the latter would be the chapter on cyberspace, which quotes many authors being of relevance to the study of cyberspace, but how exactly is not thorougly discussed, it is merely mentioned.
On a more theoretical level, I find the authors' emphasis on spatiality intriguing, but not as relevant as they pose it is. I strongly disagree with their virtual / actual distinction, which can only clutter theoretical discussions on the implications of cyberspace on our lives. I fail to see why people still metaphysically dichotomize the so-called 'real world' with the digital world. Sure, there are differences, but who would disagree networked information technologies have an impact on us?
Just what the future of cartography / geography will be remains extremely shady and mysterious. Sad but true.
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0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Cyberspace Overview, May 26, 2007
As with any book covering the evolving space we call cyberspace, this book is dated at its printing. However, the issues and thoughts brought up in it are ones that are valid over time. A must read.
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