The Social Life of Information

by John Seely Brown
The Social Life of Information
book data
103 ratings, 3.50 average rating, 14 reviews (more data...)
edit

published
February 15th 2002 by Harvard Business School Press

binding
Paperback, 330 pages

isbn
1578517087   (isbn13: 9781578517084)

description
How many times has your PC crashed today? While Gordon Moore's now famous law projecting the doubling of computer power every 18 months has more than ...more






Sign in to Goodreads to see your friends' reviews of this book.







There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

friend reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

This book is currently not featured on any Listopia lists. Add this book to your favorite list »

other reviews (showing 1-20 of 214)



Mark
Mark rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
08/16/07

bookshelves: science, sociology
Read in December, 2003
I read this after seeing a version of it on the Web, appropriately enough. The authors, research scientists at Xerox's Palo Alto Research Center, explore how human beings actually incorporate and share information, and why the technological enthusiasm for things like virtual offices and a paperless society may not have panned out. One of the more interesting aspects, as I recall, was their discussion of how they created a shared knowledge network among Xerox copier repairmen that reduced their i...more
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

Michael
Michael rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
11/26/08

bookshelves: information-studies
"...we all need to get outside the information tunnel, look around, and appreciate the social life that lies beyond and makes it possible."
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

mcburton
mcburton rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
07/15/08

bookshelves: information-science, lis
Read in June, 2008
recommended to mcburton by: TK
recommends it for: information technology professionals
WOW. This book is amazing. Filled with stories and observation about the "Invisible Work" that surrounds information technology and is difficult to frame and articulate. This is a MUST READ for IT folk and engineers. While some of the anecdotes are a bit dated (MAC OS's Sherlock is long dead) the point they are trying to make is ever relevant. Don't dismiss the "old ways" before trying to understand how it was they became "ways." This is a vital starting point for l...more
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

Lucy
Lucy rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
02/16/07

bookshelves: libraries-archives-museums, the-mile
Read in October, 2006
Very interesting look at the importance of taking societal perceptions and views into consideration when introducing technological advances. Technology alone cannot overpower the comfort of habit (e.g. predictions of "paperless offices" have been foretold to the rooftops for decades now, where I don't believe it will ever happen). Just because we can doesn't mean it will happen (or that we should).
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

Keith
Keith rated it: 2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars
08/09/08

Read in August, 2008
dated.

I read mostly for the section on distance learning. JSB thinks that most learning happens outside the classroom which isn't covered by the distance learning crowd. I think that is no longer true. At least from the programs I have seen. one thing that the distance learning approaches and this book don't stress enough is the network. networking is a key aspect of higher education.
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

Meg
07/26/07

this book is easily the most influential i read during library school. duguid and brown explore the many ways in which people use and share information, as well as the necessity of having a social aspect to information architecture. it changed the way i think about presenting information and "information overload." don't leave library school without it.
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

Rahmad
Rahmad rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
11/09/08

Read in October, 2008
recommends it for: Technical Developers whos looking a different perspective on technical matters
Give a social perspective on how technology is use. Give a clue why many predictions that technology was suppose to bring never happened.
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

Drew
Drew rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
09/24/08

Classic book that told us where we were heading in the information age. Hmm...even this site seems to have social networking features.
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

Bridget
Bridget rated it: 1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars
07/19/07

A bit outdated for a "current issues" course in technology. The "Social Life of Information" is now the Web 2.0. What's next.
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

Joe
Joe rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
02/23/08

Read in January, 2000
Influential work reflecting then newly emerging concepts of a global collaborative workspace.
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

Myisha
Myisha rated it: 2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars
04/29/08

bookshelves: school
Read in March, 2008
Interesting and thought-provoking, but not quite enjoyable.
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

Kevin
Kevin rated it: 1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars
12/03/07

Read in January, 1998
No shock here, the social life of information is pretty boring.
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

Doug
Doug marked it as to-read
12/02/07

bookshelves: to-read
A recommendation from Walter Underwood
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

Sandie
Sandie rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
04/12/08

Interesting...
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

Allison
Allison added it
11/22/08


Dustin
Dustin marked it as to-read
11/20/08

bookshelves: to-read

Brandon
Brandon marked it as to-read
11/18/08

bookshelves: to-read

Nick
Nick marked it as to-read
11/11/08

bookshelves: ischool, to-read, to-read-but-probably-not-really

Mary
Mary marked it as to-read
11/09/08

bookshelves: nonfic, to-read

Brian Rogers
Brian rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
10/27/08



« previous 1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11





The Social Life of Information (Hardcover)