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Ruling the Waves: From the Compass to the Internet, a History of Business and Politics along the Technological Frontier
by
Beginning with the development of the compass, Ruling the Waves examines a series of technological revolutions that promised, in their time, to transform the world's politics and business. With Debora Spar's gifted storytelling, each chapter reads like an adventure tale as she recounts the histories of the printing press and maps; of the telegraph, radio, and satellite
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Paperback, 416 pages
Published
January 7th 2003
by Mariner Books
(first published September 21st 2001)
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Start your review of Ruling the Waves: From the Compass to the Internet, a History of Business and Politics along the Technological Frontier

_Ruling the Waves_ by Debora L. Spar is a fascinating book on the history of business and politics in the fields of emerging technologies, one I honestly feel everyone should read, as it is invaluable for the sense of context and perspective it provides.
Much has been made about how truly revolutionary the internet is, how that its very existence breaks all the old rules, that it is going to steer the world towards a new social order, perhaps even sever the link between the market and the state. ...more
Much has been made about how truly revolutionary the internet is, how that its very existence breaks all the old rules, that it is going to steer the world towards a new social order, perhaps even sever the link between the market and the state. ...more

Spar does a wonderful, and concise, job of detailing the cyclical nature of innovative industries.
1. Early entrants build demand
2. More entrants bring chaos in the market (think railroads)
3. A few big players turn to government in the hopes of squashing the competition.
4. The market winners start complaining about government regulation.
Good book.
1. Early entrants build demand
2. More entrants bring chaos in the market (think railroads)
3. A few big players turn to government in the hopes of squashing the competition.
4. The market winners start complaining about government regulation.
Good book.
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