Understanding Information Transmission introduces you to the entire field of information technology. In this consumer handbook and introductory student resource, seven chapters span the gamut of the field—the nature, storage, transmission, networking, and protection of information. In addition to the science and technology, this book brings the subject alive by presenting the amazing history of information technology, profiling incredible inventions and fascinating inventors, and their dramatic impact on society. Features include problem sets, key points, suggested reading, review appendices, and a full chapter on mathematical methods. Private and public funding of information technology continues to grow at staggering rates. Learn what’s behind this race to be the biggest, brightest, and fastest in the field with Understanding Information Transmission.

JOHN B. ANDERSON holds the Ericsson Chair in Digital Communications at Lund University, Sweden. He was formerly a professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is a Fellow of the IEEE and is a recipient of the Humboldt Research Prize and the IEEE Third Millennium Medal. His research and consulting practice concentrates on communication algorithms and bandwidth-efficient coding.

ROLF JOHANNESSON is Professor of Information Theory at Lund University, Sweden, and a Fellow of the IEEE. He was awarded the honor of Professor, honoris causa, from the Institute for Information Transmission Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences. His research interests include information theory, error-correcting codes, and cryptography.