Synopses & Reviews
andlt;Pandgt;Despite its haphazard growth, the Web hides powerful underlying regularities -- from the organization of its links to the patterns found in its use by millions of users. Many of these regularities have been predicted on the basis of theoretical models based on a field of physics -- statistical mechanics -- that few would have thought applicable to the social domain.In this book, Bernardo Huberman explains in accessible language the laws of the Web. One of the foremost researchers in the field, Huberman has established, for example, that the surfing patterns of individuals are describable by a precise law. Such findings can lead to more efficient Web design and use. They also shed light on social mechanisms whose significance goes beyond the Web. In this sense, the Web is a gigantic informational ecosystem that can be used to quantify and test explanations of human behavior and social interaction.andlt;/Pandgt;
Review
"small gem of a book...perfect companion on a cross-country flight or during a long quiet evening in a favorite reading chair." David G. Stork, Artificial Life
Review
"An intriguing book that gives people without advanced math skills a window into how researchers are helping make sense of the Web." Curtis D. Fry, Technology & Society
Review
"For those determined to formulate a working understanding of the performance of individuals and communities on the World Wide Web, The Laws of the Web has a great many insights to offer." Jane C. Duffy, Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship
Synopsis
Despite its haphazard growth, the Web hides powerful underlying regularities -- from the organization of its links to the patterns found in its use by millions of users. Many of these regularities have been predicted on the basis of theoretical models based on a field of physics -- statistical mechanics -- that few would have thought applicable to the social domain.In this book, Bernardo Huberman explains in accessible language the laws of the Web. One of the foremost researchers in the field, Huberman has established, for example, that the surfing patterns of individuals are describable by a precise law. Such findings can lead to more efficient Web design and use. They also shed light on social mechanisms whose significance goes beyond the Web. In this sense, the Web is a gigantic informational ecosystem that can be used to quantify and test explanations of human behavior and social interaction.
Synopsis
An accessible explanation of the hidden patterns found within the seemingly chaotic World Wide Web.
Despite its haphazard growth, the Web hides powerful underlying regularities -- from the organization of its links to the patterns found in its use by millions of users. Many of these regularities have been predicted on the basis of theoretical models based on a field of physics -- statistical mechanics -- that few would have thought applicable to the social domain.
In this book, Bernardo Huberman explains in accessible language the laws of the Web. One of the foremost researchers in the field, Huberman has established, for example, that the surfing patterns of individuals are describable by a precise law. Such findings can lead to more efficient Web design and use. They also shed light on social mechanisms whose significance goes beyond the Web. In this sense, the Web is a gigantic informational ecosystem that can be used to quantify and test explanations of human behavior and social interaction.
Synopsis
Despite its haphazard growth, the Web hides powerful underlying regularities--from the organization of its links to the patterns found in its use by millions of users. Many of these regularities have been predicted on the basis of theoretical models based on a field of physics--statistical mechanics--that few would have thought applicable to the social domain.
Synopsis
An accessible explanation of the hidden patterns found within the seemingly chaotic World Wide Web.
About the Author
Bernardo A. Huberman is an HP Fellow at Hewlett-Packard Laboratories in Palo Alto, California.