Reviews the nature of computer networks and previews their development by focusing on ways they are useful to scientists and to science, including applications for remote computer access, electronic mail, bulletin boards, teleconferencing, file transfer, resource sharing, and imbedding nontextual communications. (JN)

Discusses the evolution of the nationwide telecommunications network, including key technologies (transistors, communications satellites, and lasers), putting these technologies together, current and future services, and challenges for the future. (JN)

Discusses efforts to provide new services that publish information more rapidly, provide faster/easier access to information already published, and package information in forms that are used more easily and efficiently. Considers primary information, electronic publishing (including benefits/problems), secondary (indexing/abstracting) information…

Discusses how technology is changing the nature of office work by introducing new information-processing machines, programs for operating them, and communications systems for interconnecting them. Includes diagrams of preindustrial, industrial, and information-age offices. (Author/JN)

Stresses providing reliable, factual information directly to users. Describes classes of data, the need for good data, quality control of databases, the electronic revolution in data dissemination, systematic cooperation to reduce costs of developing online services and of creating data bases, and trends in data dissemination. (JN)