Today there are talking toasters, cars that start using voice recognition, and telephones that use voice commands. CDs, iPods, Internet radio stations, and podcasts are used by millions. The
Internet has made it easy to share music and digital files, sometimes without permission from the copyright holder. The increase in the number of "pirates" who are using unauthorized downloaded
music content has led to a global alliance to fight copyright infringement. Nevertheless, it is difficult for the recording industry to keep up with rapidly created peer-to-peer technologies,
and some U.S. Congressional leaders have indicated that there is no rush to legislate. Digital Music: Computers That Make Music examines digital sound's history, physics, and different formats
and analyzes the future of the recording industry in the digital world.
As each flashy, new gadget or software program debuts on the market, many people scramble to keep up with the latest technological developments. Designed to make life easier, faster, and
better, the hype of these digital advances frequently overshadow the effects these convenient gadgets have on society. The Digital World explores how the creation and use of digital systems
have forever changed the way we work, live, and communicate with one another.
