With the proliferation of new media forms, you might wonder who'd want to write a definitive reference for the terminology. Any attempt to freeze new media technology's myriad meanings between covers seems doomed to automatic obsolescence. Undaunted, The Cyberspace Lexicon gives it a go. It's even a qualified success.
With a less-than-exhaustive collection of 800 terms, this handsomely produced and heavily illustrated dictionary can't begin to tell the whole story. What it does remarkably well, however, is provide concise definitions and graphic examples of complex terms and concepts that range from "structured query language (SQL)" to "virtual reality." A selection of short essays on heavy-hitting multimedia companies, products, and platforms rounds out the roster of definitions; but many of these are already showing signs of age - check out the ingenious take on troubled 3DO.
My first glance at the references yielded an entry for "walkthrough," but no mention of "fly-by" or "4D," an influential multimedia authoring program. However, I found the book's extensive cross-referencing to be handy and well thought-out.
What gives the British-published Lexicon real oomph is its impressive layout and design and its hundreds of striking, full-color reproductions. It's miles ahead of the tawdry new media titles being rushed to market by US publishers; nothing else in print will give you such a good idea of multimedia's overall look and feel.
The Cyberspace Lexicon follows authors Bob Cotton and Richard Oliver's groundbreaking Understanding Hypermedia, although the designer, digitally oriented Malcolm Garrett, has toned down the graphic excesses.
What may strike American audiences as peculiar is the book's prejudice toward media produced in the United Kingdom. This isn't surprising given its British publisher, authors, and designer. But it exposes The Cyberspace Lexicon's main flaw: it's well conceived and ably written, designed, and produced, yet it's a step removed from the action.
The Cyberspace Lexicon: An Illustrated Dictionary of Terms, from Multimedia to Virtual Reality. US$29.99. Phaidon/Chronicle: (800) 722 6657, +1 (415) 777 7240.
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