the perfect balance, 23 Oct 2008
what more could you want from a book about manufacturing...its perfect not too much text but loads of really good info... a must for any design student :) really easy to flick through and take in.

Essential for product designers., 18 Aug 2007
I've recently purchased this book, and am so impressed with the amount of information packed into this attractive handbook. The book made up part of my reading list for the start of my course in September, and I know it's going to be the ultimate resource when it comes to choosing suitable materials and processes in relation to a breif. A must for anyone serious about design, suitable from As level and upwards.

the perfect balance, 23 Oct 2008
what more could you want from a book about manufacturing...its perfect not too much text but loads of really good info... a must for any design student :) really easy to flick through and take in.

Essential for product designers., 18 Aug 2007
I've recently purchased this book, and am so impressed with the amount of information packed into this attractive handbook. The book made up part of my reading list for the start of my course in September, and I know it's going to be the ultimate resource when it comes to choosing suitable materials and processes in relation to a breif. A must for anyone serious about design, suitable from As level and upwards.

One of the best, 13 Oct 2007
This is one of the best design books I have ever found. It's everything from the history of how mice and gui's were first invented to just interesting information and interviews from the people who started it all. Still reading it, buts its very interesting and well worth it.

Good Content, 01 Sep 2007
Not only is this book exquisite, it also has remarkably good content. And then on top of that it's huge as well :) Definitely worth buying, I promise you it wont sit on your self, and has interviews with extremely relevant people. The only downside is that in 10 years or so it may be a little dated, but only because the concepts in here will have been implemented.

Packed with awesomeness, 13 Dec 2006
This is a huge book that actually lives up to its size. It's not one of those design books that kind of looks nice and then ends up on your shelf, it's actually full of great anecdotes, experiences and lessons from people who've made great (and not so great) stuff. Oh and it has a DVD of videos from those same people too. Fantastic.

If you design anything remotely interactive, from a website to a bottle-opener, you should own this.

the perfect balance, 23 Oct 2008
what more could you want from a book about manufacturing...its perfect not too much text but loads of really good info... a must for any design student :) really easy to flick through and take in.

Essential for product designers., 18 Aug 2007
I've recently purchased this book, and am so impressed with the amount of information packed into this attractive handbook. The book made up part of my reading list for the start of my course in September, and I know it's going to be the ultimate resource when it comes to choosing suitable materials and processes in relation to a breif. A must for anyone serious about design, suitable from As level and upwards.

One of the best, 13 Oct 2007
This is one of the best design books I have ever found. It's everything from the history of how mice and gui's were first invented to just interesting information and interviews from the people who started it all. Still reading it, buts its very interesting and well worth it.

Good Content, 01 Sep 2007
Not only is this book exquisite, it also has remarkably good content. And then on top of that it's huge as well :) Definitely worth buying, I promise you it wont sit on your self, and has interviews with extremely relevant people. The only downside is that in 10 years or so it may be a little dated, but only because the concepts in here will have been implemented.

Packed with awesomeness, 13 Dec 2006
This is a huge book that actually lives up to its size. It's not one of those design books that kind of looks nice and then ends up on your shelf, it's actually full of great anecdotes, experiences and lessons from people who've made great (and not so great) stuff. Oh and it has a DVD of videos from those same people too. Fantastic.

If you design anything remotely interactive, from a website to a bottle-opener, you should own this.

Not great., 31 Aug 2008
Purchased this as I thought it would be a basic book that would give plenty of examples of what to do and how to do it, step by step. Found the book confusing and all over the place. Would not recommend this book to any one.

the perfect balance, 23 Oct 2008
what more could you want from a book about manufacturing...its perfect not too much text but loads of really good info... a must for any design student :) really easy to flick through and take in.

Essential for product designers., 18 Aug 2007
I've recently purchased this book, and am so impressed with the amount of information packed into this attractive handbook. The book made up part of my reading list for the start of my course in September, and I know it's going to be the ultimate resource when it comes to choosing suitable materials and processes in relation to a breif. A must for anyone serious about design, suitable from As level and upwards.

One of the best, 13 Oct 2007
This is one of the best design books I have ever found. It's everything from the history of how mice and gui's were first invented to just interesting information and interviews from the people who started it all. Still reading it, buts its very interesting and well worth it.

Good Content, 01 Sep 2007
Not only is this book exquisite, it also has remarkably good content. And then on top of that it's huge as well :) Definitely worth buying, I promise you it wont sit on your self, and has interviews with extremely relevant people. The only downside is that in 10 years or so it may be a little dated, but only because the concepts in here will have been implemented.

Packed with awesomeness, 13 Dec 2006
This is a huge book that actually lives up to its size. It's not one of those design books that kind of looks nice and then ends up on your shelf, it's actually full of great anecdotes, experiences and lessons from people who've made great (and not so great) stuff. Oh and it has a DVD of videos from those same people too. Fantastic.

If you design anything remotely interactive, from a website to a bottle-opener, you should own this.

Not great., 31 Aug 2008
Purchased this as I thought it would be a basic book that would give plenty of examples of what to do and how to do it, step by step. Found the book confusing and all over the place. Would not recommend this book to any one.

Helpful guide on how to incorporate simplicity into your product planning , 07 Jul 2008
The poet William Wordsworth once wrote, "The world is too much with us." If this was true in the bucolic 18th and 19th centuries when Wordsworth lived, it is even more true today, when every gadget comes with an incomprehensible 100-page instruction manual. Thus, simplifying people's lives with your products and services is a surefire path to business success; it will endear you to your customers forever. In this aphoristic little book, graphic designer John Maeda has distilled all he knows about simplicity into 10 laws and three key ideas. He sprinkles mnemonics, icons and graphics throughout, which you may enjoy if you're a visual learner or find baffling if you're not. If you really like the icons, you can download them from the Web site Maeda put together to complement the book. getAbstract recommends this work particularly to marketing people, product designers and technical writers. Maybe some day your mother won't have to call you every time she wants to record Jeopardy.

Getting to "the other side of complexity", 23 Jun 2008

Almost immediately after I began to read this book, I was reminded of two quotations, the first from Oliver Wendell Holmes: "I do not care a fig for simplicity this side of complexity but I would give my life for the other side of complexity." Also from Albert Einstein: "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." Further along into John Maeda's discussion of each of the ten "Laws" and his explanation of why he thinks that "simplicity = sanity," I was reminded of this passage from William Butler Yeats' "The Second Coming":

"Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity."

Holmes was right, acknowledging how difficult it is to proceed through complexity to simplicity. In fact, I view complexity in that context as a crucible. More specifically, as container into which alchemists once placed raw materials and subjected them to intense heat, hoping to produce a pure and precious metal, perhaps gold. Like the falcon in Yeats's poem, the human mind circles high above more than it can possibly absorb and process, then make sense of. This is what William Wordsworth suggests in "The World Is Too Much with Us":

"The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!"

And this is why Maeda believes that "simplicity = sanity." In a world that seems to become more complex each day, during his on-going journey of discovery he realized how complex a topic simplicity really is, "and I don't pretend to have solved the puzzle...[and] am inspired to grapple with this puzzle many more years...Like all man-made `laws' [mine] do not exist in the absolute sense - to break them is no sin. However you may find them useful in your own search for simplicity (and sanity) in design, technology, business, and life."

It would be a disservice to Maeda as well as to those who read this review to list the ten "Laws." They are best revealed in context, within the frame-of-reference he creates for each. The same is true of the three "Keys to achieving simplicity in the technology domain" with which Maeda concludes his narrative. "Rarely do I have answers, but instead I have a lot of questions just like you." I am amazed by how much material he provides within only 100 pages. Additional resources can be obtained (at no cost) by visiting lawsofsimplicity.com.

It is worth noting that when Maeda "set out with youthful zeal to attack the simplicity question, [he] felt that complexity was destroying our world and had to be stopped!" Presumably others have experienced the same frustrations I have encountered when struggling to understand the directions provided in an operations manual or terms and conditions of a service warranty or when struggling to obtain assistance from a customer service representative who speaks slowly enough and clearly enough to be understood. Why does it have to be so (bleeping) complicated? After speaking at a conference, Maeda was approached by a 73-year old artist who took him aside and said, "The world's [begin italics] always [end italics] been falling apart. So relax." Maeda suggests that his reader take the same advice "and try to LEAN BACK while you read this book, if you can."

John Maeda may not get you to the "other side of complexity" but he can help you to preserve your sanity meanwhile. If that isn't a value-added benefit, I don't know what one is.

Nearly useful book, 19 Jan 2008
The author tries to distil simplicity into a Japanese/zen concept, but doesn't manage. Pity: nice idea.

fur coat and no knickers, 29 Oct 2007
this is such a beautifully presented little book - which is the only reason it got 3 stars - i will treasure it for its physical attributes for sure - BUT - it is extremely thin on content

An overcomplicated look at simplicity, 08 Oct 2007
I am a big fan of simplicity, and use it all of the time. This book is overcomplicated in explaining the subject, and did not give me any insight that helps.

The subject is covered better elsewhere - such as the 37 signals' book Get Real.

the perfect balance, 23 Oct 2008
what more could you want from a book about manufacturing...its perfect not too much text but loads of really good info... a must for any design student :) really easy to flick through and take in.

Essential for product designers., 18 Aug 2007
I've recently purchased this book, and am so impressed with the amount of information packed into this attractive handbook. The book made up part of my reading list for the start of my course in September, and I know it's going to be the ultimate resource when it comes to choosing suitable materials and processes in relation to a breif. A must for anyone serious about design, suitable from As level and upwards.

One of the best, 13 Oct 2007
This is one of the best design books I have ever found. It's everything from the history of how mice and gui's were first invented to just interesting information and interviews from the people who started it all. Still reading it, buts its very interesting and well worth it.

Good Content, 01 Sep 2007
Not only is this book exquisite, it also has remarkably good content. And then on top of that it's huge as well :) Definitely worth buying, I promise you it wont sit on your self, and has interviews with extremely relevant people. The only downside is that in 10 years or so it may be a little dated, but only because the concepts in here will have been implemented.

Packed with awesomeness, 13 Dec 2006
This is a huge book that actually lives up to its size. It's not one of those design books that kind of looks nice and then ends up on your shelf, it's actually full of great anecdotes, experiences and lessons from people who've made great (and not so great) stuff. Oh and it has a DVD of videos from those same people too. Fantastic.

If you design anything remotely interactive, from a website to a bottle-opener, you should own this.

Not great., 31 Aug 2008
Purchased this as I thought it would be a basic book that would give plenty of examples of what to do and how to do it, step by step. Found the book confusing and all over the place. Would not recommend this book to any one.

Helpful guide on how to incorporate simplicity into your product planning , 07 Jul 2008
The poet William Wordsworth once wrote, "The world is too much with us." If this was true in the bucolic 18th and 19th centuries when Wordsworth lived, it is even more true today, when every gadget comes with an incomprehensible 100-page instruction manual. Thus, simplifying people's lives with your products and services is a surefire path to business success; it will endear you to your customers forever. In this aphoristic little book, graphic designer John Maeda has distilled all he knows about simplicity into 10 laws and three key ideas. He sprinkles mnemonics, icons and graphics throughout, which you may enjoy if you're a visual learner or find baffling if you're not. If you really like the icons, you can download them from the Web site Maeda put together to complement the book. getAbstract recommends this work particularly to marketing people, product designers and technical writers. Maybe some day your mother won't have to call you every time she wants to record Jeopardy.

Getting to "the other side of complexity", 23 Jun 2008

Almost immediately after I began to read this book, I was reminded of two quotations, the first from Oliver Wendell Holmes: "I do not care a fig for simplicity this side of complexity but I would give my life for the other side of complexity." Also from Albert Einstein: "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." Further along into John Maeda's discussion of each of the ten "Laws" and his explanation of why he thinks that "simplicity = sanity," I was reminded of this passage from William Butler Yeats' "The Second Coming":

"Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity."

Holmes was right, acknowledging how difficult it is to proceed through complexity to simplicity. In fact, I view complexity in that context as a crucible. More specifically, as container into which alchemists once placed raw materials and subjected them to intense heat, hoping to produce a pure and precious metal, perhaps gold. Like the falcon in Yeats's poem, the human mind circles high above more than it can possibly absorb and process, then make sense of. This is what William Wordsworth suggests in "The World Is Too Much with Us":

"The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!"

And this is why Maeda believes that "simplicity = sanity." In a world that seems to become more complex each day, during his on-going journey of discovery he realized how complex a topic simplicity really is, "and I don't pretend to have solved the puzzle...[and] am inspired to grapple with this puzzle many more years...Like all man-made `laws' [mine] do not exist in the absolute sense - to break them is no sin. However you may find them useful in your own search for simplicity (and sanity) in design, technology, business, and life."

It would be a disservice to Maeda as well as to those who read this review to list the ten "Laws." They are best revealed in context, within the frame-of-reference he creates for each. The same is true of the three "Keys to achieving simplicity in the technology domain" with which Maeda concludes his narrative. "Rarely do I have answers, but instead I have a lot of questions just like you." I am amazed by how much material he provides within only 100 pages. Additional resources can be obtained (at no cost) by visiting lawsofsimplicity.com.

It is worth noting that when Maeda "set out with youthful zeal to attack the simplicity question, [he] felt that complexity was destroying our world and had to be stopped!" Presumably others have experienced the same frustrations I have encountered when struggling to understand the directions provided in an operations manual or terms and conditions of a service warranty or when struggling to obtain assistance from a customer service representative who speaks slowly enough and clearly enough to be understood. Why does it have to be so (bleeping) complicated? After speaking at a conference, Maeda was approached by a 73-year old artist who took him aside and said, "The world's [begin italics] always [end italics] been falling apart. So relax." Maeda suggests that his reader take the same advice "and try to LEAN BACK while you read this book, if you can."

John Maeda may not get you to the "other side of complexity" but he can help you to preserve your sanity meanwhile. If that isn't a value-added benefit, I don't know what one is.

Nearly useful book, 19 Jan 2008
The author tries to distil simplicity into a Japanese/zen concept, but doesn't manage. Pity: nice idea.

fur coat and no knickers, 29 Oct 2007
this is such a beautifully presented little book - which is the only reason it got 3 stars - i will treasure it for its physical attributes for sure - BUT - it is extremely thin on content

An overcomplicated look at simplicity, 08 Oct 2007
I am a big fan of simplicity, and use it all of the time. This book is overcomplicated in explaining the subject, and did not give me any insight that helps.

The subject is covered better elsewhere - such as the 37 signals' book Get Real.

A poor example to follow, 20 Nov 2006
The back cover claims that this is "The definitive guide to draughting to the latest ISO Standards, incorporating BS 8888". I cannot agree. This book seems to be a partial revision of a school or undergraduate drawing textbook. The authors might have achieved their objective if they had started from scratch. As it is, it would be better to call it a Rough Guide. It will be useful to beginners, but it is certainly not "definitive".

The description of CAD systems in chapter 3 is heavily biased towards AutoCad, even when describing 3D programmes, in which they have never been dominant. The screenshot examples shown, over five pages, are taken as much from architecture as engineering, and are poorly reproduced. Captions are minimal, and the relevance to engineering of a dragonfly flying over a pond is hard to see. Two potentially informative screenshots of drawings in progress seem to have been printed in soot. The clarity and sharpness of a screen image is entirely lost. The authors appear to have shares in Mechsoft and the inclusion of two pages of AutoCad publicity material do little to advance the subject. The space would have been better used to illustrate the working methods of CAD programmes, particularly showing the difference between 2D and 3D work, and explaining the significance of Surface and Solid modelling, leading on to Hybrid programmes. The further use of 3D models for stress, heat flow, or fluid dynamics could have been illustrated.

After pointing out on page 6 that the comma is to be the decimal marker, it is odd that the majority of drawings shown use the full stop, or point. The diameter symbol shown in the text does not agree with that shown in some illustrations, but the use is inconsistent. In both cases the symbol is incorrect. The section on drawing nuts and bolts continues a method which has been a poor approximation for more than fifty years, but makes no mention of using stencils, or CAD libraries, which would give an accurate representation. Chapters 20 to 23 reproduce the symbols for geometrical tolerancing as provided by AutoCad, including the errors. It would have been better to show them proportioned correctly to the standard. Several examples seem to have abandoned the correct use of line thickness. Chapter 26 shows welding symbols to BS 499. The authors should be aware that this was superseded in 1995 by BS EN 22553. Some explanation of the previous ways of working may be needed, but the emphasis should be on the current standard. The engineering diagrams in chapter 27 give a small selection of symbols to current standards, but far more space is given over to poor or non standard examples. The symbols used are inconsistent and no account has been taken of Reference Designations as specified in BS EN 61346. The section on Heating and Ventilation diagrams drifts into design techniques, which would be better covered in a Design textbook. The chapter on bearings similarly becomes a design manual, but the one illustration of the representation of bearings on a drawing is badly printed and incorrect. To add insult to injury, the text states that the drawing is wrong, but it has not been corrected! The final chapter deals with designing with adhesives. No examples of drawings showing assembly with adhesives are given, and we are completely in the world of design, not draughting, techniques.

None of the finished drawings shown would be acceptable in my drawing office.

The authors need to decide whether they are producing a Draughting or a Design Manual. The illustrations should ALL be up to date with the latest standards they claim to be presenting, and comply in every detail. They should represent the best of the draughtsman's art, not the typical products of those who have not kept up to date with the standards.

A must have reference manual for students and the workplace., 04 Nov 2003
Very well written, clear and concise manual for Engineering Drawing to British Standards.

It does exactly what it says on the cover. And it's in English too!!!!!!

It's an important point to make that this book is written to British Standards, in metric, not ANSI or other, in imperial. Many similar titles are written to ANSI or have included imperial or older standards and will have all the references to feet and inches or American standards. It is very difficult to find a technical drawing / drafting book in plain English.

Perfect for students to learn from and (in my case) a brilliant reference guide in the workplace.

My only negative issue is how long I've waited for this book to come out, it has been on back order for over a year now!

A useful handbook, 10 Dec 2002
This is a good reference book for anyone who needs to create engineering drawings. The emphasis is mainly on mechanical components, although there are sections on electronic and automotive circuit diagrams and heating and ventilation layouts. There is little if anything on civil, structural or architectural drawings however.

References to relevant british and ISO standards are guiven throughout, and the book is well written, conscise and well laid out.

the perfect balance, 23 Oct 2008
what more could you want from a book about manufacturing...its perfect not too much text but loads of really good info... a must for any design student :) really easy to flick through and take in.

Essential for product designers., 18 Aug 2007
I've recently purchased this book, and am so impressed with the amount of information packed into this attractive handbook. The book made up part of my reading list for the start of my course in September, and I know it's going to be the ultimate resource when it comes to choosing suitable materials and processes in relation to a breif. A must for anyone serious about design, suitable from As level and upwards.

One of the best, 13 Oct 2007
This is one of the best design books I have ever found. It's everything from the history of how mice and gui's were first invented to just interesting information and interviews from the people who started it all. Still reading it, buts its very interesting and well worth it.

Good Content, 01 Sep 2007
Not only is this book exquisite, it also has remarkably good content. And then on top of that it's huge as well :) Definitely worth buying, I promise you it wont sit on your self, and has interviews with extremely relevant people. The only downside is that in 10 years or so it may be a little dated, but only because the concepts in here will have been implemented.

Packed with awesomeness, 13 Dec 2006
This is a huge book that actually lives up to its size. It's not one of those design books that kind of looks nice and then ends up on your shelf, it's actually full of great anecdotes, experiences and lessons from people who've made great (and not so great) stuff. Oh and it has a DVD of videos from those same people too. Fantastic.

If you design anything remotely interactive, from a website to a bottle-opener, you should own this.

Not great., 31 Aug 2008
Purchased this as I thought it would be a basic book that would give plenty of examples of what to do and how to do it, step by step. Found the book confusing and all over the place. Would not recommend this book to any one.

Helpful guide on how to incorporate simplicity into your product planning , 07 Jul 2008
The poet William Wordsworth once wrote, "The world is too much with us." If this was true in the bucolic 18th and 19th centuries when Wordsworth lived, it is even more true today, when every gadget comes with an incomprehensible 100-page instruction manual. Thus, simplifying people's lives with your products and services is a surefire path to business success; it will endear you to your customers forever. In this aphoristic little book, graphic designer John Maeda has distilled all he knows about simplicity into 10 laws and three key ideas. He sprinkles mnemonics, icons and graphics throughout, which you may enjoy if you're a visual learner or find baffling if you're not. If you really like the icons, you can download them from the Web site Maeda put together to complement the book. getAbstract recommends this work particularly to marketing people, product designers and technical writers. Maybe some day your mother won't have to call you every time she wants to record Jeopardy.

Getting to "the other side of complexity", 23 Jun 2008

Almost immediately after I began to read this book, I was reminded of two quotations, the first from Oliver Wendell Holmes: "I do not care a fig for simplicity this side of complexity but I would give my life for the other side of complexity." Also from Albert Einstein: "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." Further along into John Maeda's discussion of each of the ten "Laws" and his explanation of why he thinks that "simplicity = sanity," I was reminded of this passage from William Butler Yeats' "The Second Coming":

"Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity."

Holmes was right, acknowledging how difficult it is to proceed through complexity to simplicity. In fact, I view complexity in that context as a crucible. More specifically, as container into which alchemists once placed raw materials and subjected them to intense heat, hoping to produce a pure and precious metal, perhaps gold. Like the falcon in Yeats's poem, the human mind circles high above more than it can possibly absorb and process, then make sense of. This is what William Wordsworth suggests in "The World Is Too Much with Us":

"The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!"

And this is why Maeda believes that "simplicity = sanity." In a world that seems to become more complex each day, during his on-going journey of discovery he realized how complex a topic simplicity really is, "and I don't pretend to have solved the puzzle...[and] am inspired to grapple with this puzzle many more years...Like all man-made `laws' [mine] do not exist in the absolute sense - to break them is no sin. However you may find them useful in your own search for simplicity (and sanity) in design, technology, business, and life."

It would be a disservice to Maeda as well as to those who read this review to list the ten "Laws." They are best revealed in context, within the frame-of-reference he creates for each. The same is true of the three "Keys to achieving simplicity in the technology domain" with which Maeda concludes his narrative. "Rarely do I have answers, but instead I have a lot of questions just like you." I am amazed by how much material he provides within only 100 pages. Additional resources can be obtained (at no cost) by visiting lawsofsimplicity.com.

It is worth noting that when Maeda "set out with youthful zeal to attack the simplicity question, [he] felt that complexity was destroying our world and had to be stopped!" Presumably others have experienced the same frustrations I have encountered when struggling to understand the directions provided in an operations manual or terms and conditions of a service warranty or when struggling to obtain assistance from a customer service representative who speaks slowly enough and clearly enough to be understood. Why does it have to be so (bleeping) complicated? After speaking at a conference, Maeda was approached by a 73-year old artist who took him aside and said, "The world's [begin italics] always [end italics] been falling apart. So relax." Maeda suggests that his reader take the same advice "and try to LEAN BACK while you read this book, if you can."

John Maeda may not get you to the "other side of complexity" but he can help you to preserve your sanity meanwhile. If that isn't a value-added benefit, I don't know what one is.

Nearly useful book, 19 Jan 2008
The author tries to distil simplicity into a Japanese/zen concept, but doesn't manage. Pity: nice idea.

fur coat and no knickers, 29 Oct 2007
this is such a beautifully presented little book - which is the only reason it got 3 stars - i will treasure it for its physical attributes for sure - BUT - it is extremely thin on content

An overcomplicated look at simplicity, 08 Oct 2007
I am a big fan of simplicity, and use it all of the time. This book is overcomplicated in explaining the subject, and did not give me any insight that helps.

The subject is covered better elsewhere - such as the 37 signals' book Get Real.

A poor example to follow, 20 Nov 2006
The back cover claims that this is "The definitive guide to draughting to the latest ISO Standards, incorporating BS 8888". I cannot agree. This book seems to be a partial revision of a school or undergraduate drawing textbook. The authors might have achieved their objective if they had started from scratch. As it is, it would be better to call it a Rough Guide. It will be useful to beginners, but it is certainly not "definitive".

The description of CAD systems in chapter 3 is heavily biased towards AutoCad, even when describing 3D programmes, in which they have never been dominant. The screenshot examples shown, over five pages, are taken as much from architecture as engineering, and are poorly reproduced. Captions are minimal, and the relevance to engineering of a dragonfly flying over a pond is hard to see. Two potentially informative screenshots of drawings in progress seem to have been printed in soot. The clarity and sharpness of a screen image is entirely lost. The authors appear to have shares in Mechsoft and the inclusion of two pages of AutoCad publicity material do little to advance the subject. The space would have been better used to illustrate the working methods of CAD programmes, particularly showing the difference between 2D and 3D work, and explaining the significance of Surface and Solid modelling, leading on to Hybrid programmes. The further use of 3D models for stress, heat flow, or fluid dynamics could have been illustrated.

After pointing out on page 6 that the comma is to be the decimal marker, it is odd that the majority of drawings shown use the full stop, or point. The diameter symbol shown in the text does not agree with that shown in some illustrations, but the use is inconsistent. In both cases the symbol is incorrect. The section on drawing nuts and bolts continues a method which has been a poor approximation for more than fifty years, but makes no mention of using stencils, or CAD libraries, which would give an accurate representation. Chapters 20 to 23 reproduce the symbols for geometrical tolerancing as provided by AutoCad, including the errors. It would have been better to show them proportioned correctly to the standard. Several examples seem to have abandoned the correct use of line thickness. Chapter 26 shows welding symbols to BS 499. The authors should be aware that this was superseded in 1995 by BS EN 22553. Some explanation of the previous ways of working may be needed, but the emphasis should be on the current standard. The engineering diagrams in chapter 27 give a small selection of symbols to current standards, but far more space is given over to poor or non standard examples. The symbols used are inconsistent and no account has been taken of Reference Designations as specified in BS EN 61346. The section on Heating and Ventilation diagrams drifts into design techniques, which would be better covered in a Design textbook. The chapter on bearings similarly becomes a design manual, but the one illustration of the representation of bearings on a drawing is badly printed and incorrect. To add insult to injury, the text states that the drawing is wrong, but it has not been corrected! The final chapter deals with designing with adhesives. No examples of drawings showing assembly with adhesives are given, and we are completely in the world of design, not draughting, techniques.

None of the finished drawings shown would be acceptable in my drawing office.

The authors need to decide whether they are producing a Draughting or a Design Manual. The illustrations should ALL be up to date with the latest standards they claim to be presenting, and comply in every detail. They should represent the best of the draughtsman's art, not the typical products of those who have not kept up to date with the standards.

A must have reference manual for students and the workplace., 04 Nov 2003
Very well written, clear and concise manual for Engineering Drawing to British Standards.

It does exactly what it says on the cover. And it's in English too!!!!!!

It's an important point to make that this book is written to British Standards, in metric, not ANSI or other, in imperial. Many similar titles are written to ANSI or have included imperial or older standards and will have all the references to feet and inches or American standards. It is very difficult to find a technical drawing / drafting book in plain English.

Perfect for students to learn from and (in my case) a brilliant reference guide in the workplace.

My only negative issue is how long I've waited for this book to come out, it has been on back order for over a year now!

A useful handbook, 10 Dec 2002
This is a good reference book for anyone who needs to create engineering drawings. The emphasis is mainly on mechanical components, although there are sections on electronic and automotive circuit diagrams and heating and ventilation layouts. There is little if anything on civil, structural or architectural drawings however.

References to relevant british and ISO standards are guiven throughout, and the book is well written, conscise and well laid out.

Innovation isn't certain - even with a winning product, 20 May 2008
I liked this book a lot. Its a history of the shipping container but it draws in much more. As an aside there is a good account of ports and unionised port labour - and how that influenced the development of the container.
What is most striking for a technology that has come to dominate this mode of transport is:
* how conservative the industry was at the outset and how much it resisted the container
* how quickly the technology changed during the early days - ship sizes, container size, the power of ships, etc.
* innovative players often saw the container as a way to improve their advantage. The same process meant that dominant players weren't (initially) interested in the container.
Well written and well researched. The evolving story kept me reading in a way that many business books don't achieve.


How the world got smaller and "the docks" disappeared, 18 Nov 2007
This is a good book to explain how a simple obvious invention changed the world, against the massed ranks of opposition of everybody from rail companies, trade unions and politicians. It changed the geography of every port, and hence most cities, by dooming "the docks" as they had been for centuries to history and eventually turning decaying ex-working class communities into the new location for offices, shops and above all trendy flats.
It means that in Dubai you can have raspberries from California, tomatoes from Spain, beef from South Africa and almost anything else from China and all at reasonable prices.
All this took place in thirty years and nobody, until now, has explained how and why it happened. This book shows how even a great idea must have visionaries to fight for it to succeed and sometimes these people pay a high price for their ideas.
It takes a bit of effort in places to read all the tedious disputes but it well worth staying the course and understand the effects of the many changes that the container brought to all of us.


It does the job well, 23 Jul 2006
I bought this book as I had observed the progress of the shipping container with interest and wanted to know the background. This book told me that background and corrected some false assumptions.

I had assumed progress was straightforward only to learn that there was a lot of opposition and politics held it back for a long time. I also assumed that it was easy to make money as it seemed such a winner. In fact after a few years the inventor faced common business obstacles such as supply and demand getting out of balance and the oil price changing violently.

I assumed that there was only one size when in fact there were many standard sizes though economics narrowed the range in practice.

I saw there is another book on the same subject Box Boats: How Container Ships Changed the World (Hardcover)
by Brian J. Cudahyon on Amazon at the time I bought mine.

the perfect balance, 23 Oct 2008
what more could you want from a book about manufacturing...its perfect not too much text but loads of really good info... a must for any design student :) really easy to flick through and take in.

Essential for product designers., 18 Aug 2007
I've recently purchased this book, and am so impressed with the amount of information packed into this attractive handbook. The book made up part of my reading list for the start of my course in September, and I know it's going to be the ultimate resource when it comes to choosing suitable materials and processes in relation to a breif. A must for anyone serious about design, suitable from As level and upwards.

One of the best, 13 Oct 2007
This is one of the best design books I have ever found. It's everything from the history of how mice and gui's were first invented to just interesting information and interviews from the people who started it all. Still reading it, buts its very interesting and well worth it.

Good Content, 01 Sep 2007
Not only is this book exquisite, it also has remarkably good content. And then on top of that it's huge as well :) Definitely worth buying, I promise you it wont sit on your self, and has interviews with extremely relevant people. The only downside is that in 10 years or so it may be a little dated, but only because the concepts in here will have been implemented.

Packed with awesomeness, 13 Dec 2006
This is a huge book that actually lives up to its size. It's not one of those design books that kind of looks nice and then ends up on your shelf, it's actually full of great anecdotes, experiences and lessons from people who've made great (and not so great) stuff. Oh and it has a DVD of videos from those same people too. Fantastic.

If you design anything remotely interactive, from a website to a bottle-opener, you should own this.

Not great., 31 Aug 2008
Purchased this as I thought it would be a basic book that would give plenty of examples of what to do and how to do it, step by step. Found the book confusing and all over the place. Would not recommend this book to any one.

Helpful guide on how to incorporate simplicity into your product planning , 07 Jul 2008
The poet William Wordsworth once wrote, "The world is too much with us." If this was true in the bucolic 18th and 19th centuries when Wordsworth lived, it is even more true today, when every gadget comes with an incomprehensible 100-page instruction manual. Thus, simplifying people's lives with your products and services is a surefire path to business success; it will endear you to your customers forever. In this aphoristic little book, graphic designer John Maeda has distilled all he knows about simplicity into 10 laws and three key ideas. He sprinkles mnemonics, icons and graphics throughout, which you may enjoy if you're a visual learner or find baffling if you're not. If you really like the icons, you can download them from the Web site Maeda put together to complement the book. getAbstract recommends this work particularly to marketing people, product designers and technical writers. Maybe some day your mother won't have to call you every time she wants to record Jeopardy.

Getting to "the other side of complexity", 23 Jun 2008

Almost immediately after I began to read this book, I was reminded of two quotations, the first from Oliver Wendell Holmes: "I do not care a fig for simplicity this side of complexity but I would give my life for the other side of complexity." Also from Albert Einstein: "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." Further along into John Maeda's discussion of each of the ten "Laws" and his explanation of why he thinks that "simplicity = sanity," I was reminded of this passage from William Butler Yeats' "The Second Coming":

"Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity."

Holmes was right, acknowledging how difficult it is to proceed through complexity to simplicity. In fact, I view complexity in that context as a crucible. More specifically, as container into which alchemists once placed raw materials and subjected them to intense heat, hoping to produce a pure and precious metal, perhaps gold. Like the falcon in Yeats's poem, the human mind circles high above more than it can possibly absorb and process, then make sense of. This is what William Wordsworth suggests in "The World Is Too Much with Us":

"The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!"

And this is why Maeda believes that "simplicity = sanity." In a world that seems to become more complex each day, during his on-going journey of discovery he realized how complex a topic simplicity really is, "and I don't pretend to have solved the puzzle...[and] am inspired to grapple with this puzzle many more years...Like all man-made `laws' [mine] do not exist in the absolute sense - to break them is no sin. However you may find them useful in your own search for simplicity (and sanity) in design, technology, business, and life."

It would be a disservice to Maeda as well as to those who read this review to list the ten "Laws." They are best revealed in context, within the frame-of-reference he creates for each. The same is true of the three "Keys to achieving simplicity in the technology domain" with which Maeda concludes his narrative. "Rarely do I have answers, but instead I have a lot of questions just like you." I am amazed by how much material he provides within only 100 pages. Additional resources can be obtained (at no cost) by visiting lawsofsimplicity.com.

It is worth noting that when Maeda "set out with youthful zeal to attack the simplicity question, [he] felt that complexity was destroying our world and had to be stopped!" Presumably others have experienced the same frustrations I have encountered when struggling to understand the directions provided in an operations manual or terms and conditions of a service warranty or when struggling to obtain assistance from a customer service representative who speaks slowly enough and clearly enough to be understood. Why does it have to be so (bleeping) complicated? After speaking at a conference, Maeda was approached by a 73-year old artist who took him aside and said, "The world's [begin italics] always [end italics] been falling apart. So relax." Maeda suggests that his reader take the same advice "and try to LEAN BACK while you read this book, if you can."

John Maeda may not get you to the "other side of complexity" but he can help you to preserve your sanity meanwhile. If that isn't a value-added benefit, I don't know what one is.

Nearly useful book, 19 Jan 2008
The author tries to distil simplicity into a Japanese/zen concept, but doesn't manage. Pity: nice idea.

fur coat and no knickers, 29 Oct 2007
this is such a beautifully presented little book - which is the only reason it got 3 stars - i will treasure it for its physical attributes for sure - BUT - it is extremely thin on content

An overcomplicated look at simplicity, 08 Oct 2007
I am a big fan of simplicity, and use it all of the time. This book is overcomplicated in explaining the subject, and did not give me any insight that helps.

The subject is covered better elsewhere - such as the 37 signals' book Get Real.

A poor example to follow, 20 Nov 2006
The back cover claims that this is "The definitive guide to draughting to the latest ISO Standards, incorporating BS 8888". I cannot agree. This book seems to be a partial revision of a school or undergraduate drawing textbook. The authors might have achieved their objective if they had started from scratch. As it is, it would be better to call it a Rough Guide. It will be useful to beginners, but it is certainly not "definitive".

The description of CAD systems in chapter 3 is heavily biased towards AutoCad, even when describing 3D programmes, in which they have never been dominant. The screenshot examples shown, over five pages, are taken as much from architecture as engineering, and are poorly reproduced. Captions are minimal, and the relevance to engineering of a dragonfly flying over a pond is hard to see. Two potentially informative screenshots of drawings in progress seem to have been printed in soot. The clarity and sharpness of a screen image is entirely lost. The authors appear to have shares in Mechsoft and the inclusion of two pages of AutoCad publicity material do little to advance the subject. The space would have been better used to illustrate the working methods of CAD programmes, particularly showing the difference between 2D and 3D work, and explaining the significance of Surface and Solid modelling, leading on to Hybrid programmes. The further use of 3D models for stress, heat flow, or fluid dynamics could have been illustrated.

After pointing out on page 6 that the comma is to be the decimal marker, it is odd that the majority of drawings shown use the full stop, or point. The diameter symbol shown in the text does not agree with that shown in some illustrations, but the use is inconsistent. In both cases the symbol is incorrect. The section on drawing nuts and bolts continues a method which has been a poor approximation for more than fifty years, but makes no mention of using stencils, or CAD libraries, which would give an accurate representation. Chapters 20 to 23 reproduce the symbols for geometrical tolerancing as provided by AutoCad, including the errors. It would have been better to show them proportioned correctly to the standard. Several examples seem to have abandoned the correct use of line thickness. Chapter 26 shows welding symbols to BS 499. The authors should be aware that this was superseded in 1995 by BS EN 22553. Some explanation of the previous ways of working may be needed, but the emphasis should be on the current standard. The engineering diagrams in chapter 27 give a small selection of symbols to current standards, but far more space is given over to poor or non standard examples. The symbols used are inconsistent and no account has been taken of Reference Designations as specified in BS EN 61346. The section on Heating and Ventilation diagrams drifts into design techniques, which would be better covered in a Design textbook. The chapter on bearings similarly becomes a design manual, but the one illustration of the representation of bearings on a drawing is badly printed and incorrect. To add insult to injury, the text states that the drawing is wrong, but it has not been corrected! The final chapter deals with designing with adhesives. No examples of drawings showing assembly with adhesives are given, and we are completely in the world of design, not draughting, techniques.

None of the finished drawings shown would be acceptable in my drawing office.

The authors need to decide whether they are producing a Draughting or a Design Manual. The illustrations should ALL be up to date with the latest standards they claim to be presenting, and comply in every detail. They should represent the best of the draughtsman's art, not the typical products of those who have not kept up to date with the standards.

A must have reference manual for students and the workplace., 04 Nov 2003
Very well written, clear and concise manual for Engineering Drawing to British Standards.

It does exactly what it says on the cover. And it's in English too!!!!!!

It's an important point to make that this book is written to British Standards, in metric, not ANSI or other, in imperial. Many similar titles are written to ANSI or have included imperial or older standards and will have all the references to feet and inches or American standards. It is very difficult to find a technical drawing / drafting book in plain English.

Perfect for students to learn from and (in my case) a brilliant reference guide in the workplace.

My only negative issue is how long I've waited for this book to come out, it has been on back order for over a year now!

A useful handbook, 10 Dec 2002
This is a good reference book for anyone who needs to create engineering drawings. The emphasis is mainly on mechanical components, although there are sections on electronic and automotive circuit diagrams and heating and ventilation layouts. There is little if anything on civil, structural or architectural drawings however.

References to relevant british and ISO standards are guiven throughout, and the book is well written, conscise and well laid out.

Innovation isn't certain - even with a winning product, 20 May 2008
I liked this book a lot. Its a history of the shipping container but it draws in much more. As an aside there is a good account of ports and unionised port labour - and how that influenced the development of the container.
What is most striking for a technology that has come to dominate this mode of transport is:
* how conservative the industry was at the outset and how much it resisted the container
* how quickly the technology changed during the early days - ship sizes, container size, the power of ships, etc.
* innovative players often saw the container as a way to improve their advantage. The same process meant that dominant players weren't (initially) interested in the container.
Well written and well researched. The evolving story kept me reading in a way that many business books don't achieve.


How the world got smaller and "the docks" disappeared, 18 Nov 2007
This is a good book to explain how a simple obvious invention changed the world, against the massed ranks of opposition of everybody from rail companies, trade unions and politicians. It changed the geography of every port, and hence most cities, by dooming "the docks" as they had been for centuries to history and eventually turning decaying ex-working class communities into the new location for offices, shops and above all trendy flats.
It means that in Dubai you can have raspberries from California, tomatoes from Spain, beef from South Africa and almost anything else from China and all at reasonable prices.
All this took place in thirty years and nobody, until now, has explained how and why it happened. This book shows how even a great idea must have visionaries to fight for it to succeed and sometimes these people pay a high price for their ideas.
It takes a bit of effort in places to read all the tedious disputes but it well worth staying the course and understand the effects of the many changes that the container brought to all of us.


It does the job well, 23 Jul 2006
I bought this book as I had observed the progress of the shipping container with interest and wanted to know the background. This book told me that background and corrected some false assumptions.

I had assumed progress was straightforward only to learn that there was a lot of opposition and politics held it back for a long time. I also assumed that it was easy to make money as it seemed such a winner. In fact after a few years the inventor faced common business obstacles such as supply and demand getting out of balance and the oil price changing violently.

I assumed that there was only one size when in fact there were many standard sizes though economics narrowed the range in practice.

I saw there is another book on the same subject Box Boats: How Container Ships Changed the World (Hardcover)
by Brian J. Cudahyon on Amazon at the time I bought mine.

very good book, 31 Jul 2007
this book offers some very thought provoking stuff.
i am now a fan, and will be reading other titles by this author.
the chapter on the development of the design of the aluminium can made my beer can even more attractive!

a facinating and informative read, 30 Aug 2000
As a prospective engineering student I found this book truly enjoyable. It is very detailed yet facinating and should inspire all of its readers to think about the design of everyday objects.

the perfect balance, 23 Oct 2008
what more could you want from a book about manufacturing...its perfect not too much text but loads of really good info... a must for any design student :) really easy to flick through and take in.

Essential for product designers., 18 Aug 2007
I've recently purchased this book, and am so impressed with the amount of information packed into this attractive handbook. The book made up part of my reading list for the start of my course in September, and I know it's going to be the ultimate resource when it comes to choosing suitable materials and processes in relation to a breif. A must for anyone serious about design, suitable from As level and upwards.

One of the best, 13 Oct 2007
This is one of the best design books I have ever found. It's everything from the history of how mice and gui's were first invented to just interesting information and interviews from the people who started it all. Still reading it, buts its very interesting and well worth it.

Good Content, 01 Sep 2007
Not only is this book exquisite, it also has remarkably good content. And then on top of that it's huge as well :) Definitely worth buying, I promise you it wont sit on your self, and has interviews with extremely relevant people. The only downside is that in 10 years or so it may be a little dated, but only because the concepts in here will have been implemented.

Packed with awesomeness, 13 Dec 2006
This is a huge book that actually lives up to its size. It's not one of those design books that kind of looks nice and then ends up on your shelf, it's actually full of great anecdotes, experiences and lessons from people who've made great (and not so great) stuff. Oh and it has a DVD of videos from those same people too. Fantastic.

If you design anything remotely interactive, from a website to a bottle-opener, you should own this.

Not great., 31 Aug 2008
Purchased this as I thought it would be a basic book that would give plenty of examples of what to do and how to do it, step by step. Found the book confusing and all over the place. Would not recommend this book to any one.

Helpful guide on how to incorporate simplicity into your product planning , 07 Jul 2008
The poet William Wordsworth once wrote, "The world is too much with us." If this was true in the bucolic 18th and 19th centuries when Wordsworth lived, it is even more true today, when every gadget comes with an incomprehensible 100-page instruction manual. Thus, simplifying people's lives with your products and services is a surefire path to business success; it will endear you to your customers forever. In this aphoristic little book, graphic designer John Maeda has distilled all he knows about simplicity into 10 laws and three key ideas. He sprinkles mnemonics, icons and graphics throughout, which you may enjoy if you're a visual learner or find baffling if you're not. If you really like the icons, you can download them from the Web site Maeda put together to complement the book. getAbstract recommends this work particularly to marketing people, product designers and technical writers. Maybe some day your mother won't have to call you every time she wants to record Jeopardy.

Getting to "the other side of complexity", 23 Jun 2008

Almost immediately after I began to read this book, I was reminded of two quotations, the first from Oliver Wendell Holmes: "I do not care a fig for simplicity this side of complexity but I would give my life for the other side of complexity." Also from Albert Einstein: "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." Further along into John Maeda's discussion of each of the ten "Laws" and his explanation of why he thinks that "simplicity = sanity," I was reminded of this passage from William Butler Yeats' "The Second Coming":

"Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity."

Holmes was right, acknowledging how difficult it is to proceed through complexity to simplicity. In fact, I view complexity in that context as a crucible. More specifically, as container into which alchemists once placed raw materials and subjected them to intense heat, hoping to produce a pure and precious metal, perhaps gold. Like the falcon in Yeats's poem, the human mind circles high above more than it can possibly absorb and process, then make sense of. This is what William Wordsworth suggests in "The World Is Too Much with Us":

"The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!"

And this is why Maeda believes that "simplicity = sanity." In a world that seems to become more complex each day, during his on-going journey of discovery he realized how complex a topic simplicity really is, "and I don't pretend to have solved the puzzle...[and] am inspired to grapple with this puzzle many more years...Like all man-made `laws' [mine] do not exist in the absolute sense - to break them is no sin. However you may find them useful in your own search for simplicity (and sanity) in design, technology, business, and life."

It would be a disservice to Maeda as well as to those who read this review to list the ten "Laws." They are best revealed in context, within the frame-of-reference he creates for each. The same is true of the three "Keys to achieving simplicity in the technology domain" with which Maeda concludes his narrative. "Rarely do I have answers, but instead I have a lot of questions just like you." I am amazed by how much material he provides within only 100 pages. Additional resources can be obtained (at no cost) by visiting lawsofsimplicity.com.

It is worth noting that when Maeda "set out with youthful zeal to attack the simplicity question, [he] felt that complexity was destroying our world and had to be stopped!" Presumably others have experienced the same frustrations I have encountered when struggling to understand the directions provided in an operations manual or terms and conditions of a service warranty or when struggling to obtain assistance from a customer service representative who speaks slowly enough and clearly enough to be understood. Why does it have to be so (bleeping) complicated? After speaking at a conference, Maeda was approached by a 73-year old artist who took him aside and said, "The world's [begin italics] always [end italics] been falling apart. So relax." Maeda suggests that his reader take the same advice "and try to LEAN BACK while you read this book, if you can."

John Maeda may not get you to the "other side of complexity" but he can help you to preserve your sanity meanwhile. If that isn't a value-added benefit, I don't know what one is.

Nearly useful book, 19 Jan 2008
The author tries to distil simplicity into a Japanese/zen concept, but doesn't manage. Pity: nice idea.

fur coat and no knickers, 29 Oct 2007
this is such a beautifully presented little book - which is the only reason it got 3 stars - i will treasure it for its physical attributes for sure - BUT - it is extremely thin on content

An overcomplicated look at simplicity, 08 Oct 2007
I am a big fan of simplicity, and use it all of the time. This book is overcomplicated in explaining the subject, and did not give me any insight that helps.

The subject is covered better elsewhere - such as the 37 signals' book Get Real.

A poor example to follow, 20 Nov 2006
The back cover claims that this is "The definitive guide to draughting to the latest ISO Standards, incorporating BS 8888". I cannot agree. This book seems to be a partial revision of a school or undergraduate drawing textbook. The authors might have achieved their objective if they had started from scratch. As it is, it would be better to call it a Rough Guide. It will be useful to beginners, but it is certainly not "definitive".

The description of CAD systems in chapter 3 is heavily biased towards AutoCad, even when describing 3D programmes, in which they have never been dominant. The screenshot examples shown, over five pages, are taken as much from architecture as engineering, and are poorly reproduced. Captions are minimal, and the relevance to engineering of a dragonfly flying over a pond is hard to see. Two potentially informative screenshots of drawings in progress seem to have been printed in soot. The clarity and sharpness of a screen image is entirely lost. The authors appear to have shares in Mechsoft and the inclusion of two pages of AutoCad publicity material do little to advance the subject. The space would have been better used to illustrate the working methods of CAD programmes, particularly showing the difference between 2D and 3D work, and explaining the significance of Surface and Solid modelling, leading on to Hybrid programmes. The further use of 3D models for stress, heat flow, or fluid dynamics could have been illustrated.

After pointing out on page 6 that the comma is to be the decimal marker, it is odd that the majority of drawings shown use the full stop, or point. The diameter symbol shown in the text does not agree with that shown in some illustrations, but the use is inconsistent. In both cases the symbol is incorrect. The section on drawing nuts and bolts continues a method which has been a poor approximation for more than fifty years, but makes no mention of using stencils, or CAD libraries, which would give an accurate representation. Chapters 20 to 23 reproduce the symbols for geometrical tolerancing as provided by AutoCad, including the errors. It would have been better to show them proportioned correctly to the standard. Several examples seem to have abandoned the correct use of line thickness. Chapter 26 shows welding symbols to BS 499. The authors should be aware that this was superseded in 1995 by BS EN 22553. Some explanation of the previous ways of working may be needed, but the emphasis should be on the current standard. The engineering diagrams in chapter 27 give a small selection of symbols to current standards, but far more space is given over to poor or non standard examples. The symbols used are inconsistent and no account has been taken of Reference Designations as specified in BS EN 61346. The section on Heating and Ventilation diagrams drifts into design techniques, which would be better covered in a Design textbook. The chapter on bearings similarly becomes a design manual, but the one illustration of the representation of bearings on a drawing is badly printed and incorrect. To add insult to injury, the text states that the drawing is wrong, but it has not been corrected! The final chapter deals with designing with adhesives. No examples of drawings showing assembly with adhesives are given, and we are completely in the world of design, not draughting, techniques.

None of the finished drawings shown would be acceptable in my drawing office.

The authors need to decide whether they are producing a Draughting or a Design Manual. The illustrations should ALL be up to date with the latest standards they claim to be presenting, and comply in every detail. They should represent the best of the draughtsman's art, not the typical products of those who have not kept up to date with the standards.

A must have reference manual for students and the workplace., 04 Nov 2003
Very well written, clear and concise manual for Engineering Drawing to British Standards.

It does exactly what it says on the cover. And it's in English too!!!!!!

It's an important point to make that this book is written to British Standards, in metric, not ANSI or other, in imperial. Many similar titles are written to ANSI or have included imperial or older standards and will have all the references to feet and inches or American standards. It is very difficult to find a technical drawing / drafting book in plain English.

Perfect for students to learn from and (in my case) a brilliant reference guide in the workplace.

My only negative issue is how long I've waited for this book to come out, it has been on back order for over a year now!

A useful handbook, 10 Dec 2002
This is a good reference book for anyone who needs to create engineering drawings. The emphasis is mainly on mechanical components, although there are sections on electronic and automotive circuit diagrams and heating and ventilation layouts. There is little if anything on civil, structural or architectural drawings however.

References to relevant british and ISO standards are guiven throughout, and the book is well written, conscise and well laid out.

Innovation isn't certain - even with a winning product, 20 May 2008
I liked this book a lot. Its a history of the shipping container but it draws in much more. As an aside there is a good account of ports and unionised port labour - and how that influenced the development of the container.
What is most striking for a technology that has come to dominate this mode of transport is:
* how conservative the industry was at the outset and how much it resisted the container
* how quickly the technology changed during the early days - ship sizes, container size, the power of ships, etc.
* innovative players often saw the container as a way to improve their advantage. The same process meant that dominant players weren't (initially) interested in the container.
Well written and well researched. The evolving story kept me reading in a way that many business books don't achieve.


How the world got smaller and "the docks" disappeared, 18 Nov 2007
This is a good book to explain how a simple obvious invention changed the world, against the massed ranks of opposition of everybody from rail companies, trade unions and politicians. It changed the geography of every port, and hence most cities, by dooming "the docks" as they had been for centuries to history and eventually turning decaying ex-working class communities into the new location for offices, shops and above all trendy flats.
It means that in Dubai you can have raspberries from California, tomatoes from Spain, beef from South Africa and almost anything else from China and all at reasonable prices.
All this took place in thirty years and nobody, until now, has explained how and why it happened. This book shows how even a great idea must have visionaries to fight for it to succeed and sometimes these people pay a high price for their ideas.
It takes a bit of effort in places to read all the tedious disputes but it well worth staying the course and understand the effects of the many changes that the container brought to all of us.


It does the job well, 23 Jul 2006
I bought this book as I had observed the progress of the shipping container with interest and wanted to know the background. This book told me that background and corrected some false assumptions.

I had assumed progress was straightforward only to learn that there was a lot of opposition and politics held it back for a long time. I also assumed that it was easy to make money as it seemed such a winner. In fact after a few years the inventor faced common business obstacles such as supply and demand getting out of balance and the oil price changing violently.

I assumed that there was only one size when in fact there were many standard sizes though economics narrowed the range in practice.

I saw there is another book on the same subject Box Boats: How Container Ships Changed the World (Hardcover)
by Brian J. Cudahyon on Amazon at the time I bought mine.

very good book, 31 Jul 2007
this book offers some very thought provoking stuff.
i am now a fan, and will be reading other titles by this author.
the chapter on the development of the design of the aluminium can made my beer can even more attractive!

a facinating and informative read, 30 Aug 2000
As a prospective engineering student I found this book truly enjoyable. It is very detailed yet facinating and should inspire all of its readers to think about the design of everyday objects.

Disappointing, 09 Sep 2001
As a lecturer I am dasappointed with this book as it has just been reprinted but still contains errors found in the original publication. It is out of date and has needed updating for some time. One of the main problems is that when students read a book they accept what is written as fact and find it difficult to accept that it could contain errors. The table on fire exingishers was incorrect on the first addition and is now also out of date as the regulations have changed. The working platforms on the tressels and steps are incorrect. The light weight staging board would not fit between the stiles of a pair of steps. These are just two of the glairing errors in the book. There have been a number of changes to regulations over the past ten years when this book was first published. This information is now well out of date and will cause confusion to students as no reference is made to the new regulations. The publishers have missed a golden opertunity to bring this book up to date and relate it to the new NVQs introduced from this September. Students have not taken to the layout of this book and consider it a bit micky mouse with the characters down the margins of the pages. Some student totaly ignore the margins and miss vital information required for assignments.

Having said this a lot of the content is good and I will still be recomending this book to my studants as no alternative book is available.

the perfect balance, 23 Oct 2008
what more could you want from a book about manufacturing...its perfect not too much text but loads of really good info... a must for any design student :) really easy to flick through and take in.

Essential for product designers., 18 Aug 2007
I've recently purchased this book, and am so impressed with the amount of information packed into this attractive handbook. The book made up part of my reading list for the start of my course in September, and I know it's going to be the ultimate resource when it comes to choosing suitable materials and processes in relation to a breif. A must for anyone serious about design, suitable from As level and upwards.

One of the best, 13 Oct 2007
This is one of the best design books I have ever found. It's everything from the history of how mice and gui's were first invented to just interesting information and interviews from the people who started it all. Still reading it, buts its very interesting and well worth it.

Good Content, 01 Sep 2007
Not only is this book exquisite, it also has remarkably good content. And then on top of that it's huge as well :) Definitely worth buying, I promise you it wont sit on your self, and has interviews with extremely relevant people. The only downside is that in 10 years or so it may be a little dated, but only because the concepts in here will have been implemented.

Packed with awesomeness, 13 Dec 2006
This is a huge book that actually lives up to its size. It's not one of those design books that kind of looks nice and then ends up on your shelf, it's actually full of great anecdotes, experiences and lessons from people who've made great (and not so great) stuff. Oh and it has a DVD of videos from those same people too. Fantastic.

If you design anything remotely interactive, from a website to a bottle-opener, you should own this.

Not great., 31 Aug 2008
Purchased this as I thought it would be a basic book that would give plenty of examples of what to do and how to do it, step by step. Found the book confusing and all over the place. Would not recommend this book to any one.

Helpful guide on how to incorporate simplicity into your product planning , 07 Jul 2008
The poet William Wordsworth once wrote, "The world is too much with us." If this was true in the bucolic 18th and 19th centuries when Wordsworth lived, it is even more true today, when every gadget comes with an incomprehensible 100-page instruction manual. Thus, simplifying people's lives with your products and services is a surefire path to business success; it will endear you to your customers foreve