Big Data
Does Size Matter?
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- $17.99
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- $17.99
Publisher Description
What is Big Data, and why should you care?
Big data knows where you've been and who your friends are. It knows what you like and what makes you angry. It can predict what you'll buy, where you'll be the victim of crime and when you'll have a heart attack. Big data knows you better than you know yourself, or so it claims.
But how well do you know big data?
You've probably seen the phrase in newspaper headlines, at work in a marketing meeting, or on a fitness-tracking gadget. But can you understand it without being a Silicon Valley nerd who writes computer programs for fun?
Yes. Yes, you can.
Timandra Harkness writes comedy, not computer code. The only programmes she makes are on the radio. If you can read a newspaper you can read this book.
Starting with the basics – what IS data? And what makes it big? – Timandra takes you on a whirlwind tour of how people are using big data today: from science to smart cities, business to politics, self-quantification to the Internet of Things.
Finally, she asks the big questions about where it's taking us; is it too big for its boots, or does it think too small? Are you a data point or a human being? Will this book be full of rhetorical questions?
No. It also contains puns, asides, unlikely stories and engaging people, inspiring feats and thought-provoking dilemmas. Leaving you armed and ready to decide what you think about one of the decade's big ideas: big data.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Harkness, a London-based science writer and comedian whose repertoire features a stand-up comedy routine on neuroscience, tackles the subject of Big Data, delving into how it is collected and used, its value, its potential dangers, and the questions its uses raise for modern society. Harkness is particularly adept at plucking out interesting examples that capture how Big Data is transforming the world. She clearly describes the work of researchers who hope to develop a global database of insects to the fight against malaria and other diseases, how the CERN atom smasher collects data when searching for exotic quantum particles, and the ways the creators of the Tinder app collect information about each and every one of its users. These examples along with others explaining the use of Big Data by business entities, police and fire departments, and political parties provide a comprehensive and accessible overview of the ubiquity of data collection in modern society. Harkness wisely notes the limitations and inherent dangers of using Big Data, exploring fears of a "Big Brother" society and individuals' loss of privacy in a balanced and thoughtful way. Throughout, Harkness puts her comedian persona to good use, and her clever asides make this tour of Big Data both smart and fun.
