The purpose of this book is to avail faculty, and students of the many different innovations, events, effects, and back-stories equated with the advent of this new era of communications and its impact on our world. At our core we are a species that needs to communicate and to find a way to properly represent those messages. Since the beginning of recorded history mankind has always attempted to communicate and to keep track of its endeavors and accomplishments. Now by using interaction design and modern digital media it has become possible to present "our story" through many current and evocative platforms.

As each generation comes of age this new method is being utilized in all areas of their communication choices. These new generations desire their communication at a different rate than its predecessors. They want their information Internet ready and interactive. They are involved in the immediate and that choice is not going away. Interactive media is here to stay and has new rules and new effects. It is changing our economies, our societies and especially us - as individuals.

The main goal of this book is to help you see how it started, where it is going and how to be on the right side of this transformation. How to take your first steps in that new direction and how to understand the effects of this new form of communication while being aware of its abilities and its dangers.

As a friend once said, "no matter how thin you slice it there are always two sides."