Introducing Snap Shots from Snap.com

I just installed a nice little tool on this site called Snap Shots that enhances links with visual previews of the destination site, interactive excerpts of Wikipedia articles, MySpace profiles, IMDb profiles and Amazon products, display inline videos, RSS, MP3s, photos, stock charts and more.

Sometimes Snap Shots bring you the information you need, without your having to leave the site, while other times it lets you "look ahead," before deciding if you want to follow a link or not.

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Che Guevara

Ernesto Rafael Guevara de la Serna (June 14, 1928 – October 9, 1967), commonly known as Che Guevara, El Che or just Che was an Argentine-born Marxist revolutionary, medical doctor, political figure, and leader of Cuban and internationalist guerrillas.In his book "The Socialism and Man in Cuba", which said that "a man can really reach his perfect humanity levels when he production without being force by his phisicaly needs". Thats what I call a Real Communism.

Photoshop

Comparison chart: Which version of Photoshop CS3 is right for you?New and enhanced features comparedKey: Basic AdvancedFeatures Photoshop CS3 Photoshop CS3 ExtendedIncreased productivity and streamlined workflowsStreamlined interface advanced advancedZoomify export advanced advancedAdobe Bridge with Stacks and Filters advanced advancedPhotoshop Lightroom™ integration advanced advancedImproved print experience advanced advancedAdobe Device Central advanced advancedWorkflow enhancements advanced advancedUnrivaled editingBlack-and-white conversion advanced advancedImproved Curves advanced advancedPhotomerge® with advanced alignment and blending advanced advancedAdjustable cloning and healing with overlay preview basic advancedEnhanced 32-bit HDR support basic advancedNext-generation Camera Raw advanced advancedBreakthrough compositingQuick Selection tool advanced advancedRefine Edge feature advanced advancedAutomatic layer alignment advanced advancedAutomatic layer blending advanced advancedNondestructive Smart Filters advanced advanced3D and motionVanishing Point basic advanced3D visualization and texture editing advancedMotion graphics and video layers advancedMovie Paint advancedAnimation basic advancedComprehensive image analysisMeasurement and data None advancedRuler and Count tools basic advancedDICOM support None advancedMATLAB support None advancedImage Stack processing basic advanced

University

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, searchRepresentation of a university class, 1350s. University Portal A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees at all levels (bachelor, master, and doctorate) in a variety of subjects. A university provides both tertiary and quaternary education. The word university is derived from the Latin universitas magistrorum et scholarium, roughly meaning "community of teachers and scholars".

tattoos

Tattoos are no longer unusual or uncommon; they are now an undeniable element of mainstream style and fashion. But tattoos are expensive and, more importantly, permanent; so choosing an image is a very big decision. Here to help is 500 Tattoo Designs, a vast reference library of popular tattoos. Neatly organized by theme, the clearly executed line drawings cover every conceivable subject area - historical and traditional to modern, from tribal imagery of native American Indians, Japanese and Chinese characters, arcane hieroglyphics to gothic skulls, Celtic amulets, and more. The book also features body positioning hints for specific designs, a discussion of color dynamics, and notes on health and safety. Whether you want to show off your design or conceal it, this book is packed with hundreds of possibilities.

Shoes

Nike, Inc.From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaNike, Inc. (pronounced 'nye-kee') (IPA: /naɪki/) (NYSE: NKE),is a major American supplier of athletic shoes, apparel and sports equipment. The company takes its name from Nike, the Greek goddess of victory. Nike markets its products under its own brand as well as Nike Golf, Nike Pro, Air Jordan, Team Starter, and subsidiaries including Bauer, Cole Haan, Hurley International and Converse. Nike is the largest sportswear supplier in the world.

Coffee

StarbucksFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, searchFor other meanings of the name "Starbuck", see Starbuck.Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX) is a coffeehouse chain based in the United States. Named after a character in the novel Moby-Dick, Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world,[1] with 7,521 self-operated and 5,647 licensed stores in 39 countries.[2] Starbucks serves drip brewed coffee, espresso- and non-espresso-based hot beverages, tea, and ice-blended drinks. It supplements these offerings with pastries, salads, and sandwiches. It also sells coffee mugs and other paraphernalia, as well as bagged coffee beans. Through its Starbucks Entertainment division and Hear Music brand, the company has ventured beyond refreshments into books, music, and film.From its founding in Seattle, Washington, as a local coffee bean roaster and retailer, Starbucks has experienced a rapid expansion. It has also been the subject of a number of controversies. In the 1990s, the company was opening a new store every workday, a pace that continued into the 2000s. Domestic growth has since slowed down, though the company continues to expand in foreign markets. The first international location outside of the U.S. and Canada was established in 1996, and they now comprise almost one third of Starbucks' stores.[3]

Poetry

PoetryFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia(Redirected from Poems)Jump to: navigation, searchFor the magazine, see Poetry (magazine).Poetry (from the Greek "ποίησις", poiesis, a "making" or "creating") is a form of art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its ostensible meaning. Poetry may be written independently, as discrete poems, or may occur in conjunction with other arts, as in poetic drama, hymns or lyrics.Poetry, and discussions of it, have a long history. Early attempts to define poetry, such as Aristotle's Poetics, focused on the uses of speech in rhetoric, drama, song and comedy.[1] Later attempts concentrated on features such as repetition and rhyme, and emphasised the aesthetics which distinguish poetry from prose.[2] From the mid-20th century, poetry has sometimes been more loosely defined as a fundamental creative act using language.[3]Poetry often uses particular forms and conventions to expand the literal meaning of the words, or to evoke emotional or sensual responses. Devices such as assonance, alliteration, onomatopoeia and rhythm are sometimes used to achieve musical or incantatory effects. Poetry's use of ambiguity, symbolism, irony and other stylistic elements of poetic diction often leaves a poem open to multiple interpretations. Similarly, metaphor and simile create a resonance between otherwise disparate images—a layering of meanings, forming connections previously not perceived. Kindred forms of resonance may exist, between individual verses, in their patterns of rhyme or rhythm.Some forms of poetry are specific to particular cultures and genres, responding to the characteristics of the language in which the poet writes. While readers accustomed to identifying poetry with Dante, Goethe, Mickiewicz and Rumi may think of it as being written in rhyming lines and regular meter, there are traditions, such as those of Du Fu and Beowulf, that use other approaches to achieve rhythm and euphony. In today's globalized world, poets often borrow styles, techniques and forms from diverse cultures and languages.

Furniture

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, searchwelcome:: This is an article about items in a room. For information about the UK band, see Furniture (band).This article or section deals primarily with Europe and does not represent a worldwide view of the subject.Please improve this article or discuss the issue on the talk page.A dining table for twoFurniture is the collective term for the movable objects which may support the human body (seating furniture and beds), provide storage, or hold objects on horizontal surfaces above the ground. Storage furniture (which often makes use of doors, drawers, and shelves) is used to hold or contain smaller objects such as clothes, tools, books, and household goods. (See List of furniture types.)Furniture can be a product of artistic design and is considered a form of decorative art. In addition to furniture's functional role, it can serve a symbolic or religious purpose. Domestic furniture works to create, in conjunction with furnishings such as clocks and lighting, comfortable and convenient interior spaces. Furniture can be made from many materials, including metal, plastic, and wood.Cabinetry and cabinet making are terms for the skillset used in the building of furniture.

Hotel

HotelFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, searchThis article or section is missing citations and/or footnotes.This article or section contains insufficiently sourced phrases. Using inline citations helps guard against copyright violations and factual inaccuracies. You may improve the article or discuss this issue on its talk page. Help on using footnotes is available. This article has been tagged since June 2007.For other uses, see Hotel (disambiguation).Not to be confused with hostel.
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging, usually on a short-term basis. Hotels often provide a number of additional guest services such as a restaurant, a swimming pool or childcare. Some hotels have conference services and meeting rooms and encourage groups to hold conventions and meetings at their location.In Australia, the word may also refer to a pub or bar. In the UK similarly, many pubs with "hotel" in their name do not offer accommodation or even food.In India, the word may also refer to a restaurant since the best restaurants were always situated next to a good hotel.
Dariush Grand Hotel, Kish island, Iran

The 4-star Manor House Hotel at Castle Combe, Wiltshire, England. Built in the fourteenth century, the hotel has 48 rooms and 365 acres (1.5 km²) of gardens.

Lingerie

LingerieFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, searchSome of the information in this article may not be verified by reliable sources. It should be checked for inaccuracies and modified to cite reliable sources.
Lingerie is a term for women's fashion undergarments. It derives from the French word 'lin' for linen.[1] While the term in the French language applies to all undergarments for either sex, in English it is applied only to those women's undergarments designed to be visually appealing or erotic, typically incorporating materials such as nylon (nylon tricot), polyester, satin, lace and/or silk, and not applied to functional cotton undergarments.The concept of lingerie being visually appealing is relatively recent. Up through the first half of the 20th century women selected underwear for three major purposes: to alter their shape (first with corsets and later with girdles or bras), for reasons of hygiene, or for modesty. Women's underwear was often very large and bulky. As the 20th century progressed underwear became smaller and more form fitting. In the 1960s 'controversial' lingerie manufacturers such as Frederick's of Hollywood begin to glamourize lingerie and the idea of lingerie having a sexual appeal slowly developed.

Future

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, searchFor other uses, see Future (disambiguation).The neutrality or factuality of this article may be compromised by weasel words. You can help Wikipedia by improving these statements.Look up Future inWiktionary, the free dictionary.In a linear conception of time, the future is the portion of the time line that has yet to occur, i.e. the place in space-time where lie all events that still have not occurred. In this sense the future is opposed to the past (the set of moments and events that have already occurred) and the present (the set of events that are occurring now).The future has always had a very special place in philosophy and, in general, in the human mind. This is true largely because human beings often want a forecast of events that will occur. It is perhaps possible to argue that the evolution of the human brain is in great part an evolution in cognitive abilities necessary to forecast the future, i.e. abstract imagination, logic and induction. Imagination permits us to “see” (i.e. predict) a plausible model of a given situation without observing it, therefore mitigating risks. Logical reasoning allows one to predict inevitable consequences of actions and situations and therefore gives useful information about future events. Induction permits the association of a cause with consequences, a fundamental notion for every forecast of future time.Despite these cognitive instruments for the comprehension of future, the stochastic nature of many natural and social processes has made forecasting the future a long-sought aim of many people and cultures throughout the ages. Figures claiming to see into the future, such as prophets and diviners, have enjoyed great consideration and even social importance in many past and present communities. Whole pseudo-sciences, such as astrology and cheiromancy, were constructed with the aim of forecasting the future. Much of physical science too can be read as an attempt to make quantitative and objective predictions about events.The Future also forms a prominent subject for religion. Religions often offer prophecies about life after death and also about the end of the world.This science article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Future"

Jewellery

Amber jewellery in the form of pendantsFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, searchFor the Korean music group, see Jewelry (group).Gemology and Jewelry PortalAmber jewellery in the form of pendantsJewellery (also spelled jewelry, see spelling differences) is a personal ornament, such as a necklace, ring, or bracelet, made from jewels, precious metals or other substance.The word jewellery is derived from the word jewel, which was anglicised from the Old French "jouel" in around the 13th century.[citation needed] Further tracing leads back to the Latin word "jocale", meaning plaything. Jewellery is one of the oldest forms of body adornment; recently found 100,000 year-old Nassarius shells that were made into beads are thought to be the oldest known jewellery.[1]Although in earlier times jewellery was created for more practical uses, such as wealth storage and pinning clothes together, in recent times it has been used almost exclusively for decoration. The first pieces of jewellery were made from natural materials, such as bone, animal teeth, shell, wood, and carved stone. Jewellery was often made for people of high importance to show their status and, in many cases, they were buried with it.Jewellery is made out of almost every material known and has been made to adorn nearly every body part, from hairpins to toe rings and many more types of jewellery. While high-quality and artistic pieces are made with gemstones and precious metals, less-costly costume jewellery is made from less-valuable materials and is mass-produced. New variations include wire sculpture (wrap) jewellery, using anything from base metal wire with rock tumbled stone to precious metals and precious gemstones.

Resorts

Resorts combine a hotel and a variety of recreations, such as swimming pools.ResortFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaA resort is a place used for relaxation or recreation, attracting visitors for holidays or vacations. Resorts are places, towns such as Sochi in Russia, Newport, Rhode Island or St. Moritz, Switzerland, or larger regions, like the Adirondack Mountains or the Italian Riviera. A resort is not merely a commercial establishment operated by a single company, although in the late twentieth century this sort of facility became more common. Such a self-contained resort attempts to provide for all or most of a vacationer's wants while remaining on the premises, such as food, drink, lodging, sports, entertainment, and shopping. The term "resort" sometimes is misused to identify a hotel that does not provide the other amenities required of a full resort. However, a hotel is frequently a central feature of a resort, such as the Grand Hotel at Mackinac Island, Michigan. Towns that contain resorts—or where tourism or vacationing is a major part of the local activity—are often called resort towns.The Walt Disney World Resort is a prominent example of a modern, self-contained commercial resort. Resorts exist throughout the world, increasingly attracting visitors from around the globe. Thailand, for instance, has become a popular destination. Resorts are especially prevalent in Central America and the Caribbean.Closely related to resorts are convention and large meeting sites. Generally these occur in cities where special meeting halls, together with ample accommodations as well as varied dining and entertainment are provided.

Design

DesignFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Design, usually considered in the context of the applied arts, engineering, architecture, and other such creative endeavors, is used both as a noun and a verb. As a verb, "to design" refers to the process of originating and developing a plan for a product, structure, or component. As a noun, "a design" is used for both the final (solution) plan (e.g. proposal, drawing, model, description) or the result of implementing that plan (e.g. object produced, result of the process). More recently, processes (in general) have also been treated as products of design, giving new meaning to the term "process design".Designing normally requires a designer considering aesthetic, functional, and many other aspects of an object or process, which usually requires considerable research, thought, modeling, interactive adjustment, and re-design.
All Saints Chapel in the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis by Louis Comfort Tiffany. The building structure and decorations are both examples of design.
Design, when applied to fashion, includes considering aesthetics as well as function in the final form.
A drawing for a booster engine for steam locomotives. Engineering is applied to design, with emphasis on function and the utilization of math and science.

Digital

DigitalFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, searchFor other uses, see Digital (disambiguation).A digital system is one that uses discrete values (often electrical voltages), representing numbers or non-numeric symbols such as letters or icons, for input, processing, transmission, storage, or display, rather than a continuous spectrum of values (ie, as in an analog system).The distinction of "digital" versus "analog" can refer to method of input, data storage and transfer, or the internal working of a device. The word comes from the same source as the word digit and digitus: the Latin word for finger (counting on the fingers) as these are used for discrete counting.The word digital is most commonly used in computing and electronics, especially where real-world information is converted to binary numeric form as in digital audio and digital photography. Such data-carrying signals carry one of two electronic or optical pulses, logic 1 (pulse present) or 0 (pulse absent). The term is often meant by the prefix "e-", as in e-mail and ebook, even though not all electronic systems are digital.

Joomla!

Joomla! is one of the most powerful Open Source Content Management Systems on the planet. It is used all over the world for everything from simple websites to complex corporate applications. Joomla! is easy to install, simple to manage, and reliable. Try for your self!http://www.joomla.org/content/view/2446/1/

Book

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, searchFor other uses, see Book (disambiguation).A book is a important thing that some guys like, but some guys wipe their butt with it and read in toilet. It is good if you want smart but if you want cool than no book for yu beech. Book may also refer to a literary work, or a main division of such a work. In library and information science, a book is called a monograph, to distinguish it from serial periodicals such as magazines, journals or newspapers.A lover of books is usually referred to as a bibliophile, a bibliophilist, or a philobiblist, or, more informally, a bookworm.Contents[hide]1 Ethymology2 History of books2.1 Antiquity2.1.1 Scroll2.2 Middle Ages2.2.1 Manuscripts2.2.2 Wood block printing2.2.3 Movable type and incunabula2.3 Modern world3 Book structure4 Sizes5 Types of books6 Collections of books7 Identification and classification7.1 Classification systems8 Transition to digital format9 Paper and conservation issues10 See also11 Notes and references12 External links//[edit] EthymologyThe word "book" comes from Old English "bōc" which comes from Germanic root "*bōk-", cognate to beech.[1]Similarly, in Slavic languages (e.g. Russian and Bulgarian "буква" (bukva)—"letter") is cognate to "beech". It is thus conjectured that the earliest writings were carved on beech wood.[2][edit] History of booksMain article: History of the bookone day some guy pooped on paper and it looked like picture so he call book because he love it and he wife book.[edit] AntiquityWhen writing systems were invented in ancient civilizations, nearly everything that could be written upon—stone, clay, tree bark, metal sheets—was used for writing. Alphabetic writing emerged in Egypt around 1800 BC. At first the words were not separated from each other (scripta continua) and there was no punctuation. Texts were written from right to left, left to right, and even so that alternate lines read in opposite directions. The technical term for this type of writing is 'boustrophedon,' which means literally 'ox-turning' for the way a farmer drives an ox to plough his fields.[edit] ScrollMain article: ScrollEgyptian papyrus showing the god Osiris and the weighing of the heart.Papyrus, a form of paper made by weaving the stems of the papyrus plant, then pounding the woven sheet with a hammer-like tool, was used for writing in Ancient Egypt, perhaps as early as the First Dynasty, although the first evidence is from the account books of King Neferirkare Kakai of the Fifth Dynasty (about 2400 BC).[1] Papyrus sheets were glued together to form a scroll. Tree bark such as lime (Latin liber, from there also library) and other materials were also used.[2]According to Herodotus (History 5:58), the Phoenicians brought writing and papyrus to Greece around the tenth or ninth century BC. The Greek word for papyrus as writing material (biblion) and book (biblos) come from the Phoenician port town Byblos, through which papyrus was exported to Greece.[3] From Greeks we have also the word tome (Greek: τόμος) which originally meant a slice or piece and from there it became to denote "a roll of papyrus". Tomus was used by the Latins with exactly the same meaning as volumen (see also below the explanation by Isidore of Seville).Whether made from papyrus, parchment, or paper in East Asia, scrolls were the dominant form of book in the Hellenistic, Roman, Chinese and Hebrew cultures. The codex form took over the Roman world by Late antiquity, but lasted much longer in Asia.Woman holding a book (or wax tablets) in the form of the codex. Wall painting from Pompeii, before 79 AD.Papyrus scrolls were still dominant in the first century AD, as witnessed by the findings in Pompeii. The first written mention of the codex as a form of book is from Martial, in his Apophoreta CLXXXIV at the end of the century, where he praises its compactness. However the codex never gained much popularity in the pagan Hellenistic world, and only within the Christian community did it gain widespread use.[4] This change happened gradually during the third and fourth centuries, and the reasons for adopting the codex form of the book are several: the format is more economical, as both sides of the writing material can be used; and it is portable, searchable, and easy to conceal. The Christian authors may also have wanted to distinguish their writings from the pagan texts written on scrolls.Wax tablets were the normal writing material in schools, in accounting, and for taking notes. They had the advantage of being reusable: the wax could be melted, and reformed into a blank. The custom of binding several wax tablets together (Roman pugillares) is a possible precursor for modern books (i.e. codex).[5]The etymology of the word codex (block of wood) also suggests that it may have developed from wooden wax tablets.[6]In the 5th century, Isidore of Seville explained the relation between codex, book and scroll in his Etymologiae (VI.13): "A codex is composed of many books; a book is of one scroll. It is called codex by way of metaphor from the trunks (codex) of trees or vines, as if it were a wooden stock, because it contains in itself a multitude of books, as it were of branches."[edit] Middle Ages[edit] ManuscriptsMain article: ManuscriptFolio 14 recto of the 5th century Vergilius Romanus contains an author portrait of Virgil. Note the bookcase (capsa), reading stand and the text written without word spacing in rustic capitals.The fall of the Roman Empire in the fifth century A.D. saw the decline of the culture of ancient Rome. Papyrus became difficult to obtain, due to lack of contact with Egypt, and parchment, which had been used for centuries, began to be the main writing material.Monasteries carried on the Latin writing tradition in the Western Roman Empire. Cassiodorus, in the monastery of Vivarium (established around 540), stressed the importance of copying texts[7]. St. Benedict of Nursia, in his Regula Monachorum (completed around the middle of the 6th century) later also promoted reading.[8] The Rule of St. Benedict (Ch. XLVIII), which set aside certain times for reading, greatly influenced the monastic culture of the Middle Ages, and is one of the reasons why the clergy were the predominant readers of books. The tradition and style of the Roman Empire still dominated, but slowly the peculiar medieval book culture emerged.Before the invention and adoption of the printing press, almost all books were copied by hand, making books expensive and comparatively rare. Smaller monasteries usually had only some dozen books, medium sized perhaps a couple hundred. By the ninth century, larger collections held around 500 volumes; and even at the end of the Middle Ages, the papal library in Avignon and Paris library of Sorbonne held only around 2,000 volumes.[9]Burgundian scribe (portrait of Jean Miélot, from Miracles de Notre Dame), 15th century. The depiction shows the room's furnishings, the writer's materials, equipment, and activity.The scriptorium of the monastery was usually located over the chapter house. Artificial light was forbidden, for fear it may damage the manuscripts. There were five types of scribes:Copyists, who dealt with basic production and correspondenceCalligraphers, who dealt in fine book productionCorrectors, who collated and compared a finished book with the manuscript from which it had been producedRubricators, who painted in the red lettersIlluminators, who painted illustrationsThe bookmaking process was long and laborious. The parchment had to be prepared, then the unbound pages were planned and ruled with a blunt tool or lead, after which the text was written by the scribe, who usually left blank areas for illustration and rubrication. Finally the book was bound by the bookbinder.[10]Desk with chained books in the Library of Cesena, Italy.Different types of ink were known in antiquity, usually prepared from soot and gum, and later also from gall nuts and iron vitriol. This gave writing the typical brownish black color, but black or brown were not the only colours used. There are texts written in red or even gold, and different colours were used for illumination. Sometimes the whole parchment was coloured purple, and the text was written on it with gold or silver (eg Codex Argenteus).[11]Irish monks introduced spacing between words in the seventh century. This facilitated reading, as these monks tended to be less familiar with Latin. However the use of spaces between words did not become commonplace before the 12th century. It has been argued,[12] that the use of spacing between words shows the transition from semi-vocalized reading into silent reading.The first books used parchment or vellum (calf skin) for the pages. The book covers were made of wood and covered with leather. As dried parchment tends to assume the form before processing, the books were fitted with clasps or straps. During the later Middle Ages, when public libraries appeared, books were often chained to a bookshelf or a desk to prevent theft. The so called libri catenati were used up to 18th century.At first books were copied mostly in monasteries, one at a time. With the rise of universities in the 13th century, the Manuscript culture of the time lead to an increase in the demand for books, and a new system for copying books appeared. The books were divided into unbound leaves (pecia), which were lent out to different copyists, so the speed of book production was considerably increased. The system was maintained by stationers guilds, which were secular, and produced both religious and non-religious material.[13][edit] Wood block printingA 15th century incunabulum. Notice the blind-tooled cover, corner bosses and clasps for holding the book shut.In woodblock printing, a relief image of an entire page was carved into blocks of wood, inked, and used to print copies of that page. This method originated in China, in the Han dynasty (before 220AD), as a method of printing on textiles and later paper, and was widely used throughout East Asia. The oldest dated book printed by this method is The Diamond Sutra (868 AD).The method (called Woodcut when used in art) arrived in Europe in the early 14th century. Books (known as block-books), as well as playing-cards and religious pictures, began to be produced by this method. Creating an entire book was a painstaking process, requiring a hand-carved block for each page; and the wood blocks tended to crack, if stored for long.[edit] Movable type and incunabulaMain article: IncunabulumThe Chinese inventor Pi Sheng made movable type of earthenware circa 1045, but there are no known surviving examples of his printing. Metal movable type was invented in Korea during the Goryeo Dynasty (around 1230), but was not widely used: one reason being the enormous Chinese character set. Around 1450, in what is commonly regarded as an independent invention, Johannes Gutenberg invented movable type in Europe, along with innovations in casting the type based on a matrix and hand mould. This invention gradually made books less expensive to produce, and more widely available.Early printed books, single sheets and images which were created before the year 1501 in Europe are known as incunabula. A man born in 1453, the year of the fall of Constantinople, could look back from his fiftieth year on a lifetime in which about eight million books had been printed, more perhaps than all the scribes of Europe had produced since Constantine founded his city in A.D. 330.[14]A Chinese bamboo book, in a collection at the University of California, Riverside.[edit] Modern worldSteam-powered printing presses became popular in the early 1800s. These machines could print 1,100 sheets per hour, but workers could only set 2,000 letters per hour.Monotype and linotype presses were introduced in the late 19th century. They could set more than 6,000 letters per hour and an entire line of type at once.The centuries after the 15th century were thus spent on improving both the printing press and the conditions for freedom of the press through the gradual relaxation of restrictive censorship laws. See also intellectual property, public domain, copyright. In mid-20th century, Europe book production had risen to over 200,000 titles per year.[edit] Book structureAn uncut book; the pages must be separated before readingMain article: Book designThe common structural parts of a book include:Front cover: hardbound or softcover (paperback); the spine is the binding that joins the front and rear covers where the pages hingeFront endpaperFlyleafFront matterFrontispieceTitle pageCopyright page: typically verso of title page: shows copyright owner/date, credits, edition/printing, cataloging detailsTable of contentsList of figuresList of tablesDedicationAcknowledgmentsForewordPrefaceIntroductionBody: the text or contents, the pages often collected or folded into signatures; the pages are usually numbered sequentially, and often divided into chapters.Back matterAppendixGlossaryIndexNotesBibliographyColophonFlyleafRear endpaperRear cover[edit] SizesMain article: Book sizeThe size of a modern book is based on the printing area of a common flatbed press. The pages of type were arranged and clamped in a frame, so that when printed on a sheet of paper the full size of the press, the pages would be right side up and in order when the sheet was folded, and the folded edges trimmed.The most common book sizes are:Quarto (4to): the sheet of paper is folded twice, forming four leaves (eight pages) approximately 11-13 inches (ca 30 cm) tallOctavo (8vo): the most common size for current hardcover books. The sheet is folded three times into eight leaves (16 pages) up to 9 ¾" (ca 23 cm) tall.DuoDecimo (12mo): a size between 8vo and 16mo, up to 7 ¾" (ca 18 cm) tallSextodecimo (16mo): the sheet is folded four times, forming sixteen leaves (32 pages) up to 6 ¾" (ca 15 cm) tallSizes larger than quarto are:Folio: up to 15" (ca 38 cm) tall.Elephant Folio: up to 23" (ca 58 cm) tall.Atlas Folio: up to 25" (ca 63 cm) tall.Double Elephant Folio: up to 50" (ca 127 cm) tall.Sizes smaller than 16mo are:24mo: up to 5 ¾" (ca 13 cm) tall.32mo: up to 5" (ca 12 cm) tall.48mo: up to 4" (ca 10 cm) tall.64mo: up to 3" (ca 8 cm) tall.[edit] Types of booksA collection of Penguin BooksSmall books can be called booklets.Notebooks are blank books to be written in by the user. Students use them for taking notes. Scientists and other researchers use lab notebooks to record their work. Many notebooks are simply bound by a spiral coil at the edge so that pages can be easily torn out. Books to be partly filled in by the user include a personal address book, phone book, or calendar book for recording appointments, etc.Albums are books for holding collections of memorabilia, pictures or photographs. They are often made so that the pages are removable. albums hold collections of stamps.Books for recording periodic entries by the user, such as daily information about a journey, are called logbooks or simply logs. A similar book for writing daily the owner's private personal events and information is called a diary.Businesses use accounting books such as journals and ledgers to record financial data in a practice called bookkeeping.Pre-printed school books for students to study are commonly called textbooks. Elementary school pupils often use workbooks which are published with spaces or blanks to be filled by them for study or homework.A book with written prayers is called a prayerbook or missal. A book with a collection of hymns is called a hymnal.In a library, a general type of non-fiction book which provides information as opposed to telling a story, essay, commentary, or otherwise supporting a point of view, is often referred to as a reference book. A very general reference book, usually one-volume, with lists of data and information on many topics is called an almanac. A more specific reference book with tables or lists of data and information about a certain topic, often intended for professional use, is often called a handbook. Books with technical information on how to do something or how to use some equipment are called manuals.An encyclopedia is a book or set of books with articles on many topics. A book listing words, their etymology, meanings, etc. is called a dictionary. A book which is a collection of maps is an atlas. Books which try to list references and abstracts in a certain broad area may be called an index, such as Engineering Index, or abstracts such as Chemical Abstracts, Biological Abstracts, etc.Bookmarks were used throughout the medieval period,[15] consisting usually of a small parchment strip attached to the edge of folio (or a piece of cord attached to headband). Bookmarks in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries were narrow silk ribbons bound into the book and become widespread in the 1850's. They were usually made from silk, embroidered fabrics or leather. Not until the 1880's, did paper and other materials become more common.A book may be studied by students in the form of a book report. It may also be covered by a professional writer as a book review to introduce a new book. Some belong to a book club.Books may also be categorized by their binding or cover. Hard cover books have a stiff binding. Paperback books have cheaper, flexible covers which tend to be less durable.Publishing is a process for producing books, magazines, newspapers, etc. pre-printed for the reader/user to buy, usually in large numbers by a publishing company. Such books can be categorized as fiction (made-up stories) or non-fiction (information written as true). A book-length fiction story is called a novel.Publishers may produce low-cost, pre-publication copies known as galleys or 'bound proofs' for promotional purposes, such as generating reviews in advance of publication. Galleys are usually made as cheaply as possible, since they are not intended for sale.[edit] Collections of booksMain article: LibraryPrivate or personal libraries made up of non-fiction and fiction books, (as opposed to the state or institutional records kept in archives) first appeared in classical Greece. In ancient world the maintaining of a library was usually (but not exclusively) the privilege of a wealthy individual. These libraries could have been either private or public, i.e. for individuals that were interested in using them. The difference from a modern public library lies in the fact that they were usually not funded from public sources. It is estimated that in the city of Rome at the end of the third century there were around 30 public libraries, public libraries also existed in other cities of the ancient Mediterranean region (e.g. Library of Alexandria).[16] Later, in the Middle Ages, monasteries and universities had also libraries that could be accessible to general public. Typically not the whole collection was available to public, the books could not be borrowed and often were chained to reading stands to prevent theft.Celsus Library was built in 135 A.D. and could house around 12,000 scrolls.The beginning of modern public library begins around 15th century when individuals started to donate books to towns.[17] The growth of a public library system in the United States started in the late 19th century and was much helped by donations from Andrew Carnegie. This reflected classes in a society: The poor or the middle class had to access most books through a public library or by other means while the rich could afford to have a private library built in their homes.The advent of paperback books in the 20th century led to an explosion of popular publishing. Paperback books made owning books affordable for many people. Paperback books often included works from genres that had previously been published mostly in pulp magazines. As a result of the low cost of such books and the spread of bookstores filled with them (in addition to the creation of a smaller market of extremely cheap used paperbacks) owning a private library ceased to be a status symbol for the rich.In library and booksellers' catalogues, it is common to include an abbreviation such as "Crown 8vo" to indicate the paper size from which the book is made.When rows of books are lined on a bookshelf, bookends are sometimes needed to keep them from slanting.[edit] Identification and classificationISBN number with barcode.During the 20th century, librarians were concerned about keeping track of the many books being added yearly to the Gutenberg Galaxy. Through a global society called the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), they devised a series of tools including the International Standard Book Description or ISBD.Each book is specified by an International Standard Book Number, or ISBN, which is unique to every edition of every book produced by participating publishers, world wide. It is managed by the ISBN Society. An ISBN has four parts: the first part is the country code, the second the publisher code, and the third the title code. The last part is a check digit, and can take values from 0–9 and X (10). The EAN Barcodes numbers for books are derived from the ISBN by prefixing 978, for Bookland, and calculating a new check digit.Commercial publishers in industrialized countries generally assign ISBNs to their books, so buyers may presume that the ISBN is part of a total international system, with no exceptions. However many government publishers, in industrial as well as developing countries, do not participate fully in the ISBN system, and publish books which do not have ISBNs.Books on library shelves with bookends, and call numbers visible on the spinesA large or public collection requires a catalogue. Codes called "call numbers" relate the books to the catalogue, and determine their locations on the shelves. Call numbers are based on a Library classification system. The call number is placed on the spine of the book, normally a short distance before the bottom, and inside.Institutional or national standards, such as ANSI/NISO Z39.41 - 1997, establish the correct way to place information (such as the title, or the name of the author) on book spines, and on "shelvable" book-like objects, such as containers for DVDs, video tapes and software.One of the earliest and most widely known systems of cataloguing books is the Dewey Decimal System. This system has fallen out of use in some places, mainly because of a Eurocentric bias and other difficulties applying the system to modern libraries. However, it is still used by most public libraries in America. The Library of Congress Classification system is more popular in university libraries.[citation needed][edit] Classification systemsDewey Decimal Classification (DDC)Library of Congress Classification (LCC)Chinese Library Classification (CLC)Universal Decimal Classification (UDC)Harvard-Yenching Classification[edit] Transition to digital formatThe term e-book (electronic book) in the broad sense is an amount of information like a conventional book, but in digital form. It is made available through internet, CD-ROM, etc. In the popular press the term e-Book sometimes refers to a device such as the Sony Librie EBR-1000EP, which is meant to read the digital form and present it in a human readable form.Throughout the 20th century, libraries have faced an ever-increasing rate of publishing, sometimes called an information explosion. The advent of electronic publishing and the Internet means that much new information is not printed in paper books, but is made available online through a digital library, on CD-ROM, or in the form of e-books.On the other hand, though books are nowadays produced using a digital version of the content, for most books such a version is not available to the public (i.e. neither in the library nor on the Internet), and there is no decline in the rate of paper publishing. There is an effort, however, to convert books that are in the public domain into a digital medium for unlimited redistribution and infinite availability. The effort is spearheaded by Project Gutenberg combined with Distributed Proofreaders.There have also been new developments in the process of publishing books. Technologies such as print on demand have made it easier for less known authors to make their work available to a larger audience.[edit] Paper and conservation issuesHalfbound book with leather and marbled paper.Main article: PaperThough papermaking in Europe had begun around the 11th century, up until the beginning of 16th century vellum and paper were produced congruent to one another, vellum being the more expensive and durable option. Printers or publishers would often issue the same publication on both materials, to cater to more than one market.Paper was first made in China, as early as 200 B.C., and reached Europe through Muslim territories. At first made of rags, the industrial revolution changed paper-making practices, allowing for paper to be made out of wood pulp.Paper made from wood pulp was introduced in the early-19th century, because it was cheaper than linen or abaca cloth-based papers. Pulp-based paper made books less expensive to the general public. This paved the way for huge leaps in the rate of literacy in industrialised nations, and enabled the spread of information during the Second Industrial Revolution.However pulp paper contained acid, that eventually destroys the paper from within. Earlier techniques for making paper used limestone rollers, which neutralized the acid in the pulp. Books printed between 1850 and 1950 are at risk; more recent books are often printed on acid-free or alkaline paper. Libraries today have to consider mass deacidification of their older collections.The proper care of books takes into account the possibility of physical and chemical damage to the cover and text. Books are best stored out of direct sunlight, in reduced lighting, at cool temperatures, and at moderate humidity. They need the support of surrounding volumes to maintain their shape, so it is desirable to shelve them by size.[edit] See alsoLiteratureMajor formsEpicRomanceNovelMediaPerformance • BookTechniquesProsePoetryHistory & listsHistoryModern HistoryBooksAuthorsAwardsBasic TopicsLiterary TermsDiscussionCriticismTheoryMagazinesAudio bookAuthorBlookBookbindingBookendBookmarkBooksellingBooks published per country per yearEbookIndependent bookstoreLibrarianLibraryList of books by titleList of books by authorList of books by genre or typeList of books by award or notorietyList of books by year of publicationList of banned booksList of fictional booksOn-line bookThe Internet Book Database[edit] Notes and references^ Avrin, Leila (1991). Scribes, script, and books: the book arts from antiquity to the Renaissance. Chicago; London: American Library Association; The British Library, p. 83. ISBN 9780838905227. ^ Dard Hunter. Papermaking: History and Technique of an Ancient Craft New ed. Dover Publications 1978, p. 12.^ Leila Avrin. Scribes, Script and Books, pp. 144–145.^ The Cambridge History of Early Christian Literature. Edd. Frances Young, Lewis Ayres, Andrew Louth. Cambridge University Press 2004, pp. 8–9.^ Leila Avrin. Scribes, Script and Books, p. 173.^ Bischoff, Bernhard (1990). Latin palaeography antiquity and the Middle Ages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, p. 11. ISBN 0521364736. ^ Leila Avrin. Scribes, Script and Books, pp. 207–208.^ Theodore Maynard. Saint Benedict and His Monks. Staples Press Ltd 1956, pp. 70–71.^ Martin D. Joachim. Historical Aspects of Cataloging and Classification. Haworth Press 2003, p. 452.^ Edith Diehl. Bookbinding: Its Background and Technique. Dover Publications 1980, pp. 14–16.^ Bernhard Bischoff. Latin Palaeography, pp. 16–17.^ Paul Saenger. Space Between Words: The Origins of Silent Reading. Stanford University Press 1997.^ Bernhard Bischoff. Latin Palaeography, pp. 42–43.^ Clapham, Michael, "Printing" in A History of Technology, Vol 2. From the Renaissance to the Industrial Revolution, edd. Charles Singer et al. (Oxford 1957), p. 377. Cited from Elizabeth L. Eisenstein, The Printing Press as an Agent of Change (Cambridge University, 1980).^ For a 9th century Carolingian bookmark see: Szirmai, J. A. (1999). The archaeology of medieval bookbinding. Aldershot: Ashgate, p. 123. ISBN 0859679047. For a 15th century bookmark see Medeltidshandskrift 34, Lund University Library.^ Miriam A. Drake, Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science (Marcel Dekker, 2003), "Public Libraries, History".^ Miriam A. Drake, Encyclopedia of Library, "Public Libraries, History".[edit] External linksFind more information on Book by searching Wikipedia's sister projectsDictionary definitions from WiktionaryTextbooks from WikibooksQuotations from WikiquoteSource texts from WikisourceImages and media from CommonsNews stories from WikinewsLearning resources from WikiversityOld Books, How to find information on publication history and value (1998) Smithsonian Institution LibrariesCentre for the History of the BookSociety for the History of Authorship, Reading and PublishingRetrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book"Categories: Articles with unsourced statements since February 2007 All articles with unsourced statements Books Documents Paper products