01954    a2200265   4500001001100000005001700011008003900028020001800067037003600085040000700121041000800128072001500136072001300151072002100164072002100185072002100206072001500227100001700242245002700259250000600286260003200292300001000324520134100334999001301675185973561420250317100351.0250312042002GB                   eng    a9781859735619  bTaylor & FranciscGBP 36.99fBB  a01  aeng7 aJHM2thema7 aJHM2bic7 aSOC0020002bisac7 aCOM0000002bisac7 aSOC0000002bisac7 a0042bisac1 aElaine Lally10aAt Home with Computers  a1  aOxfordbRoutledgec20020701  a256 p  bNew technologies are profoundly reshaping the world around us. Home computers - unheard of two decades ago - now play an intimate role as personal possessions in many people's lives. For some, computer games may be vital to winding-down after a busy day, while for others the home computer represents only work or is a means through which to socialize in cyberspace. Powerfully symbolic of both future and present trends, computers are increasingly seen as essential home purchases. This book is the first sustained examination of the revealing role computers play in our domestic lives. Do computers cause or help to resolve arguments? What role does gender play in negotiating their use? Who spends the most time with the computer? How does the importance of home computers change as we move from childhood through careers to retirement? Drawing upon topical theories from material culture, technology and consumption studies, Lally traces the social life of these machines and provides unique insights into the many different ways in which they are transformed into highly personal possessions. The result is an absorbing account of everyday life in the information age. This book will be of interest to anthropologists, geographers, sociologists and anyone who wants to get to know how their home computer affects their family life.  c198d198