This book is about the creation and consequences of digital electronics.

Over the last half-century no other area of technical innovation has so drastically altered the way we live, work, and interact. Digital electronics give us instant access to a whole universe of information, and powerful tools to process it. They also equip us with an unprecedented ability to communicate instantly with people anywhere in the world.

I was privileged to contribute to these developments, first as a scientist engaged in creating new electronic devices and systems, and then as a venture capitalist involved in creating successful new businesses.

From these vantage points, I watched digital electronics grow from a technical specialization into a revolutionary force that generates new industries and transforms developing economies into global competitors, and does both seemingly overnight.

To sense the full extent of its impact, first visualize a contemporary scenario. A programming group in India is working on a project from the US. They are using computers built in China, with LCD displays made in Korea, driven by software from Silicon Valley and Germany. They communicate with colleagues in the US and other countries over the Internet, by e-mail and voice. It all seems quite normal today.

Now try to picture the same situation twenty-five years ago. You can't. There was little global sourcing of technical expertise then. High-tech manufacturing in developing Asian economies was just getting started. The major sources of equipment were Japan, the US, and Europe.