A thoroughly approachable review, following four years of research. The experiences of the pioneers in the use of computers in art have never been researched before and with rarity of computers and the lack of access to them, the part played by art colleges was crucial. This is a book for artists, art students, academics and art historians - but it is also a well illustrated exposure of British social history. REVIEWS: "This book really is a hidden gem. Written as a definitive guide, the book gives a detailed insight into the collaboration of art and cybernetics in Britain from the 1950's to the 1980's. With a historical focus, the author concentrates initially on the growth of the avant-garde artistic movement and the early computer industry, then moves on to give a fascinating view of the artists who took the technology of the time and consistently pushed the limits to produce the artworks they envisaged. "The narrative contrasts the difference between the conservative computer science establishment and the difficulties faced by pioneering artists who learned not only to use the computers of the time, but to write their own code and even build their own equipment, paving the way for the computer graphics industry as we know it today. "As a computer history archive, the book is extremely detailed. With over 140 photographs and highly detailed research, the book is beautifully put together by an author who is clearly a leading authority on this branch of art. "Computer history aficionados will find this book fascinating, as the book covers many early computing systems and the software used to drive them, from the earliest teletype machines through to the ATLAS mainframe and Altair micro-computers. "This book will appeal to educationalists and art historians, as well as IT professionals. It is very well written and includes detailed biographical narratives of the leading figures in computer art development in Britain. I strongly recommend the book to anyone with an interest in computing history, whether interested in art or not". IT NOW 140 illustrations