The Data Handbook: A Guide to Understanding the Organization and Visualization of Technical Data

"What our teachers don't tell us in school is that we will spend most of our scientific or engineering career in front of computers, trying to beat them into submission." This extract from the Preface sets the style for this highly readable book. It is packed with information covering data representations, the pitfalls of computer arithmetic, and a variety of widely-used representations and standards. Each chapter begins with a detailed contents list and finishes with a brief summary of the topics presented and the whole is rounded off with a glossary and index.
Novices will enjoy an occasionally lighthearted read from start to finish, while even the most experienced computer users who use the book as a reference will discover useful nuggets of information.
A structured array of data sets are available online via the TELOS Web site, www.telospub.com, which will provide users with direct digital access to information they might need in working through the book.

"If your experiments generate a large amount of data and you want to know what scientific data formats are available to assist in the storage and visualisation of the data, then this book is for you." Australian & New Zealand Physicist
"The books real strength lies in the breadth and detail of the material covered and the simple explanations provided." - Endeavour