From Writing to Computers takes as its central theme the issue of a unifying intellectual principle to connect books and computers. Julian Warner uses an approach based on semiotics, but also draws on linguistics, information science, cognitive science, philosophy and automata studies. Covering a range of topics--from the relations between speech and writing, to transitions from orality to literacy and claims for a transition to an information society--the author aims throughout to render complex ideas intelligible without loss of rigor. This text addresses ordinary readers who, as social beings and members of political communities, are affected by significant developments in methods for storing, manipulating and communicating information. It is also intended for students of the disciplines on which the draws: semiotics, information studies, linguistics, computer science, philosophy and psychology.