Treorchy-born Donald Davies would be proud! His entry in the new Welsh Academi Encyclopaedia of Wales credits him as the man who first enabled computers to talk to each other, thereby making the Internet possible. Thanks to his inventiveness it is now possible from today, Wednesday, August 1, to go online and pre-order copies of the Encyclopaedia of Wales for the first time.

The new website – www.encyclopaediaofwales.com – providing information on the new Welsh Academi Encyclopaedia of Wales will be launched today at 10.30am in the Technium Digital, Swansea University.

Nigel Jenkins, a joint-editor of the Encyclopaedia and creative writing lecturer in the English Department at Swansea University’s School of Arts, Professor Marc Clement, Head of the Institute of Innovation, Swansea University and Vice-Chancellor (Designate) of the University of Wales, and Ashley Drake, Director of the University of Wales Press, will all be present at the launch.

The bilingual website will include information about the Encyclopaedia in either Welsh or English. It provides details of the history of the 10-year project, biographies of its editors and is packed with ‘Did You Know’ facts about Wales. In addition the website allows customers to place pre-publication orders at the special discount price of £50 including free postage (within the UK). The Encyclopaedia will be published in November 2007.

The Encyclopaedia of Wales website also includes words of support from a number of celebrities, some of whom are referenced in the Encyclopeadia of Wales, including athlete Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson and former Wales rugby coach, Mike Ruddock.

Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson said: “To be recognised in any way is an honour and to be referenced in this remarkable publication is something I’m very proud of. Athletics has played an incredible part in my life and to have an entry devoted to its history and the prominent individuals involved in the sport over the years in the Encyclopaedia of Wales is something to truly cherish.”

Mike Ruddock said: “As a proud Welshman, it’s a great honour to be mentioned in this incredible reference source. Winning the Grand Slam was just as proud a moment for the Welsh management and players as it was for every passionate Welshman in the country and I’m delighted it has been included in this historical reference publication. Seen by many as a symbol of Welsh identity, I’m sure the rugby section of the Encyclopaedia will be a popular part of the publication and I look forward to the introduction of the Encyclopaedia of Wales in November! ”

Ashley Drake, Director, University of Wales Press, said: “With the Encyclopaedia of Wales pre-ordering website now live, there is no excuse wherever you are in the world not to be able to log on and pre-order your copy now.  We chose Swansea as the location for the launch as the University has been very supportive of the project and Nigel Jenkins, one of the Encyclopaedia’s co-editors, is not only a lecturer at the University but Gower born and bred."

"Did you also know that the Swansea-born physicist Eryl Wynn-Williams devised the ‘scale of two’ concept which forms the basis of almost all modern computers and digital electronics – and has been described as the greatest contribution to computation since humankind learnt to count with fingers and toes?”

Professor Marc Clement, Head of the Institute of Innovation, Swansea University and Vice-Chancellor (Designate), University of Wales, said: “Wales has given the world a great deal, from coal to the equal sign. The Welsh Academi Encyclopaedia of Wales is crammed with facts and figures relating to all aspects of Welsh history and achievements. It is also apt that while Donald Davies from Treorchy made the Internet possible, another great Welsh scientist referenced in the Encyclopaedia of Wales, Robert Recorde, who is credited with devising the equal sign, has a room named in his honour at Swansea University’s Department of Computer Science.”