Book excerpt: Splines find ever increasing application in the numerical methods, computer-aided design, and computer graphics areas. The Handbook on Splines for the User not only provides an excellent introduction to basic concepts and methods but also includes the SplineGuide-a computer diskette that allows the reader to practice using important programs.These programs help the user to build interpolating and smoothing cubic and bicubic splines of all classes. Programs are described in Fortran for spline functions and C for geometric splines. The Handbook describes spline functions and geometric splines and provides simple, but effective algorithms. It covers virtually all of the important types of cubic and bicubic splines, functions, variables, curves, and surfaces. The book is written in a straightforward manner and requires little mathematical background. When necessary, the authors give theoretical treatments in an easy-to-use form. Through the Handbook on Splines for the User, introduce yourself to the exciting world of splines and learn to use them in practical applications and computer graphics.