  Error correcting codes are defined and important parameters for a code are
explained. Parameters of new codes constructed on algebraic surfaces are
studied. In particular, codes resulting from blowing up points in $\proj^2$ are
briefly studied, then codes resulting from ruled surfaces are covered. Codes
resulting from ruled surfaces over curves of genus 0 are completely analyzed,
and some codes are discovered that are better than direct product Reed Solomon
codes of similar length. Ruled surfaces over genus 1 curves are also studied,
but not all classes are completely analyzed. However, in this case a family of
codes are found that are comparable in performance to the direct product code
of a Reed Solomon code and a Goppa code. Some further work is done on surfaces
from higher genus curves, but there remains much work to be done in this
direction to understand fully the resulting codes. Codes resulting from blowing
points on surfaces are also studied, obtaining necessary parameters for
constructing infinite families of such codes.
  Also included is a paper giving explicit formulas for curves with more
\field{q}-rational points than were previously known for certain combinations
of field size and genus. Some upper bounds are now known to be optimal from
these examples.
