Favourite computer history books?
in [Mac Systems]
|
Prev: Scanning to a multipage pdf?
Next: Apple co-branding
From: Peter Flass on 2 May 2010 18:44 Tim McNamara wrote: [stuf] No one's mentiond _Showstopper_ by Pascal Zachary. Even though it's about my least-favorite computer company (and one of Barb's least-favorite people) I still thought it was a good read.
From: hancock4 on 2 May 2010 18:51 On May 2, 12:46 pm, jami...(a)wizardling.geek.nz (Jamie Kahn Genet) wrote: > Anyway - what are your all-time favourite books about computers, > technology, and the people involved? "Computer" by Campbell-Kelly. "IBM's Early Computers" by Bashe et al "IBM's System/360" by Pugh et al "Building IBM" by Pugh "Memories that shaped an industry" by Pugh The IBM Archives history website. As others mentioned, "From Dits to Bits" "Father, Son & Co." I don't know titles, but undoubtedly there are books on the history of ENIAC. Other than Dits to Bits, I'm not sure if there's any history book of the computer operations of Remington Rand/Univac, Burroughs, NCR, Honeywell, General Electric.
From: Charles Richmond on 2 May 2010 19:39 Jamie Kahn Genet wrote: > I'm just re-reading Steven Levy's 'Hackers' and wondering what might be > missing from my personal library of computer history. I love reading > about the era (especially the amazing people and their achievements) > that I _just_ missed (I'm 32 and only got my own computer when I was 20 > :-\ ). > > Books like 'Hackers' and 'Where Wizards Stay Up Late' enthrall me. I'd > give a lot to go back to the late 70's and be one of the first with a > personal computer *sigh* People like Richard Greenblatt and Steve > Wozniak are my heros, if I can be said to have any. They changed the > world in powerful ways that most people are simply unaware of. > > Anyway - what are your all-time favourite books about computers, > technology, and the people involved? > > Once I get home I'll compile a list of my books and post it here. But > don't let that delay you sharing! I'd be interested in your take even on > books I own. > Try these books: The Computer from Pascal to von Neumann by Herman Heine Goldstine A History of Modern Computing, 2nd Edition (History of Computing) by Paul E. Ceruzzi The following book has some personal insights, but does *not* always get the technical facts right. For example, he calls the PDP-10 a minicomputer, when obviously it is *not*: Accidental Empires by Robert X. Cringely The next book is very interseting but does play fast and loose with a lot of the facts IMHO: Fire in the Valley by Freiberger and Swaine There are *many* other books on computer history. Check the following web page *below* the outline for a list of computer history books: http://www.duke.edu/~tlove/biblio.htm -- +----------------------------------------+ | Charles and Francis Richmond | | | | plano dot net at aquaporin4 dot com | +----------------------------------------+
From: Chris Burrows on 2 May 2010 19:55 "Jamie Kahn Genet" <jamiekg(a)wizardling.geek.nz> wrote in message news:1jhwf9z.iuhdbsbprfedN%jamiekg(a)wizardling.geek.nz... > > I'd give a lot to go back to the late 70's and be one of the first with a > personal computer *sigh* People like Richard Greenblatt and Steve > Wozniak are my heros, if I can be said to have any. They changed the > world in powerful ways that most people are simply unaware of. > Note well: in 2040 somebody will be posting a similar message about this year. Make sure you take good care to appreciate all of the events and innovations that are happening right here and now as one day many will have just as much historical significance as those. I have great memories of seeing Led Zeppelin play at the local pub, the buzz around the first Apple Lisa I saw at an exhibition, lusting after a Lilith computer, building my first 8-bit microcomputer from a kit etc. etc. but they didn't seem much more than other everyday events at the time. Hindsight is wonderful .... -- Chris Burrows CFB Software Astrobe: ARM Oberon-07 Development System http://www.astrobe.com
From: Peter Flass on 2 May 2010 20:15
hancock4(a)bbs.cpcn.com wrote: > On May 2, 12:46 pm, jami...(a)wizardling.geek.nz (Jamie Kahn Genet) > wrote: >> Anyway - what are your all-time favourite books about computers, >> technology, and the people involved? > > "Computer" by Campbell-Kelly. > > "IBM's Early Computers" by Bashe et al > > "IBM's System/360" by Pugh et al > > "Building IBM" by Pugh > > "Memories that shaped an industry" by Pugh > > The IBM Archives history website. > > > > As others mentioned, > > "From Dits to Bits" > > "Father, Son & Co." > > > I don't know titles, but undoubtedly there are books on the history of > ENIAC. > > Other than Dits to Bits, I'm not sure if there's any history book of > the computer operations of Remington Rand/Univac, Burroughs, NCR, > Honeywell, General Electric. Not books, but some good websites. The late Bob Bemer apparently spent time at IBM, UNIVAC, Bull, and GE. http://bobbemer.com/HISTORY.HTM Retrocomputing Tasmania has links to some Burroughs history: http://www.retrocomputingtasmania.com/home/projects/burroughs-b6700-mainframe#TOC-Links |