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This engaging history covers modern computing from the development of the first electronic digital computer through the dot-com crash. The author concentrates on five key moments of transition: the transformation of the computer in the late 1940s from a specialized scientific instrument to a commercial product; the emergence of small systems in the late 1960s; the beginning of personal computing in the 1970s; the spread of networking after 1985; and, in a chapter written for this edition, the period 1995-2001. The new material focuses on the Microsoft antitrust suit, the rise and fall of the dot-coms, and the advent of open source software, particularly Linux.Within the chronological narrative, the book traces several overlapping threads: the evolution of the computer's internal design; the effect of economic trends and the Cold War; the long-term role of IBM as a player and as a target for upstart entrepreneurs; the growth of software from a hidden element to a major character in the story of computing; and the recurring issue of the place of information and computing in a democratic society. The focus is on the United States (though Europe and Japan enter the story at crucial points), on computing per se rather than on applications such as artificial intelligence, and on systems that were sold commercially and installed in quantities.
"Paul E. Ceruzzi has written an authoritative guide that will stand as a landmark." - David Howell, Personal Computer World "Ceruzzi rarely fails to grasp the essence of the hundreds of developments he includes in his narrative." - David K. Allison, Public Historian "The story is engrossing and clearly told." - Science Technology and Society
| Dedication | p. v |
| Preface to the Second Edition | p. ix |
| Acknowledgments | p. xiii |
| Introduction: Defining "Computer" | p. 1 |
| The Advent of Commercial Computing, 1945-1956 | p. 13 |
| Computing Comes of Age, 1956-1964 | p. 47 |
| The Early History of Software, 1952-1968 | p. 79 |
| From Mainframe to Minicomputer, 1959-1969 | p. 109 |
| The "Go-Go" Years and the System/360, 1961-1975 | p. 143 |
| The Chip and Its Impact, 1965-1975 | p. 177 |
| The Personal Computer, 1972-1977 | p. 207 |
| Augmenting Human Intellect, 1975-1985 | p. 243 |
| Workstations, UNIX, and the Net, 1981-1995 | p. 281 |
| "Internet Time," 1995-2001 | p. 307 |
| Conclusion: The Digitization of the World Picture | p. 345 |
| Notes | p. 351 |
| Bibliography | p. 415 |
| Index | p. 431 |
| Table of Contents provided by Rittenhouse. All Rights Reserved. |
ISBN: 9780262532037
ISBN-10: 0262532034
Series: History of Computing
Audience:
General
For Ages: 18+ years old
Format:
Paperback
Language:
English
Number Of Pages: 460
Published: 8th April 2003
Publisher: MIT Press Ltd
Country of Publication: US
Dimensions (cm): 22.8 x 15.3
x 3.1
Weight (kg): 0.65
Edition Number: 2
Edition Type: New edition
