George B. Dyson

A very detailed and dragging history of the early computers, told through the lens of Alan Turing, John von Neumann (especially him), and the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. Less breezy and interesting than, say, Gleick's The Information, which cover some of the same ground. The capsule biographies are neat, but the sheer number of "characters" begins to confuse. The detail of early computer structure, programming, and usage is boggling. Still, as a historian I appreciated some of the impact these folks have and how it fit into the history of the time. If I was more oriented toward engineering and computer science, and had appreciable skills in such areas, maybe I would find it way more interesting and smooth. Still, an important book for understanding our computer-oriented world.… (mehr)