Fire in the Valley: The Making of the Personal Computer - This is the story of the computer pioneers and the industry they founded. It reveals the visions they shared, the sacrifices they made, and the rewards they reaped.
Ask HN: Recommendations on books and documentaries on tech companies/people?
91–100 of 118 posts
Re: Ask HN: Recommendations on books and documentaries on tech companies/people?
#92Accidental Empires - Accidental Empires is the trenchant, vastly readable history of the computer industry, focusing as much on the astoundingly odd personalities at its core--Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Mitch Kapor, etc. and the hacker culture they spawned as it does on the remarkable technology they created.
Re: Ask HN: Recommendations on books and documentaries on tech companies/people?
#93Not necessarily company or people but I'd like to recommend "Startup Nation" by Dan Senor & Saul Singer. Very interesting chronicle of Israel's economic boom and it touches on interesting history of several tech companies which either relocates, created branches or were created in Israel.
Re: Ask HN: Recommendations on books and documentaries on tech companies/people?
#94So, not necessarily inspirational, and some kinda gross things came out about the author recently, but Disrupted by Dan Lyons was pretty good. It's about his time at HubSpot, which kinda seems like it was almost a parody of startup culture and drinking the Kool-Aid. He later went on to be a writer on Silicon Valley for seasons 2 & 3, and says he would pitch some things that actually happened, and get shot down because they were "too out there and unbelievable".
Re: Ask HN: Recommendations on books and documentaries on tech companies/people?
#95Masterminds of Programming: Conversations with the Creators of Major Programming Languages - features exclusive interviews with the creators of several historic and highly influential programming languages. In this unique collection, you'll learn about the processes that led to specific design decisions, including the goals they had in mind, the trade-offs they had to make, and how their experiences have left an impact on programming today.
Re: Ask HN: Recommendations on books and documentaries on tech companies/people?
#96_Showstopper_ One of the best tech books, after _Soul of a New Machine_ (recommended in the comments, too). Covers Microsoft's creation of Windows NT. _DEC is Dead. Long Live DEC_ about the rise and fall of Digital Equipment Corporation. _Skunkworks_ Lockheed-Martin's creation of the SR-71. _Moneyball_ using math to build a top flight US baseball team. Broadening the category a bit: _The Smartest Guys in the Room_ is…
Based on your listings, you may also enjoy When Genius Failed, which is based on LTCM and their downfall.
Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0375758259/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_j0...
Re: Ask HN: Recommendations on books and documentaries on tech companies/people?
#97Earlier quoted context omitted.
I just finished Bad Blood. It's slightly disjoint, but the anecdotes just made my jaw hang open. Well worth reading I think.
Would you kindly provide samples of those anecdotes?
Sorry, I had it from my local library and it's now returned. I'm specifically thinking of the stories about Theranos work culture if anyone else would like to chime in.
Re: Ask HN: Recommendations on books and documentaries on tech companies/people?
#98What the Dormouse Said: How the Sixties Counterculture Shaped the Personal Computer Industry is exactly what you're looking for. It goes way back to before Xerox or Apple, getting up close and personal with the visionaries who dreamt that computers would one day augment human intellect, especially Doug Engelbart. I wish I was better at summarizing books - this is really really worth reading
https://www.amazon.com/What-Dormouse-Said-Counterculture-Per...
Re: Ask HN: Recommendations on books and documentaries on tech companies/people?
#99"Easy to Learn, Hard to Master: The Fate of Atari", now streaming on Amazon Prime.
An interesting founder, a few false starts, business-minded people who successfully take things to the next level but don't understand the need to continuously make your own products obsolete, and the eventual fall as technology marches on.
Interviews with the main players, including talking about their mistakes and flaws.
Re: Ask HN: Recommendations on books and documentaries on tech companies/people?
#100I'll be the voice of dissent regarding The Soul of a New Machine and also More Than My Share of It All.
Yes, Soul won the Pulitzer prize, but it was published in 1981, and I found it very dated, and hard to slog through at times. I know it'll never happen, but I'd love to see a re-write, or a heavily edited edition that's more approachable for a modern reader.
I also found More Than My Share to be a little disappointing. There were some fun things in there, but overall the there was too much of an emphasis on the tedious details of his life, not enough detail about the technical and managerial challenges / accomplishments, and then (unfortunately disjointedly) a few project management guidelines and some technology forecasting were tacked on at the very end. I can't help but think that he had more anecdotes and technical adventure stories in him which would have made for a much more compelling, enlightening, and readable book.