Ask HN: Computer Science/History Books?

#1

Post by jackofalltrades » Thu, Mar 26, 2020, 10:52 AM UTC

Hi guys, can you recommend interesting books on Computer Science or computer history (similar to Dealers of Lightning) to read on this quarantine times? I really like that subject and am looking for something to keep myself away from TV at night.

Thank you.

Re: Ask HN: Computer Science/History Books?

#2

Post by Ahmedb » Thu, Mar 26, 2020, 11:00 AM UTC

I was about to recommend Dealers of Lightning :D

Re: Ask HN: Computer Science/History Books?

#3

Post by nieksand » Thu, Mar 26, 2020, 11:36 AM UTC

Kernighan's "UNIX: A History and a Memoir" is a fun read.

Re: Ask HN: Computer Science/History Books?

#4

Post by jackofalltrades » Thu, Mar 26, 2020, 2:14 PM UTC

nieksand wrote: post #3

Kernighan's "UNIX: A History and a Memoir" is a fun read.

Thank you, I'll take a look.

Re: Ask HN: Computer Science/History Books?

#5

Post by jackofalltrades » Thu, Mar 26, 2020, 2:14 PM UTC

Ahmedb wrote: post #2

I was about to recommend Dealers of Lightning :D

And that would be an excellent recommendation! :)

Re: Ask HN: Computer Science/History Books?

#6

Post by Macintosh007 » Fri, Mar 27, 2020, 3:19 PM UTC

Check out “Fire in the Valley.” It’s a classic!

Re: Ask HN: Computer Science/History Books?

#7

Post by voidray » Fri, Mar 27, 2020, 8:19 PM UTC

The Dream Machine is very long but IMO very good and worth the effort. Part-biography, part-history (going all the way back to the early days e.g. Turing), and extremely thorough!

Re: Ask HN: Computer Science/History Books?

#8

Post by djhworld » Fri, Mar 27, 2020, 8:19 PM UTC

Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution ~ Steven Levy

The Soul of a New Machine - Tracy Kidder

Re: Ask HN: Computer Science/History Books?

#9

Post by mhh__ » Fri, Mar 27, 2020, 8:24 PM UTC

I haven't touched it in ages but "where wizards stay up late" is about the origins of the internet

Re: Ask HN: Computer Science/History Books?

#10

Post by monk_the_dog » Fri, Mar 27, 2020, 8:24 PM UTC

Two lesser known books that I enjoyed: 1) "Colossus: The secrets of Bletchley Park's code-breaking computers", and 2) "The Dream Machine: J.C.R. Licklider and the Revolution That Made Computing Personal".

One thing I learned from the "Colossus" book was the contribution of British engineers to early computers (Tommy Flowers in particular). They didn't get the credit they deserved because their work was kept secret for so long.