Computer History Books (that are worth reading) By Rusty Keele - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Computer History Books (that are worth reading) By Rusty Keele

About Me • Full time programmer • Why this talk? • No particular order to the presentation of the books

Audience Participation • I've read most of these books, but not all of them • If you've read any of these books, feel free to give your thoughts about it • These slides will be available for download

Many Ways to Get These Books • Library • Electronic versions • Some are freely available online • Online libraries • Safari Online Books • Kindle, Google Books, iTunes • Used Copies • eBay • Amazon

Fire in the Valley: The Making of The Personal Computer • by Paul Freiberger and Michael Swaine • 1 st edition in 1984 • Revised 3 rd edition in 2014 • About: The first personal computers, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, IBM, computer culture

Commodore: A Company on the Edge • by Brian Bagnall • 2 nd edition in 2010 • About: MOS Technologies, 6502 processor, Commodore computers, company culture

The Cuckoo's Egg: Tracking a Spy Through the Maze of Computer Espionage • by Cliff Stoll • 1 st edition in 1989 • About: How a 75¢ billing error led to the 10 month search for and capture of a German hacker selling information to the KGB!

Dungeons and Dreamers: The Rise of Computer Game Culture from Geek to Chic • by Brad King and John Borland • 1 st edition in 2003 • About: Richard Garriott and the Ultima series of adventure games, and John Carmack, John Romera and Doom

Open: How Compaq Ended IBM's PC Domination and Helped Invent Modern Computing • by Rod Canion • 1 st edition in 2013 • About: How 3 former Texas Instruments engineers created the first 100% IBM compatible computer, and launched the PC clone era.

Programmers at Work: Interviews With 19 Programmers Who Shaped the Computer Industry • by Susan Lammers • 1 st edition in 1989 • About: Interviews with programmers of famous computer software of the 1980s – including Bill Gates, Dan Bricklin (VisiCalc) and Gary Kildall (CP/M)

Free as in Freedom: Richard Stallman's Crusade for Free Software • by Sam Williams • 1 st edition in 2002 • About: A biography of RMS – brilliant programmer and eccentric defender of free software! • Read for free online! • http://www.oreilly.com/openbook/freedom/index.html

Almost Perfect • by W. E. Peterson • 1 st edition in 1994 • About: The history of WordPerfect as told by one of its first executives. • Read for free online! • http://www.wordplace.com/ap/

Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution • by Steven Levy • 1 st edition in 1984 • 25 th Anniversary edition in 2010 • About: The people and events that defined the hacker culture of the 1970s and 1980s.

Revolution in The Valley: The Insanely Great Story of How the Mac Was Made • by Andy Hertzfeld • 1 st edition in 2011 • About: One of the co-creators relates the development of the Apple Macintosh.

Discussion • Any other books that you would recommend?

The End • rusty.keele@gmail.com • Slides at c64sets.com/slides • Questions or comments?