eShop USA > Books > Who Invented the Computer? The Legal Battle That Changed Computing History
Who Invented the Computer? The Legal Battle That Changed Computing History
List Price: $35.00Our Price: $23.10 You Save: $11.90 (34%)Prices subject to change.
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 004.09
EAN: 9781591020349
ISBN: 1591020344
Label: Prometheus Books
Manufacturer: Prometheus Books
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 415
Publication Date: 2003-01
Publisher: Prometheus Books
Studio: Prometheus Books
Related Items: Featured Listmania!
Editorial Review:
Typically, in the case of a revolutionary invention that comes to pervade society, most of us have a knee-jerk reaction to the question "Who invented it?" Thus for the light bulb, the automobile, the airplane, and the telephone, we Americans could tend to reply, rightly or wrongly: "Thomas Edison," "Henry Ford," "Wilbur and Orville Wright," and "Alexander Graham Bell." This book is about the hidden social pressures to create such "mythic hero" figures for the computer. The cast of characters in this story is filled with vivid and very real personalities. Some are oddballs, and some are squares; some are honest, some are dishonest, and some are opportunists floating halfway in between. It is a genuine drama, written with flair and a supreme attempt at abjectivity.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Comprehensive and Engaging
Surprisingly, this book is not only an authoritative summary of the invention of the Atanasoff-Berry Computer and the ENIAC, but is extremely engaging at the same time. Despite the title's assumed warning of a dry legal story, Mrs. Burks' work is a very detailed and indeed very human summary of early computer history and the legal battle that resulted. This book should be required reading for anyone serious about learning the history of digital computers.
Rating: - Definitive history of a great technologist
This book renders a wonderful service by telling the story of an inspired mathematical physicist and technologist, John Atanasoff, who made splendid contributions to technological advances in computing. With the advent of World War II, Atanasoff was called away from teaching duties at Iowa State University in order to serve the military research needs of his nation, thus his pioneering binary electronic computer did not become contemporaneously well-known.
Fortunately for the subsequent ... Read More
Rating:  - paranoia
(a) Author could not understand the difference between a computer and components. A computer is an integrated entity of componets arranged properly by the architect. A component, regardless of its importance, is just a part. A component by itself can not be a computer.
(b) Atanasoff's ABC was NOT a computer in any sense. It's just like a PCS (Puch Card System). If you say ABC is a computer, you have to say the IBM's old PCS is also a computer.
(c)If this book discusses the "Who invent ... Read More
Rating: - Wake up Amazon!
Amazon should remove "reviews" based on personal animosity rather than on the merits of the book under review. As for me, I found this book to be well-written and enlightening, adding to the search for truth about the early history of the electronic computer. We all owe a debt of gratitude to John Atanasoff for his vision in helping to bring about the digital age.
Rating: - How about an affadavit?
Kay has signed an affadavit swearing to the truth of her statement about Burkss' night-time visit. How about you Arthur?
You wrote a whole book disparaging Kay, so I assume you'll continue.
Putting stuff in writing doesn't make it so.
Jean J. Bartik
Oaklyn, Nj
Related Categories:
| |
 |
