This history of the computer explores the roots of the industry's phenomenal development, tracing not only the development of the machine itself--beginning with Charles Babbage's well-known 1883 mechanical prototype--but also chronicling the effects of manufacturing and sales innovations by such companies as Remington and National Cash Register that made the boom possible. The authors recount the transition from slow mechanical computers to the vacuum-tubed electronic computers, ENIAC and EDVAC, pioneered by a team led by mathematician John von Neumann during World War II. Later innovations made the computer a mass-market item, and now, the authors suggest, freedom of access to the technology is constrained only by the imperative of computer companies to make money. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

Computer whizzes and novices alike will find a wealth of new information and insights in this colorful, engrossing history of computers. The authors trace an unbroken line from the typewriters, adding and record-keeping machines of 1890s America to today's business-oriented computers. They tell how English mathematician Charles Babbage's failed dream of building his "Analytical Engine," a full-scale calculator, in the 1830s was realized a century later when IBM built the first fully automatic computing machine at Harvard University. Next came ENIAC, a behemoth with 18,000 vacuum tubes, and its successor, EDVAC, both developed at the University of Pennsylvania. EDVAC, built under the tutelage of cybernetics pioneer John von Neumann, became the blueprint for the modern electronic computer. The book closes with a selective look at innovations such as real-time systems, e-mail, programming languages, software, time-sharing computers and the World Wide Web. Campbell-Kelly is a lecturer in computer science in England; Aspray is executive director of the Computing Research Association in Washington, D.C.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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3.0 out of 5 stars PC Coverage Lacks Depth, Scrambles Facts, Dec 2 2000

Jonathan A. Titus - See all my reviews

This review is from: Computer: A History Of The Information Machine (Paperback)

Early reviews made me hope for good coverage of the PC years, from 1974 on, but the book sprints through this era at a breathless pace and scrambles some facts and ignores important events. It also leaves out many of the players who were early to market with hobby or personal computers and software, but got left behind by marketing or technical snafus. Not much information about Gary Kildall and the advent of the CP/M operating system, a pivotal event for the hobbyist market in the late 70s. Innovative companies such as IMSAI, Cromemco, and others get tossed off in one sentence as "other" suppliers.

These latter sections contain some technical errors that should have been picked up upon fact checking, or by the authors if they had relied on primary sources. For example, the authors cite the 6502 chip from Mostek as being used in the Apple II. The actual chip came from MOS Technology, later acquired by Commodore. No mention that the 6502 was derived from the Motorola 6800 by designer Chuck Peddle.

The book is rich on history of early developments, but for in-depth history of the PC era, you'll have to find another source. Unfortunately, many of those sources have their own flaws or omissions. If you want a taste of computer history, buy this book, but understand after 1974 is barely scratches the surface.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Rich but dry, Oct 1 2001

Nicholas Crawford (Milwaukee, WI USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Computer: A History Of The Information Machine (Paperback)

As a kid, I read this book over and over, soaking up the volumes of information. The reading is pretty dry, but the story covered is fascinating. Perhaps one thing that made it interesting was reading about the person who bought it for me - my grandfather. He was pleased with how he had been interviewed and, of course, thought they could have said more about his area of study!

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5.0 out of 5 stars The Companies and Economics behind the PC, Jan 2 2001

Fred "Technology is your friend." (CHAPEL HILL, NC, United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Computer: A History Of The Information Machine (Paperback)

I recently finished this book and "Engines of the Mind : The Evolution of the Computer from Mainframes to Microprocessors" by Joel N. Shurkin. Both are attempts at writing a detailed history of the development of the computer and the events surrounding it, and I must admit that I found "Computer" much more entertaining than Shurkin's text.

The difference between the two books is very slight, however, it is significant. "Computer" walks us through the work of Charles Babbage and carries us through the backrooms of large businesses at the turn of the 19th century. The authors discuss the work and lives of the people that were the first 'computers' working all day long to finish calculations that were used in business, and then for the calculation of artillery tables in the world wars. It was the replacement of these workers and their omissive errors and necessarily slow speed and development time that drove the development of the huge mainframes that would be developed by the military. The authors do a great job of walking through the history of the early computer companies, especially Hollerith's Tabulating Machine Co., now IBM, and National Cash Register. The role that these two companies played in increasing the public's reliance and trust in machines was a key enabler of the computer revolution. The authors then take us through to modern times and we follow the ultra-competitive computer industry through wave after wave of consolidation and rapid technological innovation. This book also shows us a slight glimpse of the business forces behind the development of the transistor, and how this invention would wind up changing the world.

I could not have enjoyed this book more. Of the two, it definitely did the best job of focusing on the industry and economic changes that have led us to the modern computer age. The annecdotes and writing style of the authors is well-suited to the material and I very highly recommend this book. I also recommend the other book as well - I believe that if read together (with some time to digest in between them) they do a great job of painting the picture of a fascinating development of one of the most important technological changes in the history of man.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Modern computer history with strong U.S. bias
This is a history of the computer as a business tool and really only goes into detail after the ENIAC. Read more

Published on Feb 22 2000 by John Ward

4.0 out of 5 stars An informative account of the history of the computer
Campbell-Kelly and Aspray write a detailed account of the history of the computer, from when a computer was not a machine but rather a person who calculated numbers to the... Read more

Published on Jan 2 1998