Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
informative
slow-paced
the book often devolves into ramblings. you also have to be aware of a lot of pop-culture from the time it was written like the morlock and eloi.
Entertaining write up on computing and OS history.
It’s been quite a while since I read this and I remember it being a book that helped me navigate the social phenomenon of the Internet and how it has developed.
Mainly humorous, definitely tongue-in-cheek, this book still makes points that are worth exploring today even though it is almost 20 years old.
An updated version would be appreciated.
Mainly humorous, definitely tongue-in-cheek, this book still makes points that are worth exploring today even though it is almost 20 years old.
An updated version would be appreciated.
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Really interesting to see which parts of this are still in play today (2024), and which have changed radically. Either way, the larger discussion is very relevant in today's tech landscape
adventurous
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
A trip down memory lane if your history with computers began in the 1980s or earlier. It's rare for a book on computing to remain relevant, but the consumer prospects for Windows/Mac/Linux are even more interesting all these years later and have developed very much in line with many of Stephenson's predictions. His writing is no less great here than in any of his other books, but at ~150 pages this feels like a magazine article compared to his fiction.
Written in late 1999, this extended essay on the philosophy and aesthetics behind Operating systems and what they do is still relevant reading today. Whilst there is no mention of iPads and media players, smart phones or tablets, you still feel the underlying reasoning and meaning of the OS vs. the command line stands the test of time. His analogies are fun and his sense of humor on the subject is engaging and I found the last sentence particularly relevant to me at this point on my life.
A little over my head, but it was interesting and gave me stuff to think about! I feel like I need to educate myself some and then read this again.
funny
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
Fascinating time capsule of the exact second before apple devoured the world and the internet ruined everything.