Not history, but snapshots of computing practice are by Ellen Ullman, The Bug and close to the Machine. Some adult content. The bug drove a guy nuts, making this book uniquely realistic. susan, 1st program on IBM 650 in 1961 On Fri, 2 Jan 2009 21:18:51 -0500, Monica Willyard wrote: >Kelby, there are a couple of good books on the history of computers on >Bookshare. If these don't work well for you, let's talk about ones >you'd like to see added. I can check to see if my local library has >some. In case it might help you, you also have another great resource. >Many of us are old enough to have lived the computer history that >probably seems ancient to you. There are programmers on this list who >actually worked on the old card punch machines. We may not be able to >answer all of your questions, but we can give you some context that >might give color to the history you read about. Here are some of my >computer history favorites from Bookshare. > >One is called Computer: A History Of The Information Machine. It's at >http://www.bookshare.org/web/SingleTitle.html?submittitleid=43340 >Larry Lumpkin did a great job scanning this book despite its pictures >and diagrams. > >Another book I like for it's explanation of the early days of both >cable TV and internet service and America Online is called Fools Rush >In. It's at http://www.bookshare.org/web/SingleTitle.html?submittitleid=32016 >The book may seem to be an odd choice at first. If you'll give me a >few chapters, I think you'll see why it fits well. This book is >well-written and will give you a glimpse into the personalities of two >powerful men who shaped two services that affect our lives each day. > >There is also a book called The Search: How Google and Its Rivals >Rewrote The Rules. It's at >http://www.bookshare.org/web/SingleTitle.html?submittitleid=50562 > >Finally, there is a book that while being fictional does have a great >deal of historical background in it. I should tell you up front that >it does have some strong language and violence in it because it's a >mystery about a crime spree done by a hacker. I enjoyed reading it >very much, and it's not flagged as adult. It's called The Blue Nowhere >and is by Jeffery Deaver. It's at >http://www.bookshare.org/web/SingleTitle.html?submittitleid=2746 > >Bookshare doesn't have much on the actual history of computers. There >are many good books out there, and it looks like some of us technology >buffs could do some scanning on the subject. There are books about >early computer history and at least one about the rise and fall of >Commodore. I personally want to read that one. > >-- >Monica Willyard >Visit my blog at http://www.scannersguild.com >To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank Email to >bookshare-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx >Put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the Subject line. To get a list of >available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.