was published almost a decade ago, it is a wonderful, fascinating read. If you have ever wondered about the codes (broadly speaking) that make computer hardware and software work the way they do, how the many inventions of mankind that have made our lives more productive work, read this book. The fact that it was printed in 2000 did not stop me from buying it. I was initially intrigued by the title and after reading a few pages, I decided it is a book I MUST have for my personal library. Three chapters caught my eyes particularly: Chapter 3 - Braille and Binary Codes. You could not find a better chapter/book on Braille and how it came about. Chapter 18 - From Abaci to Chips. Here you will find a great account of the evolution of the calculating machine, from abacus to the modern calculator. (being Chinese, I learned how to use abacus from my dad/and in school) Finally, the last chapter. Chapter 25 - The Graphical Revolution. As someone who is not a technie but someone into art/photography, this chapter is priceless, it takes the reader from the very beginning of computing, the evolution of how graphical information is presented, CRT, TV, GUI, Vector and Raster graphics, jpegs, gifs. I am so pleased to have bought the book. Highly recommended.
Other Books by Charles Petzold
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