The Dream Machine

The book evolves around the life and work of J.C.R Licklider an American psychologist turned computer scientist and pioneer who in the early 1960 envisioned and helped become the reality computers and Internet as we know then today. Book covers entire Lick's life and history of computing from inception in 20's until late 90's. This book makes me want to know more about the history. Huge thanks to the author for great read.

Jag har läst många böcker om datorns historia och jobbar själv med datorer sedan slutet 70-talet. Av en slump rekommenderade Audible ljudboken om Lickliders insatser för datorns utveckling. Men det var mycket mer än Licklider i boken, otroligt mycket detaljer med information jag aldrig sett i någon bok jag läst tidigare så jag kände att jag utöver ljudboken måste ha pappersboken också - så nu har jag det och är väldigt nöjd. Trodde du att Apple uppfann den grafiska användarvänliga datorn? Du måste läsa denna bok där du får ser att 20 år innan var de absolut viktigaste delarna i det vi idag anser som state-of-the-art redan utvecklade. Bästa bok jag läst om datorns historia - Rekommenderas varmt för den som vill veta vad som egentligen hände på 40-talet och fram till "persondatorernas" revolution.

Hold onto your transistors, because "The Dream Machine" is not your average tech read. It's an epic adventure that blasts you from the primitive spark of computing to the mind-bending realm of Artificial Intelligence. This book isn't just about circuits and code; it's a captivating story of human ingenuity, relentless curiosity, and the insatiable desire to push the boundaries of what's possible. The Dream Machine takes you back to the dawn of computing, where the abacus ruled the roost. You'll witness the birth of groundbreaking ideas, like the analytical engine of Charles Babbage, a contraption so ahead of its time it could be considered the first computer in spirit. The journey continues with the pioneers like Alan Turing who cracked the Enigma code, and John von Neumann, who laid the foundation for modern computers. Prepare to be awestruck by the sheer grit and intellectual power it took to bring these early machines to life.

The Dream Machine is truly the best book on the history of computing. The story dives deep into the trials and tribulations faced by the many creators of the technology that runs life in the 21st century — starting at the very beginning of the journey in the early 1800s. You’ll learn about the key players from the universities, government, and corporations who all worked together to bring computing to life. The book is definitely dense. The author didn’t seem to skip a beat with all of the fine details that range from points within conversations to pivotal moments that formed how the world works. That means the book isn’t for everyone; I’ve gifted it to a few people who never got all the way through. But it’s a joy to those who want the full picture of how computing was invented (me). This is within my top five books that I’ve ever read — the stories are phenomenal and I feel like I actually understand the full history of computers. And I can’t forget to mention the beauty of the iridescent cover. This book stands out on your shelf!

I've waded through a lot of these books, Dealers in Lightning, The Soul of a new Machine; this one required a lot of wading. Thoroughly engaging with lots of interesting characters, there's a lot of history here. 4 stars, but approach with the understanding that's it's a complicated book about a complicated topic.