This Post Has 11 Comments

1. A must for computer enthusiasts and Computer Science Majors.
   I was recommended this book by a colleague. I love it too. It is about the initial stages of the computer revolution, yet reads more like a collection of entertaining short stories. It is far from a dry read. Included in the front are short descriptions about people and devices mentioned or interviewed. If you’re a software developer this actually explains why IDEs mark errors with red. If you’re a gamer, you’ll learn about the first video game. (It wasn’t Pong). I haven’t red the entire thing yet, but it’s still a good read. External links give you further details and some are entertaining. The book may be titled hackers, but there isn’t anything illegal or even ill-intented. It was about the pursuit for knowledge and efficiency. This is a must for serious software engineers and computer science. If for nothing else then leisurely reading. There is a fair amount of discussion of assembly language, which is seldom covered in even college classes, usually one class for a single assignment or chapter. Not much is explained in detail so the education level to understand the book completely is fairly high. There are a bunch of inside jokes, but I do think that an average college student could understand 90-95% of the book.

   Reply

2. If you like computers, this book will tell you where they came from. A fun read!
   Ok, I admit, I’m old. I actually remember most of the things talked about in this history of the computer age’s genesis. Got my first home computer in 1982, a Timex Sinclair ZX81. 8K of ram and no keyboard, just a flat panel like on microwaves. Try typing in programming code on that! hah! Moved “up” to an Atari 800XL, which I hated and then to a Commodore 64, which I expected to hate, but loved. After that I reluctantly moved to a PC clone, although I wanted a $3600 Macintosh. Just couldn’t afford it. At that point I got my first job as a self taught computer tech, in 1988. And I am still doing the same work now, although it’s just about time to retire. So I’ve seen a lot over the years The rise of Microsoft, the surprising success of Apple, the fall of CP/M and about 50 different computer languages, such as Logo, Lisp, Fortran and Cobol. I saw the first computer expos, long before there was CES. People wandering around big halls, buying stacks of floppies and glossy computer mags. I played the games from Sierra (before it was Sierra Online) and Electronic Arts, (before it was “EA”) and I was there when AOL became a monster app and spanked CompuServe. I had a BBS in 1990 that was one of the first to offer Internet email access. But it was all text as the WWW hadn’t been invented yet! All these milestones and much more is covered in this book and I found it fascinating, even though I was never “in the In Crowd” where the Home Brew Computer Club was located. A really well done and informative look at how we got from $500 TI calculators to smart watches more powerful than the computers that put a man on the moon. Wowsers.

   Reply

3. Well, not quite heros in my book, but good friends
   Steven’s book has become a social phenomena in its own right. One moment, I am reading this book in the 80s and the next I am on a porch having a nice quiet conservation with Rick Greenblatt (“An honor to meet you”). Following that I’m on the Steering Committee for the Conference started by Stewart Brand. Stewart deserves a lot of credit, but Steven (whom I’ve met but don’t know quite as well, since I am into high end computing not microcomputing but with some experience on Xerox workstations {life changing}). I shared an office with Jack Dennis the year prior while Jack was on sabbatical in California (we were both tea drinkers in a sea of coffee drinkers). I had not realized that he was into model trains. So I give copies of this book to East Coast friends trying to understand Santa Clara Valley. So I have lived a lot of the periphery of this book.The new edition has more chapter divisions from the first edition’s three sections. Annually for the past 25+ years, several hundred geeks gather to continue the ideas in this book. The book has changed the world in subtle not well documented attempts: Cloud 9, Interval Research, Foo Camp, etc. The general non-computing public will never hear of these. Thousands of others in some know will lust for invitations to be “flies on the wall.”Important things Steven got right missed by others: while the Apollo 17 story is all well and good, Steven picked up on the contrast between Northern and Southern California. Why did Lee’s Homebrew Computer Club “succeed” while the Southern California Computer Society (SCCS) fail? This was an important lesson (I grew up in So Cal and attended the anniversary of the founding of Homebrew (HCC). More engineers up North and fewer better marketeers up North. It’s a lesson from aerospace bureaucracy. Even Markoff’s 

   Reply

4. Focus on the people
   Great history of early computing

   Reply

5. Fascinating story
   Very detailed story of hackers and haking

   Reply

6. Great Read, Well Written.
   In watching, The New Screen Savers, a video broadcast by the TWIT Leo LaPorte network, I heard that multiple on-line personalities had not just one copy but multiple copies of this book (new editions with added appendices updated where the ‘heroes’ are today in their careers and life). Although I believe it is now in its 25 year of publication, it was a great read. It is as much a philosophy of a ‘way of life’ and how the nerds of the world have had a tremendous impact on technology and how their ‘hacking philosophy has in most cases led to an ethical and rewarding life (even if they choose to not sell their software). I well probably buy additional copies to share with one of my sons who is a mechanical and civil engineer and a nerd. It will be on optimistic read for him!By the way, I am a retire school band teacher, h.s. principal, and superintendent. I enjoyed it both as a nerd and as a former public organization CEO. Highly recommend. Levy did a great job researching and writing as well as updating recent editions! Thanks Steven!

   Reply

7. Muito detalhado. Apresenta histórias do início da computação muito bem contextualizadas. Recomendo.

   Reply

8. Un clásico imprescindible actualizado en su 25 aniversario.Es necesario para comprender el origen de la transformación digital del mundo.

   Reply

9. This book is about techies . Author has made it like a novel by adding too much poetic phrases.I read “iWoz”in three days straight. This one i dont think i ll be able to finish.

   Reply

10. Probably the best book on the early days of the computer revolution from the late 50’s to the early 80’s.I have read many essay and books on this topic and this is one of the most complete account.While not an easy read if you are not a Tech oriented person it is well writen and gives a clear high level overview of the most significants milestones. From the software hacker laboring on huge mainframe and mini (in the 60’s and 70’s) to the hobbyist building the first peronnal PC in the 80’s.For me it was the best read since “The soul of a new machine” has open my mind to computing in the early 80’s

    Reply

11. Very enjoyable little book to read. But it stops just as it feels like it should be getting started! Guess I will need to find more books on computer history elsewhere.Kindle edition has some serious formatting issues.

    Reply