Federico Biancuzzi, Shane Warden (eds.): Masterminds of Programming: Conversations with the Creators of Major Programming Languages (2009)

Masterminds of Programming features exclusive interviews with the creators of several historic and highly influential programming languages. Think along with Adin D. Falkoff (APL), James Gosling (Java), Bjarne Stroustrup (C++), and others whose vision and hard work helped shape the computer industry. You’ll find advice you can apply to systems you’re developing, even if you don’t use the specific languages being discussed.

Publisher O’Reilly Media, Inc., 2009
Theory in Practice (O’Reilly) Series
ISBN 0596515170, 9780596515171
Length 480 pages

publisher
google books

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Philip Mirowski: Machine Dreams. Economics Becomes a Cyborg Science (2002)

“This is the first cross-over book into the history of science written by an historian of economics. It shows how ‘history of technology’ can be integrated with the history of economic ideas. The analysis combines Cold War history with the history of postwar economics in America and later elsewhere, revealing that the Pax Americana had much to do with abstruse and formal doctrines such as linear programming and game theory. It links the literature on ‘cyborg’ to economics, an element missing in literature to date. The treatment further calls into question the idea that economics has been immune to postmodern currents, arguing that neoclassical economics has participated in the deconstruction of the integral ‘self’. Finally, it argues for an alliance of computational and institutional themes, and challenges the widespread impression that there is nothing else besides American neoclassical economic theory left standing after the demise of Marxism.”

Publisher Cambridge University Press, 2002
ISBN 0521775264, 9780521775267
655 pages

Publisher

PDF (updated on 2012-9-5)

Gerard O’Regan: A Brief History of Computing (2008)

The history of computing has its origins at the outset of civilization. As towns and communities evolved there was a need for increasingly sophisticated calculations. This book traces the evolution of computation, from early civilisations 3000 B.C. to the latest key developments in modern times.

This useful and lively text provides a comprehensive introduction to the key topics in the history of computing, in an easy-to-follow and concise manner. It covers the significant areas and events in the field – from the ancient Egyptians through to the present day – and both gives the reader a flavour of the history and stimulates further study in the subject.

Features:
• Ideal for undergraduate courses, it offers many pedagogical features such as chapter-opening key topics, chapter introductions, exercises, chapter summaries, glossary, etc.
• Offers detailed information on major figures in computing, such as Boole, Babbage, Shannon , Turing and Von Neumann
• Includes a history of programming languages, including syntax and semantics
• Presents an overview of the history of software engineering
• Discusses the progress of artificial intelligence, with extension to such key disciplines as philosophy, psychology, linguistics, neural networks and cybernetics
• Examines the history of the Internet revolution, World Wide Web and Dot-Com Bubble
• Follows the evolution of a number of major technology companies such as IBM, Motorola and Microsoft

Focusing on the fundamental areas in the computing field, this clearly written and broad-ranging text will capture the attention of the reader and greatly benefit computer science students. In addition, it is suitable for self-study, and will also be of interest to the more casual reader.

Publisher Springer, 2008
ISBN 1848000839, 9781848000834
245 pages

publisher
google books

PDF (updated on 2012-7-25)