Everyone who was *there* remembers that not only was the IBM PC a late-comer, it was based on the technologies already pioneered by those others -- and in many cases its features were less impressive, sometimes even "lower-tech" than its predecessors. This book not only tells the story of subvertive geeks hacking away in their garages armed with soldering irons and wire-cutters, it paints the pictures so vividly, with such candor, that it transports you back in time so you can experience first hand the PC revolution.
You'll live through the various events, some technological, others political, but most of them social, which inspired many people to drop whatever they were doing to join the revolution, for better or for worst. The authors make you realize that the PC revolution was not started with a single product, was not a linear chain of events, and cannot be plotted with a mere timetable of discoveries and inventions (though the book includes such a table, for reference). They show that the PC revolution was an ongoing battle that started with fantastic dreams more than a century ago, was kindled by amazing invetions and discoveries, but was actually fueld by the very human nature to communicate freely and the desire to do so efficiently through machines -- and the passion of creating those machines and breathing life into them with your own hands.
Wonderful book, a must read for anybody who was *there*, it will bring back so many nostalgic memories. I also recommend it to anybody who was not there that wonders how it all started and if IBM and Microsoft have really offered us "innovations".
-dZ.
"..However, even the industry's most innovative pioneers didn't foresee how prevalent computers would become. In fact, in 1943, IBM Chairman Thomas Watson remarked, 'I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.' Despite Watson's outlook, other computer-related companies slowly began to emerge, including Hewlett Packard in 1938, Digital Equipment Corp. in 1957, Microsoft in 1975, and Apple a year later. Then, in 1981, trailblazer IBM revolutionized the industry with the first personal computer."
Gag me with a spoon, Harold! If the author of this puff piece had ever read "Fire in the Valley", he/she would never dare to call IBM a trailblazer in personal computers!
To read about the REAL trailblazers (which admittedly do include Bill Gates and Paul Allen, as well as the Woz and Steve Jobs), you need this book. Read about Traf-O-Data, the Altair, paper tape readers, DiskBasic, the famous Letter to Users, IMSAI, the first Apple logo, CP/M, KayPro and all the rest. It's in there!
I can't believe I ever let my original copy of it get away.
.-)