Author Description

Computers and their origins have a fascination both for scholars and for ordinary readers, but much of the existing literature on the history of computing is too specialized to interest the general reader. This collection is broad in scope, offering an authoritative and up-to-date introduction to the history of computing. It gives an overview of two centuries in the history of information processing and detailed coverage of a number of more recent topics, including PC software, user interfaces, and the Internet. By integrating the technical, business, and policy aspects of the history of computing, the authors explain how and why computers were created, and how they were shaped by the intent of their creators. All of the contributors are experts in their fields, writing clearly and avoiding jargon to make this book accessible to a wide range of general readers, students, and historians and computer professionals.