4 ms·
I'm reading the excellent "The soul of a new machine" by Tracy Kidder right now. Your post has helped visualize the types of computers mentioned in the book.
by samteeeee 5y ago
I'm reading the excellent "The soul of a new machine" by Tracy Kidder right now. Your post has helped visualize the types of computers mentioned in the book.
- sho_hn 5y agoWonderful book. There's a snippet on conflicts between engineers and how engineers approach them - often not in the best way - that I've referenced so many times in my career.
- beachy 5y agoGreat book. I relentlessly and boringly quote the commandment from the CEO in that book that there was to be "no mode switch". I have found this to be a great rule of thumb in software too. Engineers often first instinct is to add "advanced mode", "legacy mode" or whatever. Often with no idea how much trouble having two modes of behaviour will cause downstream in training, understanding, compatibility etc.
- kens 5y agoThat's a great book. Keep in mind that the computer in "The soul of a new machine" (Data General Eclipse MV/8000) was a minicomputer, not a mainframe, and in 1980, not 1964. So there are a lot of differences as well as similarities. (I'm not trying to be pedantic, but just want to make sure you don't get the wrong impression of the Eclipse.)