4 ms·

Exceptions are rare enough to get called out for praise. A few: Digital Apollo, by David Mindell (development of Apollo guidance and avionics generally) The

by rst 12y ago

Exceptions are rare enough to get called out for praise. A few: Digital Apollo, by David Mindell (development of Apollo guidance and avionics generally) The Dream Machine by Mitchell Waldrop (technical development leading up to the Arpanet, thence to the Internet) Colossus, the secrets of Bletchley Park's codebreaking computers, by Jack Copeland et al. Unfortunately, there's a lot more of the technically unsophisticated junk that Knuth is complaining about, and the excuses offered here rather badly miss the point. ("The history of software is not the history of computer science". Yes, and so? How does a history of software from which all technical detail has been drained away contribute anything of value?)

sanxiyn 12y ago
The original article also calls out such praises in the paragraph starting with "The truth is that regrettably little history of computer science, whether dumb or deep, has been written by trained historians". Let me reiterate one recommendation in particular, Mechanizing Proof, by Donald MacKenzie. This is a superb introduction to the technical subject of formal methods as well as a superb history! My only regret is that it was published in 2001 and a lot happened in the last decade. http://mitpress.mit.edu/books/mechanizing-proof http://mitpress.mit.edu/books/mechanizing-proof
- codemac 12y ago
  Are there any other works like this? ... I just bought it, and I want to learn what has happened since 2001.
WalterBright 12y ago
"Ignition" by Clark is another exceptional exception.
- termain 12y ago
  Ignition is fantastic and I'm continuously surprised how unknown it is amongst the engine folk at MSFC.
  - boatzart 12y ago
    Wow, it's going for $3,115.00 (+ $3.99 shipping & handling) on Amazon. Put this next to Sled Driver on my list of books to buy when I win the lottery.
    - quotemstr 12y ago
      Isn't algorithmic pricing fun? Worldcat indicates that the book is available from various libraries: https://www.worldcat.org/title/ignition-an-informal-history-of-liquid-rocket-propellants/oclc/281664&referer=brief_results https://www.worldcat.org/title/ignition-an-informal-history-...
      - cokernel_hacker 12y ago
        I can't help but link to a classic fight between two algorithmic book bots: http://www.michaeleisen.org/blog/?p=358 http://www.michaeleisen.org/blog/?p=358
        digi_owl 12y ago
        While fun to watch on Amazon, this is a cruder version of what HFT does on the stock market.
        quotemstr 12y ago
        Sure, but Amazon pricing is more amusing: the results are visibly and clearly absurd. HFT done right is much subtler.
    - utefan001 12y ago
      We all win the lottery. http://library.sciencemadness.org/library/books/ignition.pdf http://library.sciencemadness.org/library/books/ignition.pdf http://mirror.xwl.me/Sled%20Driver.pdf http://mirror.xwl.me/Sled%20Driver.pdf
      - 12y ago
- utefan001 12y ago
  FYI http://library.sciencemadness.org/library/books/ignition.pdf http://library.sciencemadness.org/library/books/ignition.pdf
sukilot 12y ago
Also http://www.amazon.com/The-Making-Atomic-Bomb-Anniversary/dp/1451677618 http://www.amazon.com/The-Making-Atomic-Bomb-Anniversary/dp/... The science was so good that I got a bad grade on my History class paper, because I focused too much on the science and not so much on the "storytelling" of history. Which apparently puts me in good company slongside Knuth :-)

by rst 12y ago

sanxiyn 12y ago

The original article also calls out such praises in the paragraph starting with "The truth is that regrettably little history of computer science, whether dumb or deep, has been written by trained historians". Let me reiterate one recommendation in particular, Mechanizing Proof, by Donald MacKenzie. This is a superb introduction to the technical subject of formal methods as well as a superb history! My only regret is that it was published in 2001 and a lot happened in the last decade. http://mitpress.mit.edu/books/mechanizing-proof http://mitpress.mit.edu/books/mechanizing-proof

codemac 12y ago
Are there any other works like this? ... I just bought it, and I want to learn what has happened since 2001.

WalterBright 12y ago

"Ignition" by Clark is another exceptional exception.

termain 12y ago
Ignition is fantastic and I'm continuously surprised how unknown it is amongst the engine folk at MSFC.
- boatzart 12y ago
  Wow, it's going for $3,115.00 (+ $3.99 shipping & handling) on Amazon. Put this next to Sled Driver on my list of books to buy when I win the lottery.
  - quotemstr 12y ago
    Isn't algorithmic pricing fun? Worldcat indicates that the book is available from various libraries: https://www.worldcat.org/title/ignition-an-informal-history-of-liquid-rocket-propellants/oclc/281664&referer=brief_results https://www.worldcat.org/title/ignition-an-informal-history-...
    - cokernel_hacker 12y ago
      I can't help but link to a classic fight between two algorithmic book bots: http://www.michaeleisen.org/blog/?p=358 http://www.michaeleisen.org/blog/?p=358
      - digi_owl 12y ago
        While fun to watch on Amazon, this is a cruder version of what HFT does on the stock market.
        quotemstr 12y ago
        Sure, but Amazon pricing is more amusing: the results are visibly and clearly absurd. HFT done right is much subtler.
  - utefan001 12y ago
    We all win the lottery. http://library.sciencemadness.org/library/books/ignition.pdf http://library.sciencemadness.org/library/books/ignition.pdf http://mirror.xwl.me/Sled%20Driver.pdf http://mirror.xwl.me/Sled%20Driver.pdf
    - 12y ago
utefan001 12y ago
FYI http://library.sciencemadness.org/library/books/ignition.pdf http://library.sciencemadness.org/library/books/ignition.pdf

sukilot 12y ago

Also http://www.amazon.com/The-Making-Atomic-Bomb-Anniversary/dp/1451677618 http://www.amazon.com/The-Making-Atomic-Bomb-Anniversary/dp/... The science was so good that I got a bad grade on my History class paper, because I focused too much on the science and not so much on the "storytelling" of history. Which apparently puts me in good company slongside Knuth :-)