What the Dormouse Said: How the Sixties Counterculture Shaped the Personal Computer Industry - John Markoff
This was first published in 2005, so, it’s pre-iPhone and already 20 years old. It tries to trace the history of the personal computer and the silicon valley and the counter-culture from the late 50’s up to about 1977. It follows particularly important individuals in all 3 areas, as well as key initiative and milestones, which are not the same thing, so the narrative bounces around a bit. He recounts the lore of Woz & Jobs seeing the Alto demonstrated at Xerox Parc, before he gets to the part where both Apple and IBM have brought personal computer to market. Often, the author repeats himself, sometimes even later on in the same chapter. I feel I was able to track, being an Apple-nerd, growing up in the area in the period that is touched on in the later half of the book, but for some, I think it might be a confusing read…a few mentions of The Dead, Ken Kesey, Stuart Brand.
The company my dad worked at on Bubb, Tymshare, was mentioned more than a few times.
Probably interesting to a very small cross-section of people, and in need of an update.
—tg
This was first published in 2005, so, it’s pre-iPhone and already 20 years old. It tries to trace the history of the personal computer and the silicon valley and the counter-culture from the late 50’s up to about 1977. It follows particularly important individuals in all 3 areas, as well as key initiative and milestones, which are not the same thing, so the narrative bounces around a bit. He recounts the lore of Woz & Jobs seeing the Alto demonstrated at Xerox Parc, before he gets to the part where both Apple and IBM have brought personal computer to market. Often, the author repeats himself, sometimes even later on in the same chapter. I feel I was able to track, being an Apple-nerd, growing up in the area in the period that is touched on in the later half of the book, but for some, I think it might be a confusing read…a few mentions of The Dead, Ken Kesey, Stuart Brand.
The company my dad worked at on Bubb, Tymshare, was mentioned more than a few times.
Probably interesting to a very small cross-section of people, and in need of an update.
—tg