First Half of "Computers"

In the first half of the book, Computers – The Life Story of a Technology by Eric G. Swedin and David L. Ferro, it mostly discussed the early beginnings of technology. The first two chapters were about the primitive start of computers which included various things used for counting and computing, as well as some of the first electronic computers of the first half of the twentieth century. The proceeding two chapters were elaborations on the premiere computers and how they were advancing into the 1970s.

            One of the things that I found most interesting was how things like our modern number systems, something that we do not even think about, had to be developed! If you think about something as simple as counting, it does not usually occur to you that someone many years before had to develop this way of thinking. It was not just produced out of thin air and it took many different types of systems to get to what we are using today in modern society. I also found it interesting that the term “stock” originated from thousands of years ago due to a tally system with primitive banks. (p. 6) Also, the term “point blank” came to existence due to a device measuring gun trajectories, which measured an angle between 0 and 90 degrees for a gun’s elevation. Zero degrees was left blank on the device, giving us the term “point blank.” (p. 9)

            I will say that some of the mathematical aspects of this book lose me a little bit because I do not feel I have a very scientific mind. I understand what is being said for the most part and I am able to keep up, but I think when the computers are broken down in terms of their technical aspects it is a little confusing. I would say overall this book has been fairly easy reading and not too hard to digest.