The Universal Machine: From the Dawn of Computing to Digital Consciousness [Paperback]

The computer unlike other inventions is universal; you can use a computer for many tasks: writing, composing music, designing buildings, creating movies, inhabiting virtual worlds, communicating...?
This popular science history isn't just about technology but introduces the pioneers: Babbage, Turing, Apple's Wozniak and Jobs, Bill Gates, Tim Berners-Lee, Mark Zuckerberg. This story is about people and the changes computers have caused. In the future ubiquitous computing, AI, quantum and molecular computing could even make us immortal. The computer has been a radical invention. In less than a single human life computers are transforming economies and societies like no human invention before.

What is a Universal Tool?.- Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine.- Office Automation.- Computers go to War.- Computers go to Work.- Deadheads & Propeller Heads.- The Computer gets Personal.- The Computer Revolution.- Weaving the Web.- Apple is Reborn.- Over the Horizon.- Resources.- Competitors.- About the Author.- Published books.

From the reviews:

Selected by Computing Reviews as one of the Best Reviews & Notable Books of 2013

The Universal Machine follows the development of computers, as it says in the subtitle, From the dawn of computing to digital consciousness. & On the whole, the historical content was at just the right level  enough to keep you interested without getting overwhelmed. & The Universal Machine is a great way to get a real feel for where the machines that are at the centre of so many of our lives came from. (Brain Clegg, Popular Science, June, 2012)

An interesting and reasonably priced book, which concentrates on some of the people (from Ada to Zuse), companies (from Apple to Xerox) and machines (from the Acorn to the Z1) that have contributed to computer development. & The book contains plenty of references & as well as a Further Reading section. &l£1