Ярослав Майкович
I was interested in subject from that perspective, because I, as many others, using laptop & smartphone every day, even can say, on a level slightly above "mediocre user", but still understanding programming on a basic level. And so, I definitely recommend this book (maybe, except one or two parts from the end of it) to those, who just wants to know basics, while understanding (dealing) with complex things, based on it. It's pretty simple to dive in and I think, that book as such, must be teached in school for everybody, maybe, with some hints from today's tech as a conclusion. The trend to oversimplify computer tech so everybody can use it, is good for business, but I bet, that society will work better, if more people get basics.
A Google user
This book is the BEST book to understand computers. I had a good understanding of software down to Assembly code, but I had no idea how instructions actually translated into electronic circuits. This book explained it all. Once you read this book it will provide the groundwork to understand how ANYTHING in computers work. This book does not contain abstract concepts about hardware, instead it will show you how everything translates to electric signals. It will not say RAM is temporary memory and stop. It will show you how exactly each bit of data is held in place in the RAM. All in a simple and easy to understand manner. Best money I ever spent in my life.
2 people found this review helpful
Matt Hardy
Great read for a software engineer who always thinks of hardware as a mystical black box. This book takes the reader into the depths of the integrated circuit (stopping just shy of the silicon transistor) at the logic gate level, and masterfully zooms back out to to a high enough level to view the entire "motherboard" in one comprehensible schematic diagram. Don't let the quirky title fool you - this book is as sophisticated as it needs to be, without cluttering the discussion with tangential information. Should be required reading for any Systems course in college.
32 people found this review helpful