- Hardcover: 400 pages
- Publisher: Microsoft Press,U.S. (1 Oct 1999)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 073940752X
- ISBN-13: 978-0735605053
- ASIN: 073560505X
- Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 15.7 x 3.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 781,950 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
CODE
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Crossing over into general-interest non-fiction from his popular programming manuals, Charles Petzold has written Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software. It's a carefully written, carefully researched gem that will appeal to anyone who wants to understand computer technology at its most essential levels. Readers learn about number systems(decimal, octal, binary and all that) through Petzold's patient (and frequently entertaining) prose, then discover the logical systems that are used to process them. There's loads of historical information, too. From Louis Braille's development of his eponymous raised-dot code to Intel Corporation's release of its early microprocessors, Petzold presents the stories of people trying to find ways to communicate with (and by means of) mechanical and electrical devices. It's a fascinating progression of technologies and the author presents a clear statement of how they fit together.
The real value of Code is in its explanations of technologies that have been obscured for years behind fancy user interfaces and programming environments that, in the name of rapid application development, insulate the programmer from the machine. In a section on machine language, Petzold dissects the instruction sets of the genre-defining Intel 8080 and Motorola6800 processors. He walks the reader through the process of performing various operations with each chip, explaining which op codes poke which values into which registers along the way. Petzold knows that the hidden language of computers exhibits real beauty. In Code, he helps his readers appreciate it. --David Wall
Topics covered: Mechanical and electrical representations of words and numbers, number systems, logic gates, performing mathematical operations with logic gates, microprocessors, machine code, memory and programming languages.
Product Description
From the dots and dashes of Morse code to the 0s and 1s of computer programming, "Code" describes the ingenious ways humans have adapted language systems -- code -- to invent the machinery of the modern age. By examining the dialogues we developed for and through the communication tools of the industrial revolution, readers discover they have a context for comprehending today's world of computers, bar code scanners, and fiber optics. The work of legendary computer book author Charles Petzold has influenced an entire generation of programmers -- and with "Code," Microsoft Press is proud to bring this extraordinary writer's compelling narrative style and wit to a general audience.
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is the only book I've found which REALLY tells the story of how computers work in a simple and easy to read form. That's not to say that anything has been watered down - this is the real stuff, and occasionally it gets a little heavy, but it fills in a much needed gap. Most books either cover digital electronics, or computer architecture, and few explain the leap that you need to make to get from one to the other.
On the negative side, the machine design is a little dated, and a register transfer architecture might have worked better.
The sections on operating systems are simply not up to the standard of the rest of the book, but the book is work it for the rest anyway.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Charles Petzold is an excellent writer, and he gets to grips with difficult material in a way that makes it accessible for the uninitiated. I have worked as a computer programmer for years, but, having grown up with 'high level' programming languages, most of the material here was new to me. The book will fill in some very important gaps for a lot of IT professionals. Meanwhile, it is perfectly readable for someone completely new to the subject (a couple of chapters will be tough going, but you'll get it if you persist).
Top marks.
Top marks.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Petzold explains the architecture of computing systems by deriving from first principles, as it were; starting off with simple concepts such as telegraph relays and morse code, he quickly uses simple building blocks to describe more advanced concepts. The author has clearly written this book at his leisure rather than to a deadline, and the relaxed tone of the book makes for an entertaining read, given the potentially dry subject matter. The author's enthusiasm for his topic comes across well and the use of two colours throughout the book assists understanding. This book would make excellent background reading for many CompSci or Electronics courses, or a great present for someone with any interest in technology. Recommended.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Layman''s guide to computers for Non-Idiots ,,,
An excellent, informative book which attempts to explain how computers REALLY work. Set out in clear, everyday language but definitely not for the lazy-thinker or in any way... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Gerard
computer from the ground up
A great book. Starts with morse code and braile and works its way all the way up to the modern OS's, mainly through a thorough explanation of how logic gates and transistors work... Read more
Published 1 month ago by HANSEMINATOR
Superb
I've read this book 3 or 4 times. Built a spreadsheet that illustrates the principles. And if I had the time, I'd buy a soldering iron and get building some of the examples in... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mr. S. D. Clark
Great introduction and exploration of the mechanics of computation
I bought this as a book to enhance my understanding of computing before applying to study Computer Science at University, and I find that it really did make me understand it. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mark Provan
A great book for programmers with no electronic background
I read it from cover to cover in a few days and I now have a better understanding of how computers actually work at the hardware level. It's very instructive and fun to read. Read more
Published 2 months ago by A. Marandon
Great book
Great book.... even though I have been studying computer science for past 2 years, I haven't had any clue how does computer work ? Read more
Published 7 months ago by GEEK
Easy to read informative book
It is rare that you will find a book with such a volume of information and in such an easy to read format. Read more
Published 13 months ago by robing
An excellant book
This is an excellant book! The author starts by explaining how a flashlight works and slowly builds from this, explaining how switches are combined to create logic gates, how gate... Read more
Published on 25 Oct 2001 by Jeffrey Miller
Pure Interest
This book is full of little pieces of useless but fascinating information, and takes you through the evolution of the PC in an amusing and informative way. Read more
Published on 26 Feb 2000 by cadarn@ndirect.co.uk
A must read for techno nostalgia
This is a well written and entertaining read covering the evolution of modern day hardware and software. Read more
Published on 13 Jan 2000
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