"A book not to be missed, just plain good reading about the drama of the Kids next door turning their dreams into millions."--The New York Times"Swaine and Freiberger capture the communal spirit of the early computer clubs, the brilliance and blundering of some of the first start-up companies, the assortment of naivete, noble purpose and greed that characterized various pioneers, and the inevitable transformation of all this into a major industry. Must reading."--Philip Lemmons, editor-in-chief, BYTE Magazine
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Amazon Review
Fire in the Valley is not a computer book but rather a history of the personal computer. Even if the computer isn't your thing, and maybe you don't remember arguing with Commodore 64, Apple II, and TRS-80 owners over whose computer was the best, you'll find the writing engaging and the subject matter more than entertaining. Who would have thought a bunch of misfit nerds could make history?
Fire in the Valley is an accurate, insightful, and often entertaining look at the many accidents and mistakes that eventually led to the computer you have on your desktop today. The history of the personal computer comprises a series of well-planned errors, with eccentric personalities floating from company to company, and geniuses so twisted they created for the sheer joy of it--never imagining the multi-billion dollar industry that would result.
This book is magnetic and the consistent and strong writing draws the reader in. The entire story of the personal computer, from the vacuum tube to the iMac, is told and told well.
Fire in the Valley is an old book, originally published back in 1984. This review refers to the current "collector's edition" and it's been updated to reflect some recent issues. The book is hardbound, hence the hefty cover price. (It also has a CD-ROM, but I don't do CDs in books.) The book is highly recommended--especially for anyone who's into high tech and wants to understand the value of not putting creativity into a bottle. --Dan Gookin --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
The authors tell their tale with surprising human as well as technological insights.Freidberger and Swaine are blessed with a remarkable tale to tell.Fire in the Valley offers many nerd pleasures, not the least of which is a stroll down memory lane, back to a sunny time of youth and innocence and endlessly whirring floppy drives. All the highlights are covered.One of the strengths of this fine book is that it isn't tendentious about its subject matter. If Fire in the Valley has any thesis, it's that, like Englebart, the very earliest players weren't much motivated by money. Some were simply visionaries. Others just loved computers. Others still couldn't fit in anywhere else.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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First Sentence
THE PERSONAL COMPUTER SPRANG TO LIFE IN THE MID-1970s, BUT ITS historical roots reach back to the giant electronic "brains" of the 1950s and well before that to the "thinking" machines of nineteenth-century fiction. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
THE PERSONAL COMPUTER SPRANG TO LIFE IN THE MID-1970s, BUT ITS historical roots reach back to the giant electronic "brains" of the 1950s and well before that to the "thinking" machines of nineteenth-century fiction. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
This is quite simply one of the most fascinating books on the industry. Plenty of revelations, fascinating tidbits, and some really good cheesey photos of Bill Gates and others to boot. Definately five stars
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By "wto7"
Format:Paperback
Really enjoying this book... the photographic expression of steve jobs being handed 92million dollars is so dead-pan!
..if you didnt know a film was made as well...check Amazon for 'The Pirates of Silicon Valley'. Shame its only video and US format.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Freiberger and Swaine capture the early history of the microcomputer brilliantly - right from the development of the first microprocessor to the evolution of the first generation of IBM PCs and Macintoshes. Their view is very much an American one (so fans of the early British micros won't find much here), but this is very much a Silicon Valley story.
They cover not only the evolution of hardware (CPUs, buses, systems) but also of software (particularly at Microsoft, Digital Research and Apple) and of the industry that grew up around the machines - the culture (computer clubs and shows), the retail industry, the magazines. A very broad view is taken.
If the rest of the book was as good as the first 250 pages or so it'd get five stars, but the attempt to cover the software-led period from the mid-80s on feels rather rushed - it all gets rather rushed after the tale of how Philippe Kahn built up Borland, although there's some amusing stuff about Oracle in there too. Otherwise, rather difficult to fault this book. It is readable, occasionally amusing, full of interesting detail, and even has a small selection of well-chosen photographs.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By "wartaal73"
Format:Paperback
This is the best chronicle of how the PC industry came into being from people that lived the events themselves in first person. It is also a classic example of "american dream" came true as well as how naive and amateurs were the initial PC pushers. In a way, it also shed lights on the fundamentals errors made by such an industry which are being paid for right now.
Definitively a book to read.
Definitively a book to read.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book (very) effectively conveys the excitement, and disappointment, of those early pioneers in the PC business. For me the importance of the book lies in the lessons it gives to the potential entrepeneur in a high-tech company. This book is essential business reading!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
If there is one book you have to read, this one is it - it is witty and gives a pretty complete historic view of those early days of computing. The way the authors have interwoven the different simultaneous advances keeps your attention and reads like a novel. The one drawback in the second edition is the slightly different style and more superficial treatment the newly added facts get. All in all it deserves five stars - a must-read!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is the very best book I have ever read, describing the history of the personal computer. I found it exiting that the same time periods are covered multiple times in different chapters of the book, each time concentrating on another person, company or event. I was surprised to see how many things that happened almost simultaneously and how almost all the big players in the marked today has crossed each others roads before, when it all started. The short chapters also make it the perfect travel companion.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Fire in the valley takes you on a journey through the evolution of personal computing from the standpoint of the US hobbyist community. There is a good deal of detail on the history of MITS and Processor Technology, as well as the usual commentaries on the Homebrew computer club and Apple computer. This book strikes a handy balance between the technophile, historian and casual reader and is well illustrated throughout. Exceptional value in paperback form.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Get this book!
This is, as most reviewers agree, a fantastic read; informative and entertaining, holding your interest throughout. As a piece of modern history it is effective and never dull. Read more
Published 10 months ago by R. J. de Bulat
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fire in the Valley: Making of the Personal Computer
An excellent and well written book which, gives a comprehensive account on the history of the personal computer a must for anyone studying undergraduate Computer studies courses.
Published on 12 Jun 2011 by Mr. Noel J. Griffiths
4.0 out of 5 stars
An entertaining book that is worth buying
I found the book quite informative and entertaining, and I wish I had access original release to it when I was writing a post-graduate paper years ago. Read more
Published on 10 May 2000 by A. Karantze
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