A fascinating look at the history of the personal computer. It was intersting to read how fast everything developed, computer companies coming out of nowhere, interesting read. The chronology jumps a bit which was a bit annoying. I love looking at picture sections in a book like this but the pictures were a bit out of order.

A fascinating look into the early (and not so early) days of the microcomputer. Very interesting stories of the very beginnings of microcomputers, leading up to the usual Apple / Jobs soap opera stories. This 2nd edition goes up to about 1999, and includes the beginning and end of Netscape. Not enough on where the IBM PC came from, and not enough about the formative value of computer games, but still a worthwhile read.

Una historia sobre la aparición del ordenador personal. Describe el panorama de asociaciones y clubs de aficionadas a la electrónica y los avances técnicos que propiciaron la extensión de los ordenadores de su nicho empresarial a nuestros hogares. De los primeros kits al IBM PC con su Ms-DOS, pasando por los Apple y Mackintosh, nos pinta un fresco impresionista con nombres y hechos mientras intenta ponerlos en un contexto que les de significado. Acercandome a este libro desde la película "Piratas de Silicon Valley" que aparentemente se inspiraba en el, encuentro que el foco es completamente distinto y que no cuentan la misma historia.

Man this writing is so, so dry. It was like a chore. I might have plumbed all the good writing on this topic though. Read "Dealers of Lightning" instead and then watch "Halt and Catch Fire"

An entirely captivating look at how the technology of the personal computer evolved from garage hobby project to household essential. I read the original 1984 version first and was left thirsting for more so tracked down this updated one. The only downside is that it is in desperate need of updating again because 10 years have passed since this edition. I would love to see a new version or a new book written on the further impact of the Internet, Social Networking, and how Silicon Valley recovered from the dotcom bust. I believe there are more stories to tell and these guys are the ones to do it.

You might think a history of personal computers would be dry, but I had a hard time putting this book down. The authors wrote for major industry magazines throughout the period covered by the book, so they saw and analyzed the phenomenon of the personal computer first hand. Moreover, they really focused on the individuals who ideated, developed, and marketed the personal computer, their interactions, their hopes, and even their disappointments.

The book significantly underestimates gaming's role in promoting the adoption of computing technologies. I'm to get more into this in depth with my video review.

Nicely researched history of the industry. I grew up as a hobbyist during the birth of the personal computer, and so experienced (from mostly the outside) a lot of what is covered in this book, but the authors do a nice job of both covering the history and - through a liberal use of anecdotes - make it interesting and personal. They also manage to refute a few of the goofier myths and legends that cropped up during the early years of the industry, and revealed a few that I had not known about. All in all, a pretty entertaining and informative read.