Most people are baffled by how computers work and assume that they will never understand them. What they don't realize,and what Daniel Hillis's short book brilliantly demonstrates,is that computers'seemingly complex operations can be broken down into a few simple parts that perform the same simple procedures over and over again. Computer wizard Hillis offers an easy-to-follow explanation of how data is processed that makes the operations of a computer seem as straightforward as those of a bicycle.Avoiding technobabble or discussions of advanced hardware, the lucid explanations and colourful anecdotes in The Pattern on the Stone go straight to the heart of what computers really do. Hillis proceeds from an outline of basic logic to clear descriptions of programming languages, algorithms, and memory. He then takes readers in simple steps up to the most exciting developments in computing today,quantum computing, parallel computing, neural networks, and self-organizing systems.Written clearly and succinctly by one of the world's leading computer scientists, The Pattern on the Stone is an indispensable guide to understanding the workings of that most ubiquitous and important of machines: the computer.
Product Identifiers
Publisher
Basic Books
ISBN-13
9780465066933
eBay Product ID (ePID)
213194717
Product Key Features
Author
W. Daniel Hillis
Publication Name
The Pattern on the Stone: the Simple Ideas That Make Computers Work
Format
Paperback
Language
English
Subject
Computer Science
Publication Year
2015
Type
Textbook
Number of Pages
192 Pages
Dimensions
Item Height
144mm
Item Width
213mm
Item Weight
202g
Additional Product Features
Title_Author
W. Daniel Hillis
Country/Region of Manufacture
United States
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