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FROM THE SHARED SHELF · 2006–2026 SAMPLE

Accidental Empires

Robert X. Cringely

3 readers recommend it across 3 discussions

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THE WORD OF MOUTH

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Original Hacker News comments, in the readers’ own words.

Zelphyr
It's quite old and so doesn't include the rise of the Internet and subsequent innovations but, Accidental Empires is pretty good: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accidental_Empires Where Wizards Stay Up Late - on the creation of the Internet The Soul of a New Machine - On computing in the 70's and 80's The Difference Between God and Larry Ellison - On the rise of Oracle (also has the best title) Masters of Doom - A history of id Software What The Dormouse Said - How the 60's counterculture influenced computing The New New Thing - Follows Jim Clark around while he creates SGI, Netscape, etc...
ahoyhere
Seconded. Cringely is the only one who doesn't make everything seem ooh-ahh-magical-brains! predetermined. Altho that tell-all on the Segway (Code Name Ginger) was pretty cool for all the flaws it pointed out. Where the Wizards Stay Up Late was a book I did an interactive presentation on in 7th grade, so it always has a special place in my heart. In retrospect, it's not fun to read, but at the time, I devoured it. It's boring and nothing really happens, which really is a good metaphor for the most exciting technical change. Ooh, and "The Dream Machine: J.C.R. Licklider and the Revolution That Made Computing Personal." Especially if you're into UI and unsung heroes.