Electronic Brains – Stories from the Dawn of the Computer Age

Citation

Holly, M. (2006), "Electronic Brains – Stories from the Dawn of the Computer Age", Kybernetes, Vol. 35 No. 7/8, pp. 1300-1300. https://doi.org/10.1108/03684920610675300

There have already been many books written about the development of the modern computer but few author's have pieced the story together as well as Mike Holly. He covers the rise of what, in those early days, was always called the “Electronic Brain”, in the UK, US, Russia and Australia. Most computer historians give little attention to Australia's role. There is little new in the facts presented about these pioneering times but the book provides us with a readable version of the events and projects that have led us to our present machines. Anyone who worked in this period of exciting innovation will also be pleased at the personal comments about those who were also involved. Those of us who came into computers towards the end of this time will recall the great names, many of whom may have been colleagues. Sir Maurice Wilkes, who made an important contribution, will still be remembered for his time both at Cambridge University and at the British Computer Society.

This is a book worth having and is one that will be treasured by those who contributed to the “great computer revolution” and surely appreciated by those from later generations who now take computing machines for granted.