Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software

Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software

by Charles Petzold
Released October 2000
Publisher(s): Microsoft Press
ISBN: 9780735634688

Explore a preview version of Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software right now.

O’Reilly members get unlimited access to live online training experiences, plus books, videos, and digital content from 200+ publishers.

Start your free trial

Book Description

What do flashlights, the British invasion, black cats, and seesaws have to do with computers? In CODE, they show us the ingenious ways we manipulate language and invent new means of communicating with each other. And through CODE, we see how this ingenuity and our very human compulsion to communicate have driven the technological innovations of the past two centuries.
Using everyday objects and familiar language systems such as Braille and Morse code, author Charles Petzold weaves an illuminating narrative for anyone who’s ever wondered about the secret inner life of computers and other smart machines.
It’s a cleverly illustrated and eminently comprehensible story—and along the way, you’ll discover you’ve gained a real context for understanding today’s world of PCs, digital media, and the Internet. No matter what your level of technical savvy, CODE will charm you—and perhaps even awaken the technophile within.

Product Information

  • Title: Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software
  • Author(s): Charles Petzold
  • Release date: October 2000
  • Publisher(s): Microsoft Press
  • ISBN: 9780735634688