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The Pattern on the Stone: The Simple Ideas That Make Computers Work
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The Pattern on the Stone: The Simple Ideas That Make Computers Work Paperback - 1999

by W. Daniel Hillis

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From the publisher

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 colorful 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.

First line

When I was a child, I read a story about a boy who built a robot out of parts he found lying around a junkyard.

Details

  • Title The Pattern on the Stone: The Simple Ideas That Make Computers Work
  • Author W. Daniel Hillis
  • Binding Paperback
  • Edition First Printing
  • Pages 164
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Basic Books (AZ), New York
  • Publication date November 1, 1999
  • Illustrated Yes
  • ISBN 9780465025961 / 046502596X
  • Weight 0.44 lbs (0.20 kg)
  • Dimensions 8.03 x 5.31 x 0.46 in (20.40 x 13.49 x 1.17 cm)
  • Category Computers - General Information
  • Library of Congress subjects Computers
  • Library of Congress Catalogue Number 98038888
  • Dewey Decimal Code 004

About the author

Daniel Hillis holds some forty patents, sits on the scientific advisory board of the Santa Fe Institute, and is a fellow of the Association of Computing. His many awards include the Hopper Award, the Spirit of American Creativity Award, and the Ramanujan Award. Hillis was named the first Disney Fellow and became vice president of research and development at the Walt Disney Company in 1996.
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The Pattern On The Stone: The Simple Ideas That Make Computers Work

The Pattern On The Stone: The Simple Ideas That Make Computers Work

by Hillis, W. Daniel

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The Pattern on the Stone: The Simple Ideas That Make Computers Work

The Pattern on the Stone: The Simple Ideas That Make Computers Work

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The pattern on the stone
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The pattern on the stone

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The Pattern On The Stone: The Simple Ideas That Make Computers Work
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The Pattern On The Stone: The Simple Ideas That Make Computers Work

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