Reviews (8)

"Making a dent in the Universe."
I read this book in the 80's and lent it to someone, who never
Great Representation of a Brilliant and Quixotic Pioneer
I read this work in the late 1980s, and am still impressed with it to this day. It is one of the few completely fair and complete business biographies ever written. do you want a chance to change the world?
this is an absorbing, riveting true account of how an incredible visionary inspired and cajoled both talented and ordinary people to achieve things they could never dream of. I read this shortly after Jobs was ousted from Apple in the 80s and to witness how he came back to save Apple from oblivion a decade later is one of the great comeback stories of our time.
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Subjects:  1. 1955-    2. Apple computer    3. Biography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Computer Science (General)    7. General    8. History    9. Jobs, Steven,    10. Microcomputers    11. Computing and Information Technology    12. Jobs, Steven   

Reviews (4)

GOOD BOOK! you should read it.
This book is a great book.It is a condensed version of his life... Instead of reading too much into boring details you get the quick fast pace version in a great, easy to read novel. The author has obviously done great research of his subject.Do not listen to these other reviews which are obviously from people who hate Bill Gates. Below you will find my summary and analysis of this book: GOOD BOOK! you should read it.
This book is a great book.It is a condensed version of his life... Instead of reading too much into boring details you get the quick fast pace version in a great, easy to read novel. The author has obviously done great research of his subject.Do not listen to these other reviews which are obviously from people who hate Bill Gates. Below you will find my summary and analysis of this book: Contrived, biased
This book is definitely not worth reading. The premise is misleading (itis hardly in-depth), writing is poor (I found numerous typographicalerrors), all views are strongly biased towards Gates, and none of theauthor's arguments are supported sufficiently. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1955-    2. Application Software    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Business    7. Business / Economics / Finance    8. Businessmen    9. Computer Industry    10. Computer software industry    11. Corporate & Business History - General    12. Gates, Bill,    13. History    14. Special Industries Management    15. United States    16. Biography & Autobiography / Business    17. Biography: general    18. Entrepreneurship    19. Information technology industries   

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Computer crimes    3. Computer hackers    4. Computer viruses    5. Encyclopedias    6. Other Miscellaneous Crimes    7. Political Freedom & Security - Law Enforcement    8. Reference    9. Sociology    10. True crime   

Editorial Review

PlayStation is the hottest video-game platform going, and its $7 billion in annual sales now accounts for 23 percent of parent Sony's profits. In Read more

Reviews (8)

Valuable Model for Entrepreneurship in Japanese Companies
Revolutionaries at Sony is the authorized case history of how Sony came to enter and become a leader in the video game business in the 1990s. Many people despair about the potential for large companies to produce entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial results from within major corporations. Even more people would despair about that occurring with fast-changing technologies in the slow-moving, consensus-driven cultures of Japanese companies.The latest look at this general subject is found in the well-done book, The Innovator's Dilemma. Nothing Revolutionary, but a decent read nonetheless
Revolutionaries at Sony does a good job of detailing an insider's perspective of the rise of the Playstation. It gives a good account of how the platform came to be, and a thorough discussion of the hardware. Sony's business plans, particularly its marketing strategy is also detailed for the reader, and gives some insight into the marketing of the PS2. Do you develop or market products?Read this book!
Your virtually guranteed to walk away with 1 or 2 good ideas about how to develop and market products.This is like reading the play book for the New York Yankees.You won't find anything shocking, it's just a great story about how to break into a very competitve computer games market.You'll read how superior technology, relentless attention to detail and design, love for the customer, cost superiority and a vision to be the best in the world lead to great success.This is the closest thing the business world has to a royal straight flush!It's a quick read, so stop reading this and start reading this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Advertising & Promotion    2. Business & Economics    3. Business/Economics    4. Case studies    5. Electronic games industry    6. History    7. Management    8. Marketing    9. Marketing - General    10. New Product Development    11. Sony Computer Entertainment    12. Sony video games    13. Biography: general    14. Computer games    15. Entrepreneurship    16. Sport & leisure industries   

Editorial Review

Few industries can grab the world's attention these days--and hold the promise of totally reshaping its future--like communications. Bestselling author Ken Auletta profiles many of the field's leading lights in great depth in Read more

Reviews (3)

Insight on Superhighway Creators
The highway being described in this book is the information superhighway and the people being discussed are its developers. Jumping to the postscript at the very end, Auletta observes "while the Highwaymen enjoy immense power, they remain vulnerable" (p. 355). This is the paradox presented throughout the book. The regulators, entrepreneurs, and public do a dance of vulnerability in the development of the new technologies as niches are being carved out. One of the realities of corporate growth is that as they become large, they sometimes lose the freshness associated with risk and creativity. Auletta says "it becomes more difficult for them to maintain a focus, to make quick decisions, to stay creative" (p. 134). Great book on the media business!
This is an interesting series of past news features on the media business.The book chronicles some of the most fascinating media personalities from Rupert Murdoch to Herb Allen to Barry Diller to John Malone to Edgar Bronfman Jr. to Bill Gates.This is a fascinating book by a guy who was given incredible access by a large number of media executives.Highly recommended.

well reported; worth reading
Ken Auletta already proved with Three Blind Mice--his book about the Big Three traditional broadcast networks--that he's a dogged reporter. Few thoughts, musings, or nuances of expression go unrecorded. "The Highwaymen" continues in that tradition. Auletta aims to offer some sense of the men (and they're almost all male) who make the decisions about what the rest of us will be seeing, listening to and seeking for entertainment and how that software will be delivered. He delivers well-wrought profiles of these people through their deeds--which often contrast with their words, and that tension is illuminating. Finally, at the end of each piece are postscripts which offer the reader a scorecard; which of the fearless mogul's bold predictions came true, which crashed a burned: everybody thought interactive/VOD TV was going to take off--so far, it's been a stalled cash-disposal scheme that sucks in capital with no discernable result. The point is that for all their visionary claims, these people are no better at predicting the future than anybody else. If you missed the original pieces as they ran in The New Yorker and have an interest in the thinking (or lack thereof) behind movies like Basic Instinct or any of Oliver Stone's noxious fantasies, buy the book ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Business    5. Business / Economics / Finance    6. Businessmen    7. Computer Industry    8. High technology industries    9. Industries - General    10. Telecommunication    11. Telecommunications    12. United States    13. Business & Economics / Entrepreneurship    14. Impact of computing & IT on society    15. Internet   

Editorial Review

While Microsoft was occupied with the largest, most expensive consumer marketing effort in history, the launch of Windows 95, Netscape was equally busy capturing the Web browser market. By mid-1995 it looked as if Bill Gates and company had missed the paradigm shift created by the Internet, and many pundits doubted Microsoft could recover. Meanwhile, the Justice Department was aggressively investigating claims of unfair practices levied by Microsoft's competitors. Suddenly the company found itself in the unfamiliar role of lumbering corporate giant--and underdog. James Wallace's Read more

Reviews (17)

The author is very confused, a serious rip off
He's confused because he's stuck between Harddrive and his interviews with Philip Kahn of Borland.
Didn't really meet expectations
I read Hard Drive and like it a lot.I work with computers and I am very interested in the whole history of how things developed and how MS managed to stay on top.I liked this book, but I have to give it 3 starts because it really didn't keep me interested a whole lot.The part about Netscape and how MS almost totally missed the Internet was great.What is most amazing to me is how they turned it around and blew everybody away, which is not easy task for a company that size.Although the litigation against MS should be mentioned because it's part of the history of the company, the chapters about the lawsuits were way too long and boring.I can imagine that a lot of people gave up reading it after chapter 2, with so many names thrown around.Maybe if I were a lawyer I would've enjoyed more.I would read another book by the author as he did a good job on the research, perhaps in a few years it's going to be about how MS dominated the Internet.Hopefully, it'll be more focused on that subject.

Have to read this book to know more about Bill Gates.
This is one of the best written books out there on Bill Gates and the reason seems to be the journalistic background of the author that is so well suited for this kind of biographical account. The book has numerous real life stories of not just Gates but other legends as well like Marc Andreessen. Like me, you may also find that it is hard to put this book down once you pick it up and start reading it (almost on any page, any chapter).Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography/Autobiography    3. Business    4. Business / Economics / Finance    5. Computer Industry    6. Corporate & Business History    7. Corporate & Business History - General    8. General    9. Biography: general    10. Business & Management    11. Business competition    12. Business strategy    13. General Theory of Computing    14. Internet   

Reviews (4)

Insightful for serious fan; fully informative for new-comers
Let's face it.The story of the meteoric rise of Oasis and the sibbling drama surrounding the brothers Gallagher is both complicated and simple.Complicated, because how do you sift throught the tabloid haze, the drug hysteria, the fights, the break-ups and make-ups and make sense of it all?Simple, because this is what happens when the right band comes along with the perfect songs and the charasmatic force to make people desperately intrigued... yeah, it's a big explosion.This book follows just that logic and takes you along for the perfect ride through the Oasis universe.A little humour and a crisp narrative help as well. The hilarious photo captions are a bonus.Be here now...

The Latest From the Sharpest Wit in Print
A real laugh and look at the absurdity of pop star life as only the Brits can do it.Documents the rise and rise of the the Gallagher boys and their infamous antics. Nice "behind the scenes" and tales of the mono-brow brothers' very entertaining bickering.One of my favorite authors. If you don't know his book "Generation Eccch" yet, read it for more sharp-witted criticism of pop icons of the '90s.

Give this guy 160 pages, he'll give you a great story.
If you really wanna find out HOW Oasis became so big, this is the book for you. It tells it all, from the Gallagher's impressions on America, the world, and everything, to personal experiences. Provides a good laugh and is a great eye-opening-mouth-exploding-drooling experience. Only for devoted Oasis fans. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Composers & Musicians - General    6. Composers & Musicians - Rock    7. England    8. Genres & Styles - Rock    9. History & Criticism - General    10. Oasis (Musical group)    11. Rock music    12. Rock musicians    13. Computers / Entertainment & Games / General   

Reviews (3)

Babbage as a man of extraordinary breadth
While Babbage is rightly mentioned in any book covering the history of the computer, he is often wrongly presented as somewhat of a crank. His life is generally described as that of a genius whose ideas were far ahead of the times and as a person who spent enormous amounts of personal and public funds in single-minded attempts to build machines that never worked. In fact, he was a man of extraordinary breadth and depth of interest, and his original difference engine worked very well. Furthermore, it can be strongly argued that the economic gains due to the fast and precise computations performed by his difference engine and the improvements in machining accuracy more than returned the public investment in the project. A Superb Read; Not What I Expected
I read this book last year (2000) after reading a book of Ada Lovelace's letters (mostly to Babbage). I had purchased my hardcover copy at the Computer Museum in Boston MA back in the late 80's or early 90's, but had not read it because it looked daunting and dry. Was I wrong! This book is very readable and utterly fascinating; in fact a page turner that I could hardly put down. I've been looking for a softcover (or even another hardcover) for some time, so I could loan to friends. How delighted I am to find one! Babbage was a fascinating character and this book not only illuminates the man but also the times and the politics and the other fascinating technological events and efforts of the day. The discussion of the "great gauge wars" (the fight for the "ideal" width for railroad tracks) and Babbage's involvement was delightful. It appears he may have invented the first working strip chart recorder. This book was delightful and I got so involved with Babbage that I cried when his death occurred and the book ended. He was a giant among scientists and yet was frustrated all his life, by petty politics and short-sighted politicians, in the effort to build his stupendous and wondrous machines. A wonderful story, full of technological history. Other highlights: descriptions and pictures of the machines (of course); description of the effort to build a tunnel under the Thames river (by the the Jr and Sr Brunels); Babbage's methods (at times he did all phases of the work for his projects) and his workshop; his notes on working out the operation of the machines; family life; involvement in the technical societies of the day. (The book of Ada Lovelace's letters is also highly recommended if this is an interesting area for you.)...

The Computer was Invented well before Reticulated Electricit
In the early 19th century, a moderately well-off and very well educated Englishman dreams up an elaborate calculating machine for doing log and trig tables. When he begins this project, the railroad and the telegraph do not yet exist. The machine tools and manufacturing methods of the day are not up to the task, so the Englishman pushes out the envelope. He more or less succeeds in building his machine, but the British government is not interested.
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Subjects:  1. 1791-1871    2. Babbage, Charles,    3. Biography    4. Computer Science (General)    5. Great Britain    6. Mathematicians    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Babbage, Charles    9. History of mathematics   

Editorial Review

Douglas Robertson knows perfectly well that trying to predict the future is difficult enough at any time. In a period of extreme technological change, with great social change fast on its heels, accurate prediction is a dice toss at best. But that doesn't stop him from trying to convey the scope of changes coming.Read more

Reviews (5)

A Solid "Briefing" on Basic Issues
To a majority of executives in organizations, Robertson offers a remarkably well-organized and well-written "briefing" on computer technologies which can help them to formulate appropriate strategies and tactics to compete more effectively. I do not damn with faint praise when pointing out that very little of the material in the book is new, earth-shaking, etc. But it is rock-solid. Robertson examines the evolution of language, the accumulation and evaluation of information enabled by language, modes of communication by which to share that information, and new technologies which create almost unlimited opportunities to communicate with almost anyone, anywhere, and at any time. My strong suggestion to those who purchase this book is that they read it in combination with Borgmann's Holding On to Reality and Pinker's The Language Instinct and How the Mind Works.

Best Nontechnical Book for Exploring Computer Potential
As a nonscientist who is deeply interested in how computers will advance our ability to lead productive, meaningful, and rewarding lives, I found this book to be very provocative and helpful.Instead of looking only atbusiness or computer science, the author extends in many differentdirections to consider how computers could change the potential, fabric,and value of our lives.Not being knowledgeable in some of the fields, Ifound it helpful to have a tour guide who could explain what remains to bedone in terms of problem solving and creating better mouse traps.While noone person can be expected to anticipate such an exciting and unpredictablefuture very well, the author does a great job of referring to many of myfavorite works on how computer technology can transform the way we dothings like education, entertainment, and so forth.Anyone who has everenjoyed reading science fiction to help imagine what could come in thefuture will find this book rewarding.I found the work solid except withregard to population growth, where the author failed to put two and twotogether.The rise of education and income has a very depressing effect onthe birth rate, so much so that demographers argue that the economicallydeveloped countries should have declining populations by the middle of nextcentury.Eventually, this trend will spread more broadly to the rest ofthe world, and should be complete before the end of the next century. ButI leave that for you to consider.I strongly urge you to read and enjoythis outstanding book.The excerpt that you can access by clicking on theexcerpt button above on the left of this page on Amazon.com is well worthyour time, and you will want to read the whole book after you have lookedat that chapter.I thought that this exerpted chapter was the bestmultidisciplinary description of the implications of computers compared topast information explosions that I have seen.One of the strengths of thisbook is that it points to the untapped potential of computers rather thanjust focusing on what the best practices of the past have been.The woodsare full of the later, and they are dated by the time they are published --especially most of the Internet books.You have a real treat in front ofyou, which should inspire you to make more practical use of computers toadvance what you care about.

An upbeat preview of a world transmuted by computers.
To live at the beginning of a new era is exciting; to do so and understand what is happening is a rare privilege.Douglas Robertson offers to share this privilege with us by presenting his vision of a world transformed bycomputers in the not-too-distant future.It is an upbeat peek at thefuture, devoid of the gloomy forecasts of some "future shock"science fiction adventures.As with all penetrating portrayals of thefuture, The New Renaissance is provocative and draws controversialconclusions.I often found myself arguing with the book -- and not alwayswinning, as I read the elaboration of one of the book's more surprisingassertions.For example, I could accept "synthespians" figuringimportantly in future entertainment (p 157), but I could not believe theywould be an acceptable replacement for athletes.Yet, what if the realcompetition were at a different level, and the synthespian athletes wereused to provide visualization? Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography/Autobiography    3. Computers - General Information    4. Computers And Society    5. Computers and civilization    6. Future Studies    7. Information Technology    8. Literary    9. Social Aspects - General    10. Computer Science | Human-Computer Interaction    11. Computers / General    12. Cultural studies    13. Impact of computing & IT on society    14. Impact of science & technology on society   

Reviews (3)

Overall, pretty brutal
This book could have been written by Microsoft's PR group, since it so blatantly paints them as innocent coders just trying to better the world and makes no attempt to balance that position by exploring any dissenting opinions. The first few chapters are relatively interesting, covering some of the early internal development that's not widely covered elsewhere, but as soon as he gets near the antitrust stuff, Andrews is so pro-Microsoft that it's tough to believe what he's saying.

How the Interviews Were Won: Sucking up
Bill Gates will like this book.It casts him in a very favourable light.Andrews is consistent - in any issues of argument between Microsoft and its competitors, be they Sun, AOL, Netscape, or a host of other companies, Microsoft is the benevolent company that only wants to do well and the competitors are out to get this well-intentioned, if lumbering, giant. Engrossing and Informative
You've all heard of Billionaire Bill Gates and the Merry Men of Microsoft. The story, in light of the recent antitrust ruling, is a good bit of modern history. Although a little too heavy on the biographies of the players, the narraive is well paced and seemingly objective. This book is for all who are using Windows, those who hate it, and wonder all about the Redmond, Washington company and what goes on behind its walls. The story is basically that of Microsoft and how it was about to write off the Internet until it was forced to work with it- and did it so well that the Feds came in (and other companies) want to put a stop to it. Really, this book is well written and entertaining for all those who, like me, want to keep up with the history of this seemingly overnight phenomenon known as the Internet. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. United States    2. Computer software industry    3. Business / Economics / Finance    4. History    5. Corporate & Business History    6. Computer Industry    7. Infrastructure    8. Business & Economics / General    9. Biography    10. Development - Business Development    11. Business/Economics    12. Business & Economics    13. Businessmen   

Reviews (2)

a dirge to DEC
The book was written with perfect mistiming. In 1987-8. DEC's share price hit its all time peak in 87. At that time, DEC was doing superbly. It hired the QE2 for its 87 shareholders' meeting. And Ken Olsen was lauded by many as a genius. If you read this book, keep in mind that it reflects quite accurately the time in which it was written.
Slightly out of date, but still covers enough DEC's history
For those who got into computing before the DEC (Digital Equipment Corp) and Compaq's merge, DEC's VAX/VMS, Alpha processor, elegant workstation and notebooks are way too familiar. This book gives an insight to the making of Digital. Ken Olsen and his people who took a $70,000 investment and turn Digital into to a Fortune 50 company worth over $25 billion. Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Business/Economics    4. Computer industry    5. Digital Equipment Corporation    6. General    7. History    8. Industrial History    9. Industrialists    10. Olsen, Kenneth H    11. United States    12. Entrepreneurship    13. Hi-tech manufacturing industries   

Editorial Review

Even the staunchest of critics will usually concede Microsoft and its leader have demonstrated a remarkable flair for business over the years--whether or not, as a federal court has ruled, they boosted their efforts through improper means. Read more

Reviews (2)

A Computer in Every Home
Bill Gates originally wanted to create "a tool for the Information Age that could magnify your brainpower instead of just your muscle power." He saw digital tools as the way to enhance the unique powers we all possess. For academics and techies it is pure heaven to share information online. Bill Gates predicted that the Internet would help to bring people together instead of causing "society to fly apart."
The business philosophy of Gates as a study in management
Exact figures would no doubt be elusive, but certainly one of the most recognized names is that of Bill Gates. Despite some of the negative circumstances of his success, it is gratifying to realize that he has star power to rival that of any other celebrity. Business and intellectual leaders contribute so much to the world, it is high time that they are treated as the stars they are.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1955-    2. Biography    3. Business & Economics    4. Business / Economics / Finance    5. Business/Economics    6. Businessmen    7. Computer software industry    8. Corporate & Business History    9. Corporate & Business History - Strategies    10. Entrepreneurship    11. Gates, Bill,    12. History    13. Infrastructure    14. United States   

Reviews (3)

The People Behind the Computers
The book starts with a brief bio of Charles Babbage from the nineteenth century and then continues with twenty-seven twentieth century masterminds behind computer software, hardware, and business models. Each subject receives ten to twelve well-written pages by prolific journalist Robert Slater - Von Neumann and Shannon, Mauchly and Aiken, Shockley and Cray, Gates and Jobs, Backus and Knuth, and many others. Very good book.
This is the choice when you need to know how the computer came possible.

Necessary Reading For Computer Types
This book is a series of bibliographic essays on the people behind the computer revolution.The subjects range from hardware builders to software writers to those that expanded the uses of computers.If you are a computer enthusiast, a lover of history or just a fan of a good book, this is definite reading. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Computer Science (General)    5. Computer engineers    6. Computer industry    7. Computers    8. General    9. History    10. Computing and Information Technology   

Reviews (20)

I bought the wrong book...quite disheartening to read about post-graduate life at MIT!
I bought the early edition of this book from Amazon in the early 90's, with the mistaken belief that the book is about creativity at MIT.
Industry needs Talent,MIT presents Talented employees, Industries rewards with charitable contributions.Continuing the cycle
MITs philosophy is best described as follows, "We teach you to think!" MIT teaches students to solve problems; retain complex scientific information; discern the application and meaning of equations; and establish a problem solving mentality the believed building blocks of thought. MIT student thus becomes the Greek, "thinking man".Professors challenge the students to approach problem solving from a framework or system understanding and read carefully the problem for inferences or vital clues to solving problems. Pattern matching similar published problems meets with minimal success; memorizing patterns is not the MIT way; many of the problems require multiple steps to solve, awareness of various formulas, and logic for pruning and selecting equations to express the idea of the problem. The student thinks about the details of the problem, recognizes simple framework constraints, and solves the problem using mathematics and physics; and genius students advance through MIT rapidly. "We try to let talented people who know what they want to achieve it here; we try to stay out their way.But if you're at all uncertain, you'll be in for a rough ride".The luke-warm seemingly spewed out of MIT; survival at MIT is finding experiments with a budget, a prestigious mentor, and projects funding yielding opportunities for meaning research and development.
Accurate and humorous, a good read!
Read this book if you want to know what it is like to live and breathe and be at MIT. Being at MIT is an honor, and a privilege that I take seriously...and a pain. Pay close attention to Pepper's underlying message...MIT is a place of beautiful torture and torturous beauty...a place students hate, but alumni miss dearly.
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Subjects:  1. 1958-    2. Biography    3. Mechanical engineers    4. Science/Mathematics    5. United States    6. White, Pepper,    7. Computers / General    8. Mathematics and Science    9. White, Pepper   

Editorial Review

Michael Wolff, the author of