The Most Complex Machine: A Survey of Computers and Computing [Paperback]

David J. Eck (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1568811284 | ISBN-13: 978-1568811284 | Publication Date: April 29, 2000 | Edition: New Ed

This introduction to computers presents the fundamental ideas and principles on which modern computers are built. While used as a text for courses in computer appreciation as well as introductions to computer science, the book has found a wide audience among computer users who wish to understand the basis of the machines that form and transform our society.

What Computers Do • Teaching Silicon to Compute • Building a Computer •†Theoretical Computers • Real Computers • Programming • Subroutines and Recursion • Real Programming Languages • Applications • Cooperating Computers • Graphics • Artificial Intelligence • Answers • The text is supplemented by a web site that gives access to other problems and projects.

Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: A K Peters/CRC Press; New Ed edition (April 29, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1568811284
• ISBN-13: 978-1568811284
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #79,198 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #9 in Books > Computers & Technology > Computer Science > Artificial Intelligence > Theory of Computing
  • #27 in Books > Computers & Technology > Computer Science > Information Theory
  • #55 in Books > Computers & Technology > Hardware > PCs

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good introductory book with potential to become GREAT, October 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Most Complex Machine: A Survey of Computers and Computing (Hardcover)

The book is provides a very good introduction to the field of computer science. Eck's writing is fairly clear and comprehensible. However, the book falters in structure, using incredibly long footnotes that at times occupy over half a page. It seems as if the author hurriedly wrote half of the book and then, upon realizing his omission of the other half, threw in the rest as footnotes.

Eck has devoted a web page to this book that more than compensates for its minor flaws. On the site are found wonderful labs and java applets that are used to drill home the lessons in the book. And they do, effectively.

Overall, a good introduction for anyone interested in gaining exposure to the field. Can be used for self-education.

Two suggestions to Dr. Eck:

1. Re-release this book in a more readable format. The footnotes require constant branching and disrupt the flow of the text.

2. Release the source code to your applets. It would prove very beneficial to your readers to be able to see how you actually implement xComputer and the like in Java.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Principles behind computer science, November 26, 2000

By 

Howard Schneider (Thornhill, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Most Complex Machine: A Survey of Computers and Computing (Hardcover)

This reference discusses the principles behind computer science. It is clearly and simply written, and suitable for the general reader.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clear infomation teory and complexity creation, February 15, 2005

By 

Angel Sancho Ferrer - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Most Complex Machine: A Survey of Computers and Computing (Paperback)

The book explains with great clarity -in a succesion of layers- how to manage complex things from "structured simple components". A lot of insights of great utility for any person interested in gaining knowledge on the computers architecture, software engineering and cognitive science. Maybe introductory for computer science students but very deep for other knowledge areas interested in understanding how can complexity and machines that exhibit "intelligent" behaviour can be constructed.