Turing Omnibus: 61 Excursions in Computer Science [Hardcover]

A. K. Dewdney (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1989

Prepare yourself for a wonderfully eclectic journey through the land of Turing, that ripe mathematical landscape fed by imagination and technology. The coach stops at all the must-see landmarks in computer science - monuments of theory, avenues of application, and other points of interest along the way. From artificial intelligence and simulation to computer vision and cryptography, the Turing Omnibus takes you on a fascinating excursion. You will be shown how certain computer codes are used to protect the integrity of photographs beamed to Earth from space probes hundreds of thousands of miles away, how computers generate and manipulate random numbers to simulate real-life situations, and dozens of other intriguing glimpses into the current state of the computer scientist's art.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 415 pages
• Publisher: W H Freeman & Co (Sd); First Edition edition (May 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0716781549
• ISBN-13: 978-0716781547
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.9 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,179,133 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent collections of computer science appetizers, October 30, 2002

By 

Charles Ashbacher (Marion, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Turing Omnibus: 61 Excursions in Computer Science (Hardcover)

While nearly everyone knows the broad range of computer applications, there are few who know the depth and breadth of knowledge that makes up the discipline of computer science. In fact, it can be argued that in the near future many of the fields that are now independent will be considered as just another sub-discipline of computer science. This book, a collection of brief essays in the field, is another spike to be used in nailing down that argument.
A wide variety of topics are covered, from neural networks and information transfer to algorithm analysis and complexity. While each essay is necessarily brief, it satisfies all the criteria of an explanatory vignette. Brief, with a sufficient foundation for further study, and pointers to the next rung on the ladder of understanding. Each section also contains a small collection of supplementary problems. It would have helped if solutions or at least hints to these problems had been included.
There are times when a phrase is used without introduction; however, that is not a problem, as an icon index is used to group the topics together.
The finest introduction to the ever expanding range of computer science that I have ever seen, this book should be read by all those interested in computers. Even experts will be enriched by what they find.

Published in Journal of Recreational Mathematics, reprinted with permission.