Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution

Steven Levy's classic book explains why the misuse of the word "hackers" to describe computer criminals does a terrible disservice to many important shapers of the digital revolution. Levy follows members of an MIT model railroad club--a group of brilliant budding electrical engineers and computer innovators--from the late 1950s to the mid-1980s. These eccentric characters used the term "hack" to describe a clever way of improving the electronic system that ran their massive railroad. And as they started designing clever ways to improve computer systems, "hack" moved over with them. These maverick characters were often fanatics who did not always restrict themselves to the letter of the law and who devoted themselves to what became known as "The Hacker Ethic." The book traces the history of hackers, from finagling access to clunky computer-card-punching machines to uncovering the inner secrets of what would become the Internet. This story of brilliant, eccentric, flawed, and often funny people devoted to their dream of a better world will appeal to a wide audience.
uuid: 0D23E3C4-AC86-4792-B47C-F24C461D4049
upc: 9780141000510
title: Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution
purchase date: 14-12-2005
publisher: Penguin
published: 04-01-2001
price: CDN$ 22.50
pages: 464
net Rating: 4.5
last lookup time: 156321376
genre: High-Tech Computer Industry History Security Hackers Security & Encryption True Crime History of Mathematics History of Technology
fullTitle: Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution
currentValue: CDN$ 2.69
created: 156321376
country: ca
author: Steven Levy
aspect: Paperback
asin: 0141000511