February 4, 2005

In the Beginning was the Command Line

One of the best books I've ever read about the computer person mindset is Neal Stephenson's In the Beginning was the Command Line. It really frames what the "operating system" wars were/are all about and, more importantly, how the techie approaches technology versus the normal person. Well, the book has long been online, but now there's a new twist. Here you can find an online version with extensive, approved-by-the-author annotations by a reader (Garrett Birkel) who is also very well versed in all things techie. The annotations expand and illuminate the original, but not in an overly reverential way. They can certainly snarky and sharp, but I'm sure Stephenson have enjoyed them. A must read for those that want to understand the CS community. via BoingBoing.

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