Rating: 
Summary: Highly Recommended - Gripping, Exciting true story
Review: I first read this book when I was in high school. I was captivated and enthralled by the story, and I can unabashedly state that it helped refine and accelerate my interest in computer science and engineering. Tracy Kidder captures a technical world and gives a clear picture at the tremendous challenges of building a state of the art computer system, that must be backwards compatible with legacy architecture, all while doing it in an easy to read manner (and a brilliant original perspective). It is a heroic, true life story. It was (and still is) one of my all-time favorite books.
Rating: 
Summary: Time capsule
Review: I found this book to be a very interesting analysis of the development lifecycle of a new computer. What made it even more interesting was the fact that it is now twenty years old, which makes it practically prehistoric by computer industry standards, yet the intensity and method of attack have really not changed all that dramatically for the developers. It's like going back in a time capsule to a fascinating period in this industry. Also adding to the story was the level of access that Data General gave to the author. I would be very surprised if that would happen today, but it adds a level of knowledge that really draws the reader into the story. There were some humorous moments too - I loved the Mushroom Theory of Management: "Feed them s**t, put 'em in a dark room, and see what grows". Terrific stuff!
Rating:
Summary: Kidder adds warmth to any topic
Review: I had just finished reading Kidder's "Hometown" about Northampton, MA (a former home of mine), when I decided to read "The Soul of a New Machine". While "Hometown" clearly shows Kidder's maturity as a writer, "The Soul of a New Machine", written roughly 15 years before, demonstrates Kidder's characteristic warmth and eye for detail. "The Soul of a New Machine" is a wonderful book and an archaeological gem for computer history enthusiasts. I found this book to be riveting (I finished it in a day and a half), and though I am not qualified to comment on the accuracy of Kidder's use of ECE terminology, it most certainly passed my limited geek muster. Kidder presents complex technical information adroitly, creating analogies understandable to the lay person. At the end of the book, I emerged feeling as if I personally knew the characters, and I found myself rooting for the success of the Eclipse Group. Overall, I loved this book. A hacker classic.
Rating:
Summary: Kidder adds warmth to any topic
Review: I had just finished reading Kidder's "Hometown" about Northampton, MA (a former home of mine), when I decided to read "The Soul of a New Machine". While "Hometown" clearly shows Kidder's maturity as a writer, "The Soul of a New Machine", written roughly 15 years before, demonstrates Kidder's characteristic warmth and eye for detail. "The Soul of a New Machine" is a wonderful book and an archaeological gem for computer history enthusiasts. I found this book to be riveting (I finished it in a day and a half), and though I am not qualified to comment on the accuracy of Kidder's use of ECE terminology, it most certainly passed my limited geek muster. Kidder presents complex technical information adroitly, creating analogies understandable to the lay person. At the end of the book, I emerged feeling as if I personally knew the characters, and I found myself rooting for the success of the Eclipse Group. Overall, I loved this book. A hacker classic.
Rating:
Summary: Kidder adds warmth to any topic
Review: I had just finished reading Kidder's "Hometown" about Northampton, MA (a former home of mine), when I decided to read "The Soul of a New Machine". While "Hometown" clearly shows Kidder's maturity as a writer, "The Soul of a New Machine", written roughly 15 years before, demonstrates Kidder's characteristic warmth and eye for detail. "The Soul of a New Machine" is a wonderful book and an archaeological gem for computer history enthusiasts. I found this book to be riveting (I finished it in a day and a half), and though I am not qualified to comment on the accuracy of Kidder's use of ECE terminology, it most certainly passed my limited geek muster. Kidder presents complex technical information adroitly, creating analogies understandable to the lay person. At the end of the book, I emerged feeling as if I personally knew the characters, and I found myself rooting for the success of the Eclipse Group. Overall, I loved this book. A hacker classic.
Rating:
Summary: Book Used as a recruting tool
Review: I read the book many years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. It read in ways like a Tom Clancy or Robert Ludnmum thriller. The people aspect of the book made it fascinating reading. How and why they were able to complete this project coupled with what happened to the people afterwards was the one thing I carried away from the book. A few months latter I bought a copy of the book for a friend at the same time a man was buying something like 20 copies of the book here in Southern California. I told him I knew the book was good but 20 copies? He explained that he was a recruiter and he was using the book to explain to candidates what the company he was recruiting for was like. He found it one of his most effective recruiting tools.
Rating:
Summary: From the dawn of computer time
Review: I read this book a few years back and i've just finished reading it again. It's a well told story of the birth of pre-PC microcomputers. The effort of the engineers and "microkids", who struggled to make the first "Eagle", told with intense care and attention to detail. If you ever wondered how a computer is made from idea to production, this is the book to read.
Rating:
Summary: The names have changed, but the issues remain the same.
Review: I read this book when it first came out, some 15 years ago. At the time, I was about 12 and while the story was compelling, I didn't understand much of the technology. I recently re-read Soul of a New Machine, and now that I am working in the computer industry, I understand much more of the technical jargon. But I also realized that while Data General is no longer the "new kid" in the industry, other players have taken their place, and the dynamics of the industry haven't changed as much as we think they have.
The technology changes every 2 years or so, but the issues and dynamics in the industry remain much the same as they were 15 or 20 years ago - just different companies in different roles
Rating:
Summary: Captures the Life of a Development Project
Review: I read this book with recognition. It captures what is rarely captured which is the feelings that engineers have to the systems that they are creating. These attitudes must resemble that attitude of a mother to her new born. The engineer like her has dedicated his soul to the development of a new life. Once it is done it takes on a life of its own, divorced from its creator but it sill remains part of his soul. This would be an excellent book for anyone who wishes to understand the motivations of engineers and the problems of managing an engineering project.
Rating: 
Summary: Maybe only a programmer can enjoy this book.
Review: I was disappointed in this book because the characters were so sketchy. I could hardly tell one character from another until late in the book. The story seemed like a string of unrelated incidents, each one with little point. Every time Kidder would relate something going on in the computer lab, he would give so few details that it was impossible to get interested in the events. There was no definitive explanation as to why people were acting certain ways. Maybe you have to have "been there."
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