Rating: 
Summary: engaging history of a difficult but important subject
Review: This book ranks among the best in the history of technology and one of the few that specifically addresses software. Most other histories of technology or computing center on hardware, with some even focusing on a single computer such as the Eniac, the Difference Engine or Apple. But recognize that hardware commoditizes over time, while good software largely holds its value. Software creates fortunes but also deeply felt-opinions about quality, and as Lohr demonstrates, a constant stream of innovation. The book showcases the creators of breakthrough operating systems and applications, and makes clear their contributions to the rise of the computer industry. It is worthwhile for readers following technology, business, current events and even law and philosophy- the concepts have indeed become major disruptions in the history of ideas.
Rating:
Summary: Technical history of system software development
Review: This is a good book on the technical and intellectual development of system and utility software from Fortran days to now. It is meant to be an overview of some of the high lights of the technical developments and most interestingly the people and the players. The author purposefully does not cover application software and the huge effort and development in those areas whether in a product like Mathematica or in computational fluid dynamics programs. He certainly captures the flavor of the operating system, compiler, and utility developments that were so critical to progress in computers.The book is strongest where the history is known. Present day developments such as Linux and open software along with the key people are discussed in the last chapter, but no one knows yet what importance will come of that, and this is left up in the air. There are not that many books that range over the history of software development as this one does. Lohr is no gee whiz amateur; this is a solid professional job where the flavor of a development is really captured (at least in my view). One can just imagine how the development of Fortran opened up immense possibilities in simulation and modeling. Good word processors had broad applications and made life much easier for all of us. Lohr chooses his subject and enlivens it. He discusses the people involved in many of the developments with a varying degree of detail, so we capture some of the flavor of the personalities. This is done well without giving us ranging biographies or too much psychoanalysis. This is a book well worth reading.
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