Rating: 
Summary: A very well written computer novel.
Review: "The Adolescence of P-1" is one of those rare books: one that will satisfy computer enthusiasts as well as those who STILL can't program their VCR. It is an engaging tale about a programmer who creates a computer program that will find its own way into large computers. All the while the program "learns" from its mistakes and improves itself. Then one day it disappears ... and that's where the story starts. Considering this novel was published in 1977, I have been constantly amazed as to how well the author describes the workings of computer systems. Even though the computers in the novel are way out of date now, the story still seems surprisingly contemporary. The characters in the novel are believable and are well developed. This is one of the few books I can pick up and re-read many times. Many people I have lent the book to also like the story very much.
Rating:
Summary: A very well written computer novel.
Review: "The Adolescence of P-1" is one of those rare books: one that will satisfy computer enthusiasts as well as those who STILL can't program their VCR. It is an engaging tale about a programmer who creates a computer program that will find its own way into large computers. All the while the program "learns" from its mistakes and improves itself. Then one day it disappears ... and that's where the story starts. Considering this novel was published in 1977, I have been constantly amazed as to how well the author describes the workings of computer systems. Even though the computers in the novel are way out of date now, the story still seems surprisingly contemporary. The characters in the novel are believable and are well developed. This is one of the few books I can pick up and re-read many times. Many people I have lent the book to also like the story very much.
Rating:
Summary: Inspiring
Review: I picked up this book 20 years ago when I was 14 and didn't know what I wanted to do in life. After reading it, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted to build P-1. Though I've gone in different directions since then, I can still read this every few years and reaffirm why I wanted to get into computers. It's tightly and amusingly written, with just enough tech and just enough pathos to keep you in the know and keep you going. Not just a good story, but a good look into what makes us human, nasty little emotions and all. After 23 years, the tech is more than a bit out of date, but it doesn't keep you from wondering.
Rating:
Summary: Inspiring
Review: I picked up this book 20 years ago when I was 14 and didn't know what I wanted to do in life. After reading it, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted to build P-1. Though I've gone in different directions since then, I can still read this every few years and reaffirm why I wanted to get into computers. It's tightly and amusingly written, with just enough tech and just enough pathos to keep you in the know and keep you going. Not just a good story, but a good look into what makes us human, nasty little emotions and all. After 23 years, the tech is more than a bit out of date, but it doesn't keep you from wondering.
Rating:
Summary: P1 still has impact after almost 25 years
Review: I read this book the first time decades ago. I was just getting my feet wet in the computer industry and the story was compelling and exciting. We didn't really know it at the time, but the hero of P1 wrote a polymorphic computer virus that could learn and grow. We are getting to this point only now, so the story has enormous relevance. Don't get me wrong, I'm not glorifying computer viruses. What attracted me then, and still does, is the possibility that we may one day interact with machines that are our equals, emotionally and intellectually. This book gives us a glimpse of that brave new world.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful 20 years ago, and almost as wonderful today
Review: I've now read <U>The Adolescence of P1</u> (at least) three times. The first time was before I got my first computer (but after I'd learned to program in Fortran on mainframes). I most recently finished this book yesterday, and loved it as much as I did the first time.
Back in my early days, the thought of a computer having 256 megabytes of immediate access memory in one place amazed me. Now, it's a bit humorous to read the section of the computer's artificial intelligence going euphoric when it finds itself with that much memory.
I learned a lot about computers the first time I read it, but when I read it this time, I recognized more things because I understood the background better. For example, when I read about the military intelligence code utilities that P1 stole from a government computer, I recognized PKZIP (and similar compression utilities) in this description on page 190:
"... it abbreviates the hell out of data ... boosts transmission speed by an order of magnitude ... The decoding process at the receiving end can reconstruct the original data completly intact. No losses whatsoever."
In spite of its datedness, this is a very enjoyable book. Gregory, a young college student, manages to write a computer program that is both greedy and fearful, two of the attributes of intelligence according to the theme of the book. Eventually, the computer grows out of his childhood, but some readers would question if it ever grew up. I do believe that P1 grew up by the last few pages of the book when it learned about its own mortality.
The book ends on the note of possibility when we realize that P1 still lives, but in a very subdued and careful form. I often wonder what Thomas J. Ryan would have done with a sequel.
On a personal note, I really enjoyed finding out on page 109 that the computer had read Stranger in a Strange Land (*), for two reasons, 1) It is one of my favorite books, and 2) I had just finished rereading it for the umteenth time just before starting this book.
Of course, I also love Heinlein's Moon is a Harsh Mistress (**), which has as it's main protaganist, a computer system that has become self-aware. If I had to pick only one self-aware computer book, P1 or Moon, that I'd be allowed to reread again, I'd keep Moon is a Harsh Mistress, because I thought the character development was stronger in Heinlein.
(...)
Rating:
Summary: P1 is better then number five!
Review: If you are looking for a great book for anyone who works withor against computers, this is it! I was told I had to read it and nowI know why! Having grown up in some of the places in the book, I amreccomending it to all the ... people I know.-f
Rating:
Summary: P1 is better then number five!
Review: If you were intrigued by HAL, then you will be fascinated by P-1. P-1 has intelligence, awareness and character. The writer creates a computer intelligence that spans a network of computers. He does this in manner that the reader can believe and relate to. Gregory, the main character is like a real programmer, his 2 main interest in life are women and computers (note, women 1st.). The book was written in the 70's when a really big computer had 128meg of memory. After reading about P-1, I wish the writer would update the book and have P-1 grow-up on the Internet. The book is cool!
Rating:
Summary: In every computer
Review: If you were intrigued by HAL, then you will be fascinated by P-1. P-1 has intelligence, awareness and character. The writer creates a computer intelligence that spans a network of computers. He does this in manner that the reader can believe and relate to. Gregory, the main character is like a real programmer, his 2 main interest in life are women and computers (note, women 1st.). The book was written in the 70's when a really big computer had 128meg of memory. After reading about P-1, I wish the writer would update the book and have P-1 grow-up on the Internet. The book is cool!
Rating:
Summary: Terrific story
Review: One of the archetypal computer hacker stories, amazingly durable considering the advances in the industry in the years since it was written. Also one of the earliest books of which I know dealing with artificial intelligence and social responsibility. A good, fun read for adults, but not one I'd suggest trying to "whip off" in an afternoon. Read it slowly and carefully. Warning: I think I have to rate this 'PG' due to mild sexual situations, language, and thematic content.
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