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Histories of Computing
Computer technology is pervasive in the modern world, its role ever more important as it becomes embedded in a myriad of physical systems and disciplinary ways of thinking. The late Michael Sean Mahoney was a pioneer scholar of the history of computing, one of the first established historians of science to take seriously the challenges and opportunities posed by information technology to our understanding of the twentieth century.
Mahoney’s work ranged widely, from logic and the theory of computation to the development of software and applications as craft-work. But it was always informed by a unique perspective derived from his distinguished work on the history of medieval mathematics and experimental practice during the Scientific Revolution. His writings offered a new angle on very recent events and ideas and bridged the gaps between academic historians and computer scientists. Indeed, he came to believe that the field was irreducibly pluralistic and that there could be only histories of computing.
In this collection, Thomas Haigh presents thirteen of Mahoney’s essays and papers organized across three historiography, software engineering, and theoretical computer science. His introduction surveys Mahoney’s work to trace the development of key themes, illuminate connections among different areas of his research, and put his contributions into context. The volume also includes an essay on Mahoney by his former students Jed Z. Buchwald and D. Graham Burnett. The result is a landmark work, of interest to computer professionals as well as historians of technology and science.
Mahoney’s work ranged widely, from logic and the theory of computation to the development of software and applications as craft-work. But it was always informed by a unique perspective derived from his distinguished work on the history of medieval mathematics and experimental practice during the Scientific Revolution. His writings offered a new angle on very recent events and ideas and bridged the gaps between academic historians and computer scientists. Indeed, he came to believe that the field was irreducibly pluralistic and that there could be only histories of computing.
In this collection, Thomas Haigh presents thirteen of Mahoney’s essays and papers organized across three historiography, software engineering, and theoretical computer science. His introduction surveys Mahoney’s work to trace the development of key themes, illuminate connections among different areas of his research, and put his contributions into context. The volume also includes an essay on Mahoney by his former students Jed Z. Buchwald and D. Graham Burnett. The result is a landmark work, of interest to computer professionals as well as historians of technology and science.
260 pages, Hardcover
First published June 6, 2011
40 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 19, 2017
If you were expecting a history of computer science, this wasn't really it. This is a compilation of different writing from Michael Sean Mahoney - all of which is fairly interesting and intellectual, but doesn't truly cover the history of computing or computer science. Instead, Mahoney essentially offers different viewpoints over history of what the field of computer science is defined as and how it lacks a real record of its history. Namely, is it engineering? Mathematics? Applied math? An art form? How can we control the quality of software?
I found Mahoney's writing insightful at times, but the exhibited excerpts from his writing were chosen poorly in my opinion. I reread the same paragraphs and the same basic ideas three or four times over the course of the book because the different chapters were taken from different articles, and they all focused on the same subjects. The repetition of arguments, quotes, and ideas put me to sleep a few times and made some pages incredibly boring.
Outside of the repetition, the book provides an interesting look at the meaning of computer science as a field and its historiography.
I found Mahoney's writing insightful at times, but the exhibited excerpts from his writing were chosen poorly in my opinion. I reread the same paragraphs and the same basic ideas three or four times over the course of the book because the different chapters were taken from different articles, and they all focused on the same subjects. The repetition of arguments, quotes, and ideas put me to sleep a few times and made some pages incredibly boring.
Outside of the repetition, the book provides an interesting look at the meaning of computer science as a field and its historiography.
April 28, 2013
Michael Mahoney is a brilliant historian who has made some great contributions to the history of computing.
That said, this book is not an easy read for the layperson.
With a degree in history, and currently doing a graduate diploma in IT, I picked this up, and I found a lot of it over my head, which should give you an indication of whether to read it or not.
The first few essays are historiography, looking at the Histories of computing, rather than the history of computing (not the difference) those were interesting but would require something of an academic background in history.
Later essays are more accessible to those with the computing/IT background though there is a lot of mathematics and linguistics that I probably would have understood more if my field was programming, but it isn't and I struggled.
A good reference book if you are studying, but reading cover-to-cover not so much.
That said, this book is not an easy read for the layperson.
With a degree in history, and currently doing a graduate diploma in IT, I picked this up, and I found a lot of it over my head, which should give you an indication of whether to read it or not.
The first few essays are historiography, looking at the Histories of computing, rather than the history of computing (not the difference) those were interesting but would require something of an academic background in history.
Later essays are more accessible to those with the computing/IT background though there is a lot of mathematics and linguistics that I probably would have understood more if my field was programming, but it isn't and I struggled.
A good reference book if you are studying, but reading cover-to-cover not so much.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews