Electronic Brains: Stories from the Dawn of the Computer Age

by Mike Hally

We've come so far, so fast. Within a relatively short period of time, we've managed to put enormous computing power in offices and homes around the globe. But before there was an IBM computer, before there were laptops and personal PCs, there were small independent teams of pioneers working on the development of the very first computer. Scattered around the globe and ranging in temperament and talent, they forged the future in basement labs, backyard, workshops, and old horse barns. Tracing the period just after World War II when the first truly modern computers were developed, Electronic Brains chronicles the escapades of the world's first "techies." Some of the initial projects are quite famous and well known, such as "LEO", the Lyons Electronic Office, which was developed by the catering company J. Lyons & Co. in London in the 1940s. Others are a bit more arcane, such as the ABC, which was built in a basement at Iowa State College and was abandoned to obscurity at the beginning of WWII. And then - like the tale of the Rand 409 which wss constructed in a barn in Connecticut under the watchful eye of a stuffed moose - there are the stories that are virtually unknown. All combine to create a fascinating history of a now-ubiquitous technology. Relying on extensive interviews from surviving members of the original teams of hardware jockeys, author Mike Hally recreates the atmosphere of the early days of computing. Rich with provocative and entertaining descriptions, we are introduced go the many eccentric, obsessive, and fiercely loyal men and women who laid the foundations for the computerized world in which we now live. As the acronyms fly fast and furious - UNIVAC, CSIRAC, and MESM, to name just a few - Electronic Brains provides a vivid sense of time, place, and science.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Technology, Computers

300 pages, Hardcover

First published April 4, 2005

Reviews

[Simon Dobson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some lesser-known tales from the early days of computing. It doesn't provide any new aspects on the stories that are well-trodden, but does illuminate some corners that deserve more attention: the role that the Lyons company of cafes had in transitioning computing from scientific calculations into commercial applications, and the contributions of the Soviet Union to the development of different hardware techniques. (Most of the latter seemed to be carried out in Ukraine.)

[Alain van Hoof · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very nice overview of the first computers. What I liked: it also addresses countries other than the US and UK.

[Julian Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a thoroughly enjoyable book covering the early years of computing roughly up to the mid 60s but focusing on the pioneering computers and teams around the world after the Second World War. I was fascinated to learn more about the Australian and Russian developments as they seem to be forgotten in most other histories.
The story is much more about the people than the technology so it would be totally comprehensible to a lay reader.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exciting and accessible account of the early days of computing. I found this book to be relatively light on technical detail, but with plenty of interesting stories about the scientists and engineers involved in the building of these early computers.

[Richard Tubb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredible book. We'll researched and presented, Electronic Brains is a look at the first computers - devices built to collate data, predict economics and, as World War II escalated, help with military strategy.

Author Mike Hally has gone to great lengths to research the stories of each computer. The result is a fascinating look at the first age of Computers across the globe - from the UK, to Eastern Europe. From Australia to the rise of IBM in the USA.

If you have any interest in the history of computing, then this book will be a treasure trove on facts, research and insight into something we today take for granted.