Paul Ceruzzi explores the mostly unmapped history of computing since  1945. Readers seeking to understand a half century of turbulent and  complex history will find him an informed and thoughtful guide. A path  breaking book. -- Thomas P. Hughes, author of  Rescuing  Prometheus  and  American Genesis     This engaging history covers modern computing from the development of  the first electronic digital computer through the advent of the World  Wide Web. The author concentrates on four key moments of transition: the  transformation of the computer in the late 1940s from a specialized  scientific instrument to a commercial product; the emergence of small  systems in the late 1960s; the beginnings of personal computing in the  1970s; and the spread of networking after 1985.    Within this chronological narrative, the book traces several overlapping  threads: the evolution of the computer's internal design; the effect of  economic trends and the Cold War; the long-term role of IBM as a player  and as a target for upstart entrepreneurs; the growth of software from a  hidden element to a major character in the story of computing; and the  recurring issue of the place of information and computing in a  democratic society. The focus is on the United States (though Europe and  Japan enter the story at crucial points), on computing per se rather  than on applications such as artificial intelligence, and on systems  that were sold commercially and installed in quantities. The author  balances stories of individuals with those of institutions and  emphasizes those factors that conspired to bring about the decisive  shifts in the story.

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