The Computer: A Very Short Introduction

Darrel Ince

Very Short Introductions

152 pages | 15 black and white illustrations | 174x111mm

978-0-19-958659-2 | Paperback | 24 November 2011

Price: £7.99

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Looks at how the computer has affected the world that we live in, describing the technologies involved and the applications that have emerged
Explains the basic architecture of the computer and how it works
Considers a range of uses; from the effect of computers in the workplace and the growing power and roles of global computer networks to the future miniaturization of computers and new forms such as quantum and DNA computers
Explores the limits of computing and what the future holds
Part of the bestselling Very Short Introductions series - over three million copies sold worldwide

There is a companion web site asssociated with the book (http://vsicomputer.wordpress.com/). It contains chapter summaries, links to relevant material and posts about items of news relevant to the book's contents.
Computers have changed so much since the room-filling, bulky magnetic tape running monsters of the mid 20th century. They now form a vital part of most people's lives. And they are more ubiquitous than might be thought - you may have more than 30 computers in your home: not just the desktop and laptop but think of the television, the fridge, the microwave. But what is the basic nature of the modern computer? How does it work? How has it been possible to squeeze so much power into increasingly small machines? And what will the next generations of computers look like?

In this Very Short Introduction, Darrel Ince looks at the basic concepts behind all computers; the changes in hardware and software that allowed computers to become so small and commonplace; the challenges produced by the computer revolution - especially whole new modes of cybercrime and security issues; the Internet and the advent of 'cloud computing'; and the promise of whole new horizons opening up with quantum computing, and even computing using DNA.

Readership: General readers interested in learning about how the computer has developed and how it may develop over the next twenty years; ideal for anyone who uses a browser and accesses the Internet, but has no idea about how a computer works. Also of interest to students of computer science.

The specification in this catalogue, including without limitation price, format, extent, number of illustrations, and month of publication, was as accurate as possible at the time the catalogue was compiled. Occasionally, due to the nature of some contractual restrictions, we are unable to ship a specific product to a particular territory. Jacket images are provisional and liable to change before publication.

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