Digital Retro: The Evolution and Design of the Personal Computer is a coffee table book[1][2] about the history of home computers and personal computers. It was written by Gordon Laing, a former editor of Personal Computer World magazine[1] and covers the period from 1975 to 1988 (the era before widespread adoption of PC compatibility).[1][3] Its contents cover home computers, along with some business models and video game consoles,[1] but hardware such as minicomputers and mainframes is excluded.[2]
 | |
| Author | Gordon Laing |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Publication date | 2004 |
| Media type | |
| ISBN | 9780782143300 |
| OCLC | 56881016 |
In writing the book, the author's research included finding and interviewing some of those who worked on the featured hardware and founded the companies.[1] Such hardware was borrowed from private collections and computer museums,[1] with more than thirty coming from the Museum of Computing in Swindon.[2]
Contents edit
Topics covered include choice of video chip and how designers of sound chips later proceeded to make synthesisers.[1] A number of British computers "that most Americans have probably never encountered in person" are included, such as the Acorn Atom, Dragon 32 and Grundy NewBrain.[2] Almost forty computers are included in total.[2]
Reception edit
It has been described as a "beautifully illustrated" "well written"[3] book which "drips detail",[1] with the author being noted as a "perfectionist".[1] The photographs depict "external views of each machine from several angles".[2] Omissions (such as the Apricot PC) were noted by Mike Magee in The Inquirer.[3] There are internal photographs in a few cases.[2]
Writing in The Register, Lance Davis commented on the importance of such books, stating "... history isn't just about dead people who wore crowns."[1]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Davis, Lance (2004). "Digital Retro goes coffee table". The Register. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g Lord, Timothy. "Digital Retro". SlashDot. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
- ^ a b c Magee, Mike. "Digital Retro revisits first personal computers". The Inquirer. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
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External links edit
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