Slaves of the Machine: The Quickening of Computer Technology

by Gregory J.E. Rawlins

In Moths to the Flame , Gregory J.E. Rawlins took lay readers on a tour of the exciting and sometimes scary world to which compters are leading us. This new book is for those who are new to computers and want to know what is "under the hood." It shows what computers can do for us and to us. It tells the story of how we became slaves to our machines and how our machines may one day become slaves to us. Written in an accessible, anecdotal form, Slaves of the Machine presents the birth of the computer, charts its evolution, and envisions its development over the next fifty years. Each of the six chapters asks a simple What are computers? How do we build them? How do we talk to them? How do we program them? What can't they do? Could they think? After answering its question, each chapter views its topic in terms of the state of the art as of 1997 and into the near future. Rawlins successfully demystifies the computer—the first step away from slavery to it.

Genres: Technology

Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Peter Tillman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this a lot, back in 2004. I have no idea how it has aged.

A quote from Rawlins, from my 2004 writeup:

"The answer to "Could computers think? is that it doesn't matter...What matters is whether we * think* they think." His discussion of AI is succinct and illuminating: "A future of smart machines is strange indeed... it may be much harder to kill yourself by turning on a gas oven or running a car in a locked garage - both your oven and your car may figure out what you're trying to do and prevent you... Possessions might get more dangerous, too... Are we ready for a world of feral
cars?"

"As Thoreau said long ago, we've become the tools of our tools... One day, something vast and cool and strange may read these very words -- and chuckle with amusement.

Welcome to tomorrow."

https://www.amazon.com/review/R3OMNVX...

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gregory Rawlins is a computer scientist and writer who does not talk down to his audience. This is a succinct and well written book about a technology that has changed the almost every aspect of society. If you have someone who "still-does-not-get-it", or has been living under a rock, this is the book for them.

[JP · Rating 2 out of 5]

Somewhat simple -- interesting overview of some of the developments of technology -- advocates that computers are too much like lawyers but could be much more general, intuitive, and therefore flexible -- and that they will be in the future as programmers change their paradigm.

[Mark]

Fuck this book and this author and its press. 0 stars.

Will explain why later. Gave up 21 December 2015.