[net.unix] Introductory book sought

chayashi%bbn-unix@sri-unix.UUCP (12/28/83)

From:  Curt Hayashi <chayashi@bbn-unix>



        I'm looking for a book (maybe not a text) through which someone with
        NO previous experience can have demystified the subject of computers,
        both hardware and software.  The reader may be someone who is
        preparing to use a word processor, take a programming course, or who
        is just curious.  It should not presuppose a progression to more and
        more sophisticated texts.

        Therefore, I'd like your advice about books which tread the middle
        path and are not sugar-coated or overly academic. 

	Thanks,

	Curt Hayashi

WMartin@SIMTEL20.ARPA (01/04/84)

From:  William G. Martin <WMartin@SIMTEL20.ARPA>

I can't give a review of this book, as I just saw it on the "NEW
NONFICTION" shelf of the St. Louis Public Library and picked it up
and glanced through it, but it seems that it might do what you want,
as a general intro to computers. It is by Michael Crichton and is
titled ELECTRONIC LIFE. If that is the same Michael Crichton who
wrote Andromeda Strain and other novels, it should be at least readable.
It seemed to be in the form of a glossary, with discussions under
alphabetically-arranged subject headings.

Will Martin
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