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But How Do It Know? - The Basic Principles of Computers for Everyone by [J Clark Scott]

But How Do It Know? - The Basic Principles of Computers for Everyone Kindle Edition

by J Clark Scott (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

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Finally, this brand new book exposes the secrets of computers for everyone to see. Its humorous title begins with the punch line of a classic joke about someone who is baffled by technology.

It was written by a 40-year computer veteran who wants to take the mystery out of computers and allow everyone to gain a true understanding of exactly what computers are, and also what they are not.

Years of writing, diagramming, piloting and editing have culminated in one easy to read volume that contains all of the basic principles of computers written so that everyone can understand them.

There used to be only two types of book that delved into the insides of computers. The simple ones point out the major parts and describe their functions in broad general terms. Computer Science textbooks eventually tell the whole story, but along the way, they include every detail that an engineer could conceivably ever need to know.

Like Baby Bear's porridge, But How Do It Know? is just right, but it is much more than just a happy medium. For the first time, this book thoroughly demonstrates each of the basic principles that have been used in every computer ever built, while at the same time showing the integral role that codes play in everything that computers are able to do.

It cuts through all of the electronics and mathematics, and gets right to practical matters. Here is a simple part, see what it does. Connect a few of these together and you get a new part that does another simple thing. After just a few iterations of connecting up simple parts - voilà! - it's a computer. And it is much simpler than anyone ever imagined.

But How Do It Know? really explains how computers work. They are far simpler than anyone has ever permitted you to believe. It contains everything you need to know, and nothing you don't need to know. No technical background of any kind is required.

The basic principles of computers have not changed one iota since they were invented in the mid 20th century. "Since the day I learned how computers work, it always felt like I knew a giant secret, but couldn't tell anyone," says the author. Now he's taken the time to explain it in such a manner that anyone can have that same moment of enlightenment and thereafter see computers in an entirely new light.

Length: 227 pages	Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled	Page Flip: Enabled
Language: English

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Product description

About the Author

J. Clark Scott has had a long and diverse career in the computer industry, starting at large companies such as IBM and Intel, and eventually becoming the author of four successful consumer software packages. Early in his career, he noticed how confused some of his friends were about computers and gave them lectures to teach them how simple the basics really were. It was at that time that the idea for this book was born. This is his first book, but one that has been in the works for decades. --This text refers to the paperback edition.

Product details

ASIN : B00F25LEVC
Publisher : John C Scott; 1st edition (4 July 2009)
Language : English
File size : 2603 KB
Text-to-Speech : Enabled
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Not Enabled
Word Wise : Not Enabled
Print length : 227 pages

Best Sellers Rank: 168,835 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- 37 in Machine Theory
- 159,751 in Kindle eBooks

Customer Reviews:
479 ratings

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Top reviews from Australia

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Corey B

A great way to learn how small steps of increasing complexity can be built to create a computer

Reviewed in Australia on 25 July 2020

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The second half of the book does a good job of describing the software side of things and how data is encoded, in the general sense, to the point where someone unfamiliar would get the gist of how it all comes together. As a programmer the later chapters were already familiar and I found myself correctly anticipating each new piece of information being presented and appreciate the way it was all described.

Although by the end of the book the author may seem to have become a little fatigued by explaining the continually increasing complexity and layers of abstraction, it's completely understandable as the topics are by then at stages where entire books exist that cover each of those individual topics in detail. There's only so much one book can realistically cover before there's too much to discuss, and the author has appropriately covered these higher levels of abstraction so that readers are left with a sensible overview of what's happening at those levels without needing another thousand pages to unpack it all into the specifics. By then readers have a good idea of where to go if they wish to educate themselves in those areas more fully.

For me the first half of the book was the real gold as the electronics part of it were a total mystery to me. The author did a great job of taking the simple concept of NAND gates and piece by piece using understandable and logical steps built increasingly useful and complex components, until such point as you are now considering in your mind a workable and realistic computer. The map is fully there from a single NAND gate to a fully-functional computer, and every step makes sense and is without mystery or magic - the full journey is laid before you in easy-to-read language and diagrams.

It's a brilliant and educational book.

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Amazon Customer

Well worth reading

Reviewed in Australia on 30 November 2018

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An excellent introduction to how computers do what they do that seems magical to us but turns out to be quite mundane. Highly recommended for anyone who wants how computers work demystified. One small gripe is that when talking about gates, flowcharts may prove more instructional than the written explanation. I would also suggest providing examples of how input is operated on by the computer e.g. If I type the letter E on the keyboard what happens at each gate, in the stepper, the alu etc.

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Richard Caldwell

Simple non technical development of computer architecture

Reviewed in Australia on 25 June 2014

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I have read about 1/3rd and find it easy to read. The presentation is in a simple narrative style rather than a technical style. explanation of the workings of memory, addresses and registers are built from an initial explanation of a NAND logic gate but use analogies that anyone should be able to understand.

I am a little frustrated reading this book as an ebook on kindle because the diagrams are a little on the small side and don't seem to be expandable. Also the diagrams are not indexed so it is not so easy to quickly go back to refresh your memory.

This book seems suitable to people who don't want to understand the logic underpinning computer processes without reference to electronics.

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Michael K

Simple and insightful

Reviewed in Australia on 21 January 2020

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I've been writing software for decades and I feel this book is the best explanation I've read to date on how a computer works. It gracefully tells the story of how you go from a NAND gate to an 8 bit computer.

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Anthony

One of the most valuable book I have read as a programmer

Reviewed in Australia on 14 March 2015

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I loved this book all the way through. I think Mr Scott explains all the concepts brilliantly. It is one of the most valuable book I have read so far as a programmer. And it was good fun!

One person found this helpful

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malith

Four Stars

Reviewed in Australia on 6 December 2014

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Simple and easy to understand

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Noah

If you want to learn how a computer works, read this book

Reviewed in Australia on 28 May 2019

The book explains how a computer works, and omg it is easy and fun to read!!! Scott's book removes the complexities and distils the essence of how a computer works. Scott describes every essential aspect before he abstracts it. Scott uses many clear, instructive circuit diagrams when words would be too verbose. When reading this book, you will likely find yourself actively working through the logic of the circuit diagrams, imagining the circuit in different states. I highly recommend this book :)

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Top reviews from other countries

Philip

I bought this book after watching a video on youtube ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 December 2015

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I bought this book after watching a video on youtube called "How a CPU works" from a channel called InOneLesson, I suggest everyone interested in the book watch that 20 minute video for a flavour of the book, the CPU used in the video is the same used in the book.

This book begins simply with logic gates and goes on to show how connecting them in particular ways builds components of the computer (memory, adders, comparators), how these components fit together and how they interact with each other to preform an instruction cycle.

8 people found this helpful

David J James

Belongs in the toilet, in the nicest way possible...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 May 2018

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It is exactly what it says in the review, and well produced, cogent, insightful, enlightening, easy to read. A great toilet book made up of short chapters. I don't mean any disrespect by that, as others who like to read in the bathroom will know.

6 people found this helpful

muoncrazy

Absolutely superb

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 October 2018

Verified Purchase

This book manages to make very complex concepts almost too easy. There are so many books which dont really explain it they just throw terms out but this book takes the time to explain every part, no matter how small a detail, so you understand it all inside and out. This is a truly educational book and if you are interested in the subject I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Ross Mcgowan

Very pleased

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 February 2018

Verified Purchase

I bought this book and it inspired me to build the computer in a software package called Logisim. I created some online videos showing how I built it. I had a great time. If you have ever wondered how a computer works then this is the book for you. The writing is very clear precise and fun and the design DOES work for real. Buy the book and go build it yourself and see, just like I did !

2 people found this helpful

David Castrodale

Brilliant clarity

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 March 2019

Verified Purchase

This is the best book I have ever read on Computer Science. This gets said a lot by other reviewers, but it is truly head and shoulders above any other book on the basics of computing. Scott has a true gift for clarity, with a clean writing style that teaches through simple examples while leaving enough room for readers to play through the ideas on their own.

Without getting overly sentimental, I felt a genuine thrill reading this; it’s packed with those ‘A-ha!’ moments we all feel when we begin to understand something new that we had always thought would be some huge mystery.

Intellectually challenging while still being incredibly accessible, I would recommend this book to anyone even remotely interested in the topic. There is nothing else like it out there.

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