The Life and Times of a Navy Husband

The Soul of a New Machine by Tracy Kidder

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book is a classic. If you’re interested in the history of the computer business, you’ll really enjoy it.

Kidder follows a team of engineers at Data General as they design, build, and debug a new machine for the company. At the time (late 1970s), the biggest deal in computer tech was the mini computer. This was the stepping stone from the large IBM-style mainframes to the Apple and IBM personal computers that came after.

The book profiles Tom West and several members of his team as they compete against not only other computer manufacturers, like DEC and IBM, but also against another team within Data General to build a 32-bit “supermini.” It makes for a very compelling story.


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