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Devil in the Stack

A Coding Odyssey
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( 101 ratings, 26 reviews)
Brief Description
Throughout history, technological revolutions have been driven by the invention of machines. But today, the power of the technology transforming our world lies in an intangible and impenetrable cosmos of software: algorithmic code. In a world increasingly governed by technologies that so few can comprehend, who—or... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
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An immersive, alarming, sharp-eyed journey into the bizarre world of computer code, told through the author's attempt to become a coder himself.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Throughout history, technological revolutions have been driven by the invention of machines. But today, the power of the technology transforming our world lies in an intangible and impenetrable cosmos of software: algorithmic code.

In a world increasingly governed by technologies that so few can comprehend, who—or what—controls the future? Devil in the Stack follows Andrew Smith on his immersive trip into the world of coding, passing through the stories of logic, machine-learning and early computing, from Ada Lovelace to Alan Turing, and up to the present moment, behind the scenes into the lives—and minds—of the pioneers of the 21st century: those who write code.

Smith embarks on a quest to understand this sect in what he believes to be the only way possible: by learning to code himself. Expansive and effervescent, Devil in the Stack delivers a portrait of code as both a vivid culture and an impending threat.

By turns revelatory, unsettling and joyously funny, this is an essential book for our times, of vital interest to anyone hoping to participate in the future-defining technological debates to come.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781805463009

Publisher: Atlantic Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 29 August 2024

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Atlantic Books

Edition: Main

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 33.0mm

Width: 154.0mm

Height: 234.0mm

Weight: 605g

Pages: 464

About the Author

Andrew Smith has worked as a critic and feature writer for the Sunday Times, the Guardian, the Observer and The Face, and has penned documentaries for the BBC. He is the author of the internationally bestselling book Moondust, about the nine remaining men who walked on the moon between 1969 and 1972, and Totally Wired. He was raised in the UK and currently lives in California.

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