An expert in the field of computers and programming offers a compelling study of the diverse ways in which humankind has adapted language systems and code to create and use the technology of the modern age. 75,000 first printing. $150,000 ad/promo. Tour (Beginner).
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Crossing over into general-interest non-fiction from his popular programming manuals, Charles Petzold has written Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software. It's a carefully written, carefully researched gem that will appeal to anyone who wants to understand computer technology at its most essential levels. Readers learn about number systems(decimal, octal, binary and all that) through Petzold's patient (and frequently entertaining) prose, then discover the logical systems that are used to process them. There's loads of historical information, too. From Louis Braille's development of his eponymous raised-dot code to Intel Corporation's release of its early microprocessors, Petzold presents the stories of people trying to find ways to communicate with (and by means of) mechanical and electrical devices. It's a fascinating progression of technologies and the author presents a clear statement of how they fit together.
The real value of Code is in its explanations of technologies that have been obscured for years behind fancy user interfaces and programming environments that, in the name of rapid application development, insulate the programmer from the machine. In a section on machine language, Petzold dissects the instruction sets of the genre-defining Intel 8080 and Motorola6800 processors. He walks the reader through the process of performing various operations with each chip, explaining which op codes poke which values into which registers along the way. Petzold knows that the hidden language of computers exhibits real beauty. In Code, he helps his readers appreciate it. --David Wall
Topics covered: Mechanical and electrical representations of words and numbers, number systems, logic gates, performing mathematical operations with logic gates, microprocessors, machine code, memory and programming languages.
Charles Petzold wrote the classic Programming Windows®, which is currently in its fifth edition and one of the best-known and widely used programming books of all time. He was honored in 1994 with the Windows Pioneer Award, presented by Microsoft® founder Bill Gates and Windows Magazine. He has been programming with Windows since first obtaining a beta Windows 1.0 SDK in the spring of 1985, and he wrote the very first magazine article on Windows programming in 1986. Charles is an MVP for Client Application Development and the author of several other books including Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software.
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Seller: HPB-Red, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used textbooks may not include companion materials such as access codes, etc. May have some wear or writing/highlighting. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! Seller Inventory # S_480650514
Seller: Better World Books: West, Reno, NV, U.S.A.
Condition: Very Good. Former library copy. Pages intact with possible writing/highlighting. Binding strong with minor wear. Dust jackets/supplements may not be included. Includes library markings. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good. Seller Inventory # 4602773-6
Seller: World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Hardback. Condition: Good. What do flashlights, the British invasion, black cats, and seesaws have to do with computers? In CODE, they show us the ingenious ways we manipulate language and invent new means of communicating with each other. And through CODE, we see how this ingenuity and our very human compulsion to communicate have driven the technological innovations of the past two centuries. Using everyday objects and familiar language systems such as Braille and Morse code, author Charles Petzold weaves an illuminating narrative for anyone who's ever wondered about the secret inner life of computers and other smart machines. It's a cleverly illustrated and eminently comprehensible story--and along the way, you'll discover you've gained a real context for understanding today's world of PCs, digital media, and the Internet. No matter what your level of technical savvy, CODE will charm you--and perhaps even awaken the technophile within. Seller Inventory # 00110930291
Seller: Mom's Resale and Books, River Hills, WI, U.S.A.
hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Second Printing. 1999 Hardcover Edition. Light bump to spine tail. faint shelf wear to DJ. Pages clean & unmarked. Seller Inventory # CAT-5-24-26-04
Seller: Revaluation Books, Exeter, United Kingdom
Hardcover. Condition: Brand New. 393 pages. 9.75x6.50x1.50 inches. In Stock. Seller Inventory # 073560505X
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: SmarterRat Books, Chagrin Falls, OH, U.S.A.
Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Good. Very Good ; Good+ Jacket. 1999 Microsoft Press. Hardcover has glossy white paper-covered boards with copper spine and cover lettering. Black, white and red photographs, diagrams, and illustrations. 393 pages. NOT Remaindered. NOT ex-library. Book is in excellent condition with only a hint of shelf wear at the spine ends. Pages clean and unmarked. Dust jacket has very light edge and surface wear, with some wrinkling at the top edge; some scuffing on front and back of jacket. Carefully packed, shipped in a box. Seller Inventory # 13103