Reseñas proporcionadas por Syndetics
School Library Journal Review
YAProfessional data on over 275 computer pioneers. The format is somewhat flexible, based on available data. Many entries are accompanied by small, often dark but adequate photographs. Most articles list date and place of birth, date of death (if applicable), and major contribution. Education, professional experience, professional life, quotations, bibliography (biographical and significant publications) are usually included (Annals of the History of Computing is a major source for this title). Some entries have only "the vitals," and some of those are incomplete (especially date, place of birth/death). A very few entries include several pages of mixed personal and professional history. As expected, most of the subjects are from the 20th century. Students curious about the people behind the computer revolution, in need of brief biographical information, or attempting to fill the professional information section of a research paper should find this work helpful.Barbara Hawkins, Oakton High School, Fairfax, VA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
CHOICE Review
A joint effort of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the IEEE Computer Society Press, these biographies are of variable lengths ranging from a quarter page to 20 pages. The typical biographical entry begins in a resume-like format: birth date and place, and a one-sentence description of the individual's contribution to the computer field. The next three sections treat education, professional experience, and honors and awards; a narrative follows. Each entry finishes with a bibliography in two parts: biographical references, and a list of the individual's significant publications. The source of many of the entries is the journal IEEE Annals of the History of Computing, together with material from many of the "pioneers" who wrote their own entries and submitted them to the editor. This dictionary is attractive and easy to use. Highly recommended. All levels. A. M. Strauss Vanderbilt University
Booklist Review
This work is a collection of biographies of more than 300 individuals who were somehow involved with the development of modern computing. From the ninth-century mathematician Mukhammad ibn Musa Al-Khowarizmi to modern innovators such as Steven Jobs and Steve Wozniak, the book attempts to provide the broadest coverage possible in both time and geography. Since computing is such a recent field, many of the "pioneers" selected are still alive, and 60 of them helped to edit their own biographies. Entries contain basic biographical information, lists of important publications, citations to other biographical sources, and often a very dark photograph. Longer entries include quotations by and about the individual, awards, and lengthy reminiscences about his or her life and work. Many of the entries are based upon previously published biographies, 39 of which have appeared in the Annals of the History of Computing. While the average entry runs about two to three pages, entries vary widely in size and scope. For example, John Vincent Atanasoff (the coinventor of the ABC computer) receives 20 pages, whereas J. P. Eckert (inventor of the more famous ENIAC) receives only six. Some entries are extremely short. Maurice Howard Halstead and Frank E. Hamilton each have a single sentence, and A. Porter has only 10 words. If that is all of the biographical information available on these individuals, it is questionable whether they belong in a work that is essentially a computing hall of fame. Equally surprising is the fact that some people who have made important contributions to computing, including Bill Gates, are not included at all. Appendixes list other biographical compilations and the people covered in them. The greatest overlap is with Historical Dictionary of Data Processing: Biographies (Greenwood, 1987), which includes 99 of the people treated in this new book. Appended also are a list of the people interviewed for the oral history collection of the Charles Babbage Institute and lists of winners of various professional awards. Despite the uneven and sometimes quirky coverage, this book brings together biographical information that is often scattered among other sources. It will be useful in academic and large public libraries as a means of documenting the achievements of this growing discipline. (Reviewed April 1, 1996)
