Serious Machines

The Story of the Computers That Built the Modern World

By: Amir Husain

Narrated by: Slade Hovick

You’re invited on a journey into the past, the present, and the future. Computers fill our world, but for most of us, we own, use, and interact with just one type: computers designed for consumers. We use these at home to balance our checkbooks. We play online games with our friends. We catch up on our work email late at night. These home computers expand our world, but they’re only one segment of the market.

This book is about the “other” computers. The serious machines. The machines that run computer-aided design to build our modern world. The machines that simulate how the fastest fighter jets will fly. The ones that help us predict the weather and run our air traffic control systems. Most consumers don’t understand the true power of computation. Yet with Generative AI and the power of large language models behind applications like ChatGPT, individual users are beginning to get a taste for what serious computers can do. They are getting a sneak peek at the hallowed halls of the mainframe room…the data center…the lab filled with workstations. This audiobook takes a look at where computing began. They examine where it is now. And they note where it’s going in the future. The world is expanding, and the power of computing is right there behind it, driving it all.

Serious Machines, filled with dozens of beautiful, full-color images and photographs from the author’s personal vintage computer collection, is an essential audiobook for technology enthusiasts, computer science students, and anyone interested in the hidden history behind the tools that built our modern digital world. Best-selling author of The Sentient Machine and serial entrepreneur, Amir Husain takes listeners on a fascinating journey through the development of powerful computational tools that revolutionized fields like engineering, science, and entertainment.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2024 Syed M. Amir Husain (P)2024 Syed M. Amir Husain

Nice trip down memory lane

The book was well thought out. It was great to hear about systems I’d never used and their place in the history of computing. More than enough to pique curiosity and get you looking for more. I sped the audio up a bit, and was able to digest the information quickly. Worth a listen for those interested in the subject matter. The supplemental material was a welcome bonus!

A great overview of computing progress

If you're a computing history buff, you've likely heard of the big names - IBM, Sun, SGI, NeXT, Apple. and others. But have you ever wondered how did they start, who were the players, and how did they impact the advancement of computing? This book does an excellent job setting up the progress of computing chronologically and talks us through the progression of both hardware and software and even begins to describe the impacts of upcoming technologies. The book is an easy read or listen and will help fill in any gaps in your computing history knowledge.