The classic guide to how computers work, updated with new chapters and
interactive graphics
"For me, Code was a revelation. It was the first book about programming
that spoke to me. It started with a story, and it built up, layer by
layer, analogy by analogy, until I understood not just the Code, but the
System. Code is a book that is as much about Systems Thinking and
abstractions as it is about code and programming. Code teaches us how
many unseen layers there are between the computer systems that we as
users look at every day and the magical silicon rocks that we infused
with lightning and taught to think."
- Scott Hanselman, Partner Program Director, Microsoft, and host of
Hanselminutes
Computers are everywhere, most obviously in our laptops and smartphones,
but also our cars, televisions, microwave ovens, alarm clocks, robot
vacuum cleaners, and other smart appliances. Have you ever wondered what
goes on inside these devices to make our lives easier but occasionally
more infuriating?
For more than 20 years, readers have delighted in Charles Petzold's
illuminating story of the secret inner life of computers, and now he has
revised it for this new age of computing. Cleverly illustrated and easy
to understand, this is the book that cracks the mystery. You'll discover
what flashlights, black cats, seesaws, and the ride of Paul Revere can
teach you about computing, and how human ingenuity and our compulsion to
communicate have shaped every electronic device we use.
This new expanded edition explores more deeply the bit-by-bit and
gate-by-gate construction of the heart of every smart device, the
central processing unit that combines the simplest of basic operations
to perform the most complex of feats. Petzold's companion website,
CodeHiddenLanguage.com, uses animated graphics of key circuits in the
book to make computers even easier to comprehend.
In addition to substantially revised and updated content, new chapters
include:
- Chapter 18: Let's Build a Clock!
- Chapter 21: The Arithmetic Logic Unit
- Chapter 22: Registers and Busses
- Chapter 23: CPU Control Signals
- Chapter 24: Jumps, Loops, and Calls
- Chapter 28: The World Brain
From the simple ticking of clocks to the worldwide hum of the internet,
Code reveals the essence of the digital revolution.
