Lee, You should go back and finish Hackers, particularly Part III. It covers Sierra Online in its formative years and makes for very entertaining reading. I liked the entire book, though, and not just the trials of Clan Williams.
For general PC history read the incredible "A Fire in the Valley" http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0071358927/qid=1068148211/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-6598399-7575256?v=glance&s=books This book, though you might not guess from seeing the made for TV movie about Gates and Jobs, was the basis for "Pirates of Silicon Valley". Then there is the Cringley classic: "Accidental Empires: How the Boys of Silicon Valley Make Their Millions, Battle Foreign Competition, and Still Can't Get a Date" which is the basis for the fantastic PBS series "Triumph of the Nerds" (which you should get if you haven't seen it. It's now out on DVD) http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0887306217/ref=pd_sim_books_2/002-6598399-7575256?v=glance&s=books An informative read about Xerox PARC can be found in "Dealers of Lightning" by Michael Hiltzic: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0887309895/ref=pd_sim_books_3/002-6598399-7575256?v=glance&s=books "Apple Confidential" is an eye-opener about the once-almighty computer company and how they shot themselves in the foot: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/188641128X/ref=pd_sim_books_1/002-6598399-7575256?v=glance&s=books I read every computer history book I can find and I think the above titles make for a good start. I'd be VERY interested in your (and everyone else in the group) opinions of these works. Chris ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lee K. Seitz" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Software Collecting" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2003 10:35 AM Subject: [SWCollect] Books on history of computer gaming? > I picked up a book called _Odyssey: Pepsi to Apple -- A Journey of > Adventure, Ideas, and the Future_ by John Sculley, former CEO of Apple > at a thrift store a couple weeks ago. I thought it might contain some > interesting tidbits about computer history. (Haven't had time to read > it yet, though.) But it makes me curious about something. > > There have been several books published about video game history of > late, from the more scholarly like Leonard Herman's _Phoenix_ and > Steve Kent's _The Ulitmate History of Video Games_ to the picture > books like Rusel DeMaria and Johnny Lee Wilson's _High Score_. But > what books have been written about *computer* game history. Many of > the video game history books start out mentioning Steve Russell's > Spacewar, but they don't explore the topic much past that from the > computer perspective. > > I'm aware of _Masters of Doom_. I haven't had a chance to do more > than skim it at the book store, but it, of course, concentrates on > Messrs. Romero and Carmack. (BTW, Mr. Romero, any comments on this > book and its accuracy?) That covers a small slice of computer > gaming history, but what about the broader view? (Another aside to > Mr. Romero: Any chance of you getting Scout Search up on your pages > soon? I typed that game in from a magazine many years ago and loved > it, but my only copy of the files got corrupted long before I could > archive it properly.) > > Any other recommended reading for general personal computer history? > I have a copy of _The Home Computer Wars_ which covers Tramiel's > building and loss of Commodore, but again, haven't had time to read > it. I started _Hackers_, but lost my place and never went back to > finish it. There's probably another book or two on the topic around > my house that I haven't read yet, either. Too many interests, not > enough time for them all. 8) > > -- > Lee K. Seitz > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > This message was sent to you because you are currently subscribed to > the swcollect mailing list. To unsubscribe, send mail to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of 'unsubscribe swcollect' > Archives are available at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This message was sent to you because you are currently subscribed to the swcollect mailing list. To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of 'unsubscribe swcollect' Archives are available at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/
