The Pattern in the Snow: The Simple Ideas That Make Computers Work

Here's a straightforward answer to the question every parent has been asked, and few can answer: How do computers really work? Hillis, the head of Disney's Imagineering Works, begins by describing a stone etched in a complex pattern, which can be asked questions in a strange language and give profound and useful answers. It sounds like witchcraft, but it is a literally accurate description of a computer chip. As he goes on to show, the internal workings of a computer can be broken down into simple components. His first chapter introduces the reader to the rudiments of Boolean logic and simple electrical circuits. These ideas can be used to build simple computers, such as the author's own early design of a machine to play tic-tac-toe, or another made from Tinker Toys. The next step in complexity is the development of specific logical functionsAnd, Or, Invertthat form the basis of almost all computing functions. These concepts are illustrated by the game Rock, Paper, Scissors, converted to digital form. Programming is illustrated with the famous ``turtle'' programs from the Logo computing language, designed to teach children. In similar manner, Hillis introduces the reader step by step to Turing machines, algorithms, encryption, and other advanced concepts. All this is done without discussions of state-of-the-art hardware or engineering problems; in fact, the author encourages the reader to think in terms of ``black box'' modulees that can be combined to perform a desired task. One need not know what's in the box as long as one knows its ultimate function. The final chapters look at issues on the frontiers of computing: machines that learn and adapt, possibly even (in time) machines that can be said to ``think.'' All this is done elegantly and entertainingly, without a whiff of condescension toward the nontechnical reader. Clear and down-to-earth; even hopeless technophobes should find it enlightening. (Author tour) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Hillis is prominent in the field of artificial intelligence. In this addition to Basic's Science Masters series, he takes the computer phobe by the hand and explains the underlying notions of computing, from the description of on and off switches to (possibly) self-organizing computer programs. Hillis concisely outlines how any computer functions. Whether built from Tinker Toys, hydraulic pipes, or silicon, a computer answers statements about Boolean logic, which Hillis illustrates with his description of a machine that plays tick-tack-toe. Constructing such a machine is just a wiring problem (or a plumbing job if water powers your computer); the next step is programming the thing. Giving a comprehensible example of simple computer language, Logos, Hillis conveys the guiding concept behind all computer languages, culminating with speculation on how a computer might eventually become intelligent. A delightful all-in-one introduction to computer science. Gilbert Taylor

Most introductions to computers either take the reader on a mathematical journey through the workings of computer architecture and Boolean logic or introduce them to a particular program or product. Hillis, an innovative computer engineer, tries a different approach by explaining the basic concepts of the computer in everyday language. Everyone has sorted socks and played tic-tac-toe. Hillis uses these simple examples and similar everyday experiences to explain the ideas that make computers work. He takes the reader step-by-step from computer logic to programming to memory and compression. The final two chapters show how computers are truly close to being thinking machines. Highly recommended for anyone studying computer science or electrical engineering, this book is also a good read for anyone who wants a better understanding of how computers work.?William Baer, Brigham Young Univ. Lib., Provo, UT
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.