Mark Priestley Livres

The history of the first programmable electronic computer, from its conception, construction, and use to its afterlife as a part of computing folklore.

Disability: a Life Course Approach provides students and teachers with easy access to many of the most important current disability issues and debates. It provides a clearly focused account, and bridges some important gaps in the existing disability literature by including issues relevant to disabled people of all ages. schovat popis

This work is a historical and philosophical study of the programming work carried out by John von Neumann in the period 1945-8. At the heart of the book is an examination of a manuscript featuring the earliest known surviving example of von Neumann’s coding, a routine written in 1945 to ‘mesh’ two sequences of data and intended to be part of a larger program implementing the algorithm now known as mergesort. The text of the manuscript itself, along with a preliminary document describing the code he used to write this program, are reproduced as appendices. The program is approached in three chapters describing the historical background to von Neumann’s work, the significance of the sorting application itself, and the development of the EDVAC, the machine for which the program was written. The subsequent chapters widen the focus again, discussing the subsequent evolution of the program and the crucial topic of subroutines, before concluding by situating von Neumann’s work in a number of wider contexts. The book also offers a unifying philosophical interpretation of von Neumann’s approach to coding.

Focusing on the evolving treatment of disabled individuals in Britain since the 1940s, this book critically assesses whether genuine progress has been made in their lives. It highlights the importance of biographical methods to explore social and historical transformations, offering insights into the experiences of disabled people over time. Through a socio-historical lens, it examines both the challenges and advancements faced by this community.

Focusing on the collaboration between health and welfare professionals and disabled individuals, this book advocates for a reorganization of service provision. It offers practical suggestions aimed at redefining how services are delivered, emphasizing the importance of involving disabled people in the decision-making process. The author highlights the need for a more inclusive approach to community care, ultimately fostering better support systems that align with the needs and perspectives of those directly affected.

The book explores the remarkable versatility of computers, highlighting their ability to perform a wide variety of tasks due to the extensive range of software available. It delves into how this adaptability has transformed modern life and the implications of such technology on various fields.