Your Shopping Cart

Your shopping cart is empty!

Discover our bestsellers
Subtotal0 Item0
Go to Shopping Cart
NEW
XL
XL books are at least 34 cm (13.4 in.) high, with the exception of landscape-format titles

The Computer. A History from the 17th Century to Today

Hardcover9.7 x 14.6 in.8.58 lb472 pages80
Availability: In Stock
From analog to digital, mainframes to mobile phones – with photos, ads, and concept drawings of inventions that ushered in the digital era, this visual survey of the Information Age reveals how the computer and the internet irreversibly transformed our world.
NEW
XL
XL books are at least 34 cm (13.4 in.) high, with the exception of landscape-format titles
The Computer

The Computer

80

In the Beginning Was the Computer

A history from early calculating machines to today

The story of the evolution of machines in computer history is full of the disruptive innovations that have led to today’s world. From the early beginnings of computing to the bulky mainframe to the personal computer era, we now live in an almost entirely digital age.

The Computer explores steps from the first ideas of a calculating machine in the 19th century and early experiments with autonomous driving in the 1920s to oversized office computers in the 1950s to laptops and wearables of today. Jens Müller delivers a visual understanding of the emergence of the Information Age that hasn’t been shown before. Tracing the stories of tech visionaries, pioneers, and entrepreneurs, the book combines compelling visuals, historical documents, and in-depth explanations to reveal significant events in computer history. Encompassing the invention of machines, coding, and software development, as well as technology's influence on today's political landscape.

This survey presents creations from Ada Lovelace, Charles Babbage, Alan Turing, Grace Hopper, Bill Gates, and Steve Jobs. Showcasing forgotten gadgets and prototypes connecting iconic products such as the Apple Macintosh and the Sony Play Station. As well as remembering milestones in software development, videogaming, and the web. Infographics explain wireless communication and other fundamental technical concepts, while the history of corporations such as IBM, Apple, Microsoft, Atari, Amazon, and Google is retraced through rare photographs and advertising campaigns.

A fascinating read, this book acknowledges the computer’s stupendous power and social impact. For techies and everyone interested in culture, economics, politics, and science, it illustrates how we got here today and helps us ask better questions about where we will be tomorrow.
The author

Jens Müller was born in Koblenz, Germany, in 1982 and studied graphic design. Recipient of numerous national and international design awards, he is creative director of Vista design studio in Düsseldorf and professor of corporate design at the Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts. Author and editor of several books, Müller researches the history of graphic design and corporate identity.

The editor

Julius Wiedemann studied graphic design and marketing and was an art editor for newspapers and design magazines in Tokyo before joining TASCHEN in 2001. His titles include the Illustration Now! and Record Covers series, as well as the infographics collection and books about advertising and visual culture.

The Computer. A History from the 17th Century to Today
Hardcover24.6 x 37.2 cm3.89 kg472 pages

ISBN 978-3-8365-7334-4

Edition: English, French, German

ISBN 978-3-8365-7335-1

Edition: English, Italian, Spanish
Download product images here

5

/5

1 Rating

5

Jamel T.,June 11, 2023
A New Kid in Town Recomputing and Computing history are hot topics these days. If needed to be convinced, look at how successful and prolific the UK publisher Bitmap Books is (here - https://www.bitmapbooks.com/). As early as 2007, Chronicle Books published the coffee table book: Core Memory: A Visual Survey of Vintage Computers. The minimalistic write-up by John Alderman and the gorgeous photos by Mark Richards was the reference in its three editions. Note that you can buy several of Mark’s pictures online (here - https://markrichards.photoshelter.com/index/G0000VJhQWAH9K9A). But it is over now, with the just-released The Computer published by Taschen (editor Julius Wiedemann – ISBN 978-3-8365-7334-4 – here - https://www.taschen.com/en/books/popculture/04692/the-computer/). For $80, this large and heavy book (XL) can be yours! Like Core Memory, The Computer is multilingual, and you can choose between two versions: English, French, and German (the one I picked) or English, Italian, and Spanish. In his book, Jens Müller retraces the period from the 17th century to today. Even in 472 pages, this is a tour de force. And after a day of cherry-picking, I see no outrageous gaps or missing periods. Of course, this is not a scholarly computer history per se, but a beautiful, highly documented visual encyclopedia. I enjoy jumping between topics and appreciate the author’s holistic approach. Indeed, Jens opens the aperture and presents us with the era overview, the representative computers, of course, but also related marital, such as advertisements, magazines, hand-drawn schemas, etc. Last but not least, the photos and illustrations are exceptional, making the read a pure delight! Beware, though; this book is a beast (XL – Hardcover, 9.7 x 14.6 in., 8.58 lbs., 472 pages). The print quality is excellent, and the paper quality is good. I wish it would be packed with the same case Bitmap Books takes when shipping their books. I was lucky; the ~10 lbs book survived the delivery process. Ah, one thing is sure, you will need an open table or invest in a bookstand (here - https://www.taschen.com/en/accessories/art/37102/taschen-s-bookstand) to enjoy The Computer. https://jameltayeb.com/2023/06/11/a-new-kid-in-town/