A journey through the uncomputable remains of computer history Narrating some lesser known episodes from the deep history of digital machines, Alexander R. Galloway explains the technology that drives the world today, and the fascinating people who brought these machines to life. With an eye to both the computable and the uncomputable, Galloway shows how computation emerges or fails to emerge, how the digital thrives but also atrophies, how networks interconnect while also fray and fall apart. By re-building obsolete technology using today's software, the past comes to light in new ways, from intricate algebraic patterns woven on a hand loom, to striking artificial-life simulations, to war games and back boxes. A description of the past, this book is also an assessment of all that remains uncomputable as we continue to live in the aftermath of the long digital age.

一场穿越计算机历史上不可计算的遗迹的旅行 叙述了数字机器的深层历史中一些鲜为人知的事件，亚历山大-R-加洛韦解释了驱动当今世界的技术，以及将这些机器带入生活的迷人的人。加洛韦着眼于可计算的和不可计算的，展示了计算是如何出现或失败的，数字是如何茁壮成长但也是如何萎缩的，网络是如何相互连接但也是如何破裂的。通过使用今天的软件重新构建过时的技术，过去以新的方式显现出来，从手织机上编织的复杂的代数图案，到引人注目的人工生命模拟，再到战争游戏和背箱。本书是对过去的描述，也是对我们继续生活在漫长的数字时代之后，所有仍然无法计算的东西的评估。