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How We Got Here - Stuff To Read

Posted by Hemos on from the things-for-your-brane dept.

A reader writes:"Ever wonder why Michael Faraday, steam engines, Ezra Cornell, the Van de Beurses family and the Edison Effect were so important to today's computer business. Andy Kessler has a free download of a PDF of his new book, How We Got Here: A Slightly Irreverent History of Technology and Markets. It's a James Burke-style connect-the-dots of events and people from 1642 to this morning. Kessler's site takes you through a "poor man's DRM" process to get your very own PDF." Yeah, yeah - DRM. But the PDF/book is worth reading for understanding the history to tech. Speaking of good things to read, I also read this little ditty Not Proud, which was good. It's stuff from NotProud.com collected in dead tree form.

7 of 121 comments (clear)

  1. Summary by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful


    we ripped off the British

  2. From Kessler to Not Proud?! by hoegg · · Score: 3, Insightful

    How on earth does NotProud.com possibly relate to the topic of the book?!

  3. Poor Man's DRM? by spiritraveller · · Score: 3, Insightful
    I don't see any DRM at all. In fact, the download site says "Order your e-Book in Unrestricted PDF Format".

    It's not DRM to ask for an email address.

  4. And all without CMM, RUP, UML by tyates · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Gee - how did our predecessors ever accomplish anything without the magic of CMM, RUP, and/or UML.
    :-)

    --
    Tristan Yates
  5. A problem with DRM by Technician · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Thanks for the DRM warning. I have dial-up at home and high speed at work. DRM simply means I can't download the book on my lunch break and take it home for later reading.

    I don't have the time to read it at work. I guess the users of sneakernet are simply locked out of this work. What's the point of offering it for free if you can't read it?

    --
    The truth shall set you free!
  6. Re:There is *no* DRM by hanssprudel · · Score: 4, Insightful

    For your protection, the PDF file you order is personalized with your name and other identifying information.

    ++ Does ++ Not ++ Compute ++

    You have to wonder if they are being purposely ironic, or if they think anyone will believe that. What is wrong with just being flucking honest for once? Just say "To keep you from spreading the PDF, it is personalized with your and name identifying information."

    Files aren't water marked for my protection, DRM isn't about my "security", and "Trusted Computing" is about the opposite of trust. Everybody knows it, why can't they just say it?

  7. We killed their 'delivery system' by Tetravus · · Score: 2, Insightful

    so your mailinator link was super useful. Thanks! What's the point of DRM'ing stuff if the additional load it creates on your server means that no one can get a copy at all?