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BOOK FEATURE : : : : |
People have an intimate—almost romantic—relationship with their computers. |
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That happens when you're staring at one object for several hours each day, fingers lovingly clicking away on a keyboard. But the strong feelings you may have today for your loaded MacBook Pro may obscure the memory of those who came before her. Do you remember your first computer? Floppy disks? Tape drives? In an industry that literally evolves at warp speed, it's fascinating to look back at technology’s history. CORE MEMORY is a guided tour through some of the most notable and curious devices in the history of computing. Featuring important and eccentric machines spanning more than five decades, this book brings the inspired design of pioneering computer scientists into sharp focus. Included are 35 machines from the collection of the Computer History Museum in the heart of Silicon Valley—the largest assemblage of vintage technology in the world. Included are such historically important computers as the ENIAC, Johnniac, Apple I and II and many more. Photographer Mark Richards' lovingly detailed images reveal the sometimes surprising marks of human effort (such as a console equipped with its own ashtray), and presents a capsule visual history of modern computing. The photos are surprisingly beautiful, a look at computers in an unexpectedly alluring way. "This book was conceived when I happened upon a vintage computer festival," says Richards. "It had all kinds of undiscovered gems. Looking at all those machines, I thought 'Wow—these are really beautiful. Doesn't everybody see this?'" Rediscovering the relics of the computers' past evokes a kind of nostalgia. "Technology's evolution is linked to humanity," says Richards. "It's a continuing cycle. The culture embraces technology, gets bored with it, and tries something new. Before the computer came the typewriter. Before that, the pencil. Yet people will always say that things were better before. It's a continual cycle of embrace and deny, embrace and deny." Looking back at how far we've come—and how quickly—makes you wonder what innovations lie ahead. "Although technology has speeded up like hell, relatively speaking, technology hasn't changed that much," says Richards. "In terms of where current technology stands, I don't think we've even built the pyramids yet." Read an excerpt from Core Memory in this excerpt. WIN A PRINT FROM THE BOOK |
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More Art & Design Titles |
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HOLLYWOOD DADS Photographer Joyce Ostin, renowned for her New York Times bestseller Hollywood Moms, goes behind the scenes to capture 50 famous fathers with their children. |
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THE 1000 JOURNALS PROJECT One thousand blank journals are currently circulating throughout the world, beckoning contributors who find the journals by chance on trains, in cafés, and anonymously left on doorsteps. Artist Someguy shares more than 250 of the best entries. |
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FLORENCE BROADHURST Florence Broadhurst paints an unforgettable portrait of a woman ahead of her time. To this day, mystery shrouds her myriad personae—starlet, couturier, painter—as well as her unsolved murder. |
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INSIDE NORTH KOREA Award-winning photographer Mark Edward Harris has had rare access to this reclusive country, documenting life along its northern border with China and the highly militarized DMZ dividing North and South Korea. |
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