The author of this pioneering compendium knits together a
great deal of computer- and hacker-related folklore with good
writing and a few well-chosen cartoons. She has a keen eye for
the human aspects of the lore and is very good at illuminating
the psychology and evolution of hackerdom. Unfortunately, a
number of small errors and awkwardnesses suggest that she didn't
have the final manuscript checked over by a native speaker; the
glossary in the back is particularly embarrassing, and at least
one classic tale (the Magic Switch story, retold here under A Story About Magic in
Appendix A is given in incomplete and badly mangled form.
Nevertheless, this book is a win overall and can be enjoyed by
hacker and non-hacker alike.
The Soul
of a New Machine