Where Wizards Stay Up Late Audiobook By Katie Hafner, Matthew Lyon cover art

Where Wizards Stay Up Late

The Origins of the Internet

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Where Wizards Stay Up Late

By: Katie Hafner, Matthew Lyon
Narrated by: Mark Douglas Nelson
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Twenty-five years ago, it didn't exist. Today, 20 million people worldwide are surfing the Net. Where Wizards Stay Up Late is the exciting story of the pioneers responsible for creating the most talked about, most influential, and most far-reaching communications breakthrough since the invention of the telephone.

In the 1960s, when computers where regarded as mere giant calculators, J.C.R. Licklider at MIT saw them as the ultimate communications devices. With Defense Department funds, he and a band of visionary computer whizzes began work on a nationwide, interlocking network of computers. Taking listeners behind the scenes, Where Wizards Stay Up Late captures the hard work, genius, and happy accidents of their daring, stunningly successful venture.

©1996 Katie Hafner (P)2012 Katie Hafner Americas United States Technology Inspiring Wizardry Magic Users Computer History
Engaging Historical Account • Comprehensive Technical Explanations • Smooth Voice • Fascinating Internet Origins
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This book will appeal to technically versed people who are interested not only in the history of the internet but also in the inner-workings of networks and how the various protocols of the internet (TCP, TCP/IP, FTP, SMTP, etc) came into existence.

Love From a Techie

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The book goes deep on the early days, but not so much on the resulting internet. I was expecting a little more.

Okay

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Could have cut at least 4 chapters. Reads like a treatise. Voice was very dry.

Good story, but too long

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Interesting topic, but everything could have been said in half the length. I did learn quite a bit, but it was a struggle to finish the book.

Boring

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Everything you always wanted to know about ARPANET and the creation of the internet --plus the other 85%. WWSUL should be in every computer history buff's collection. (On the other hand, if this area of computing isn't of particular interest for you, try Isaacson's books instead.) Good nerd stuff!

Everything you always wanted to know...

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I am embarrassed to say that I first learned of th ARPA net during an interview at Data General in 1984. DARPA, ARPA, Ethernet, internet, packer switching, TCP/IP. It’s all in this fine historical account.

Birth of the Internet

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great book, the unsung heroes of the internet. no detail left out. must read for anyone wanting to know more about the internet

great book<br />

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It is basically a history book with a lot of names and dates. I feel more educated having listened to it but it was tough to get through.

Very technical

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Tells the tale of the pioneering engineers at DARPA who built the technology the morphed into the World Wide Web. Rejected as pure academics that didn't understand how things really worked by the phone companies and other. They had to believe in their abilities, passions, and put in insane hours to transform the world.

They gave birth to the web

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What other book might you compare Where Wizards Stay Up Late to and why?

The also excellent 'A History of the Internet and the Digital Future' by Johnny Ryan covers similar material, but has a much wider focus, whereas Wizards focuses in much more depth on the early period specifically.

Any additional comments?

The definitive book on the creation and early history of the Internet.

A must read!!!

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