Very Readable, 29 Aug 2006
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and once into it found it very hard to put down. Whilst an entertaining read I like other reviewers wonder whether we have been given a caricature of Steve Jobs as opposed to the real man. There are lots of relationships that I wished I knew more about such as his interaction with Woz.

Certainly worth looking at.

Fascinating Person, Good Book, 07 Aug 2006
Being in my early thirties and working in technology, I've always had an interest in the early computing gang (Jobs, Woz, Gates etc.). Much has already been written about the early years in the Valley and this book recounts those times in great detail, maybe at the expense of more recent events. The last two years of events in the book seem added as an afterthought (I realise that this is an updated version but ..) and the research doesn't seem as thorough or the story as well told. All told, a good book about a fascinating person.

The story from college dropout to billionaire businessman., 08 Mar 2006
The book tells a comprehensive story of the history of Steve Jobs business dealings. It says the subject is a driven, selfish sometimes rude person. I still do not feel that I know what Steve Jobs is like everyday as a person. I still do not know why an Apple computer is diferent from a PC. The last 20 percent of the book is about Disney. The book is a story of Steve Jobs amazing business career but not a personal biography of the man.

Jobs: The Good, the bad and the ugly, plus the great!, 19 Jan 2006
I have to declare I love Mac's, I love Ipods and I love every movie that Pixar have made - that should make me a fan of Steve Jobs.

This book tells the story of his life so far, from birth, through education and right up to the present day, it pulls no punches about both his personal flaws and his corporate failures - it is a real page-turner and left me as thrilled as I have been by any fiction by the likes of Clancy or Grisham.

If you love Jobs then read the book, if you hate him then read it, if you haven't heard of Jobs, Macs, Ipods or even Pixar, then read the book!

It should be compulsory reading for any business studies student and any would-be entraprenour.

Why, becuase it shows the reality of what real business is like in the real world - even if this version of reality is larger than life!

An account Steve Jobs may not want to read, 06 Jan 2006
It's what an unauthorised biography should be, honest and as accurate as is "possibly" allowed without legal repercussions.

I found myself at points wondering “is this stuff too good to be true?” The answer is yes and no, the authors have done a fantastic job in researching Steve Jobs’ life and have been tactful in his most private life, however I felt that they were sometimes too biased towards the Steve Jobs ideology or rather "jobsian" attitude the authors refer to all the time. They almost seem too convinced of what they were writing was the truth, and how Steve Jobs would want it to be written rather than some of the raw and underlying truths of his personal and more publicised business life.

Overall the book was well written and as mentioned well researched, but beware, I am now convinced that I should save up for an iPod after reading how great and how revolutionary it has been to the music world.

Very Readable, 29 Aug 2006
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and once into it found it very hard to put down. Whilst an entertaining read I like other reviewers wonder whether we have been given a caricature of Steve Jobs as opposed to the real man. There are lots of relationships that I wished I knew more about such as his interaction with Woz.

Certainly worth looking at.

Fascinating Person, Good Book, 07 Aug 2006
Being in my early thirties and working in technology, I've always had an interest in the early computing gang (Jobs, Woz, Gates etc.). Much has already been written about the early years in the Valley and this book recounts those times in great detail, maybe at the expense of more recent events. The last two years of events in the book seem added as an afterthought (I realise that this is an updated version but ..) and the research doesn't seem as thorough or the story as well told. All told, a good book about a fascinating person.

The story from college dropout to billionaire businessman., 08 Mar 2006
The book tells a comprehensive story of the history of Steve Jobs business dealings. It says the subject is a driven, selfish sometimes rude person. I still do not feel that I know what Steve Jobs is like everyday as a person. I still do not know why an Apple computer is diferent from a PC. The last 20 percent of the book is about Disney. The book is a story of Steve Jobs amazing business career but not a personal biography of the man.

Jobs: The Good, the bad and the ugly, plus the great!, 19 Jan 2006
I have to declare I love Mac's, I love Ipods and I love every movie that Pixar have made - that should make me a fan of Steve Jobs.

This book tells the story of his life so far, from birth, through education and right up to the present day, it pulls no punches about both his personal flaws and his corporate failures - it is a real page-turner and left me as thrilled as I have been by any fiction by the likes of Clancy or Grisham.

If you love Jobs then read the book, if you hate him then read it, if you haven't heard of Jobs, Macs, Ipods or even Pixar, then read the book!

It should be compulsory reading for any business studies student and any would-be entraprenour.

Why, becuase it shows the reality of what real business is like in the real world - even if this version of reality is larger than life!

An account Steve Jobs may not want to read, 06 Jan 2006
It's what an unauthorised biography should be, honest and as accurate as is "possibly" allowed without legal repercussions.

I found myself at points wondering “is this stuff too good to be true?” The answer is yes and no, the authors have done a fantastic job in researching Steve Jobs’ life and have been tactful in his most private life, however I felt that they were sometimes too biased towards the Steve Jobs ideology or rather "jobsian" attitude the authors refer to all the time. They almost seem too convinced of what they were writing was the truth, and how Steve Jobs would want it to be written rather than some of the raw and underlying truths of his personal and more publicised business life.

Overall the book was well written and as mentioned well researched, but beware, I am now convinced that I should save up for an iPod after reading how great and how revolutionary it has been to the music world.

beauty !, 21 Jun 2008
A very interesting combination of sport and awareness and leadership by example.
compassion in sports coaching , a rare thing.
mike

Peace of mind on the hardwood, 21 Aug 2000
Having read this book about 3 times already, I can truly say that Phil Jackson has discovered how to make players into superstars and superstars into players. The only thing that seperates players at the NBA level is mental toughness and this book outlines the what, how and why he did it. To get the greatest player ever to play in a team concept is tough and he's done it successfully.This book also provided me with an insight into the art of zen and it's implication on this great game. To summarize, I would recommend this book to anyone who wishes to learn about Phil Jackson and his success in Chigaco

Every hoopster needs to read this, 27 May 1999
This book helped me find peace with myself on the basketball court. Concepts of teamwork and selflessness have never been drilled home so well. My attitude on the court completely turned around after I read and understood this book. I wouldn't go so far to say it changed my life, but it definitely changed my life between the lines of the court.

profound reading experience, 02 May 1999
Like a sinner seeking salvation in the bible, Jackson's book, Sacred Hoops, helped change my life. His words helped me take control of my life by allowing me to understand who I truly am beneath my skin and within my soul. His vision helped me to see more clearly and if I could, I would thank him for showing me a path I would have never ordinarily traveled.

Good Stuff with a great perspective !, 17 Mar 1999
This book is great reading for those who lose faith in modern day sports and society in general. For once, you hear someone talk about teamwork, selflessness, sacrifice, positive attitude, etc. These are foreign concepts to most of today's NBA stars, but are what success is really all about. I also applaud Phil Jackson for daring to be different. Seeing things differently is often at the core of many successes. In this case, its using the power of the mind and selfless attitudes that are positioned as keys to taking you to the top. These ideas transcend basketball and make for good reading for anyone. I only wish their were more "originals" with a conscience like Phil Jackson.

Whether you like a good story, social history, computers, or are just nostalgic about Joe Lyons' "caffs", A Computer Called LEO is an appealing tale, illustrated with black and white photos, about the advent of the first computer.

Georgina Ferry conjures up the image of some 300 female accounts clerks, clacking away continuously on their Burroughs mechanical calculators checking bills against takings for the 250 or so J Lyons & Co high street teashops in the 1930s. The manager of the accounting operation in pre-war times was a bright young man called John Simmons. According to Ferry, as Simmons surveyed the room "all he saw was a waste of human intelligence" and he began to dream of the day when machines would be invented capable of doing all this work automatically. Within 10 years he made the first stage in that dream a reality by persuading the board of Lyons that their company must become the first in the world to build its own electronic digital computer. A Computer Called LEO is the wonderful story of this one remarkable man's ambition and success in achieving it.

Ferry interweaves LEO's story with the history of computing. British mathematicians have played an integral role in this development ever since the days of Charles Babbage (1792-1871). Like Simmons, Babbage had been interested in improved factory management. The ultimately tragic figure of Alan Turing and the wartime development of computers at Bletchley Park also figure in the lead up to LEO.

Development was delayed by World War II and Ferry expertly goes on to tell how, on November 29, 1951, LEO took over Bakery Valuations and became the first computer in the world to run a routine office job. But it wasn't until 1954 that LEO was judged reliable enough to finally take over from the clerks. By the following year, John Simmons had fulfilled his dream and was able to declare that "LEO leaves clerks free to use their brains to their own greater benefit and the service of the community". One needs to add that to Lyons & Co's great credit this was achieved without any compulsory redundancies; indeed employment increased. Britain led the world in computer development at the time and there was considerable potential for the turning of a cottage industry in to an international money-maker, but that required considerable investment.

The end of Ferry's story of LEO tells of how Britain let an advantage slip from their grasp as US money, muscle, management and determination took over and IBM went on to win the day. --Douglas Palmer.

Very Readable, 29 Aug 2006
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and once into it found it very hard to put down. Whilst an entertaining read I like other reviewers wonder whether we have been given a caricature of Steve Jobs as opposed to the real man. There are lots of relationships that I wished I knew more about such as his interaction with Woz.

Certainly worth looking at.

Fascinating Person, Good Book, 07 Aug 2006
Being in my early thirties and working in technology, I've always had an interest in the early computing gang (Jobs, Woz, Gates etc.). Much has already been written about the early years in the Valley and this book recounts those times in great detail, maybe at the expense of more recent events. The last two years of events in the book seem added as an afterthought (I realise that this is an updated version but ..) and the research doesn't seem as thorough or the story as well told. All told, a good book about a fascinating person.

The story from college dropout to billionaire businessman., 08 Mar 2006
The book tells a comprehensive story of the history of Steve Jobs business dealings. It says the subject is a driven, selfish sometimes rude person. I still do not feel that I know what Steve Jobs is like everyday as a person. I still do not know why an Apple computer is diferent from a PC. The last 20 percent of the book is about Disney. The book is a story of Steve Jobs amazing business career but not a personal biography of the man.

Jobs: The Good, the bad and the ugly, plus the great!, 19 Jan 2006
I have to declare I love Mac's, I love Ipods and I love every movie that Pixar have made - that should make me a fan of Steve Jobs.

This book tells the story of his life so far, from birth, through education and right up to the present day, it pulls no punches about both his personal flaws and his corporate failures - it is a real page-turner and left me as thrilled as I have been by any fiction by the likes of Clancy or Grisham.

If you love Jobs then read the book, if you hate him then read it, if you haven't heard of Jobs, Macs, Ipods or even Pixar, then read the book!

It should be compulsory reading for any business studies student and any would-be entraprenour.

Why, becuase it shows the reality of what real business is like in the real world - even if this version of reality is larger than life!

An account Steve Jobs may not want to read, 06 Jan 2006
It's what an unauthorised biography should be, honest and as accurate as is "possibly" allowed without legal repercussions.

I found myself at points wondering “is this stuff too good to be true?” The answer is yes and no, the authors have done a fantastic job in researching Steve Jobs’ life and have been tactful in his most private life, however I felt that they were sometimes too biased towards the Steve Jobs ideology or rather "jobsian" attitude the authors refer to all the time. They almost seem too convinced of what they were writing was the truth, and how Steve Jobs would want it to be written rather than some of the raw and underlying truths of his personal and more publicised business life.

Overall the book was well written and as mentioned well researched, but beware, I am now convinced that I should save up for an iPod after reading how great and how revolutionary it has been to the music world.

beauty !, 21 Jun 2008
A very interesting combination of sport and awareness and leadership by example.
compassion in sports coaching , a rare thing.
mike

Peace of mind on the hardwood, 21 Aug 2000
Having read this book about 3 times already, I can truly say that Phil Jackson has discovered how to make players into superstars and superstars into players. The only thing that seperates players at the NBA level is mental toughness and this book outlines the what, how and why he did it. To get the greatest player ever to play in a team concept is tough and he's done it successfully.This book also provided me with an insight into the art of zen and it's implication on this great game. To summarize, I would recommend this book to anyone who wishes to learn about Phil Jackson and his success in Chigaco

Every hoopster needs to read this, 27 May 1999
This book helped me find peace with myself on the basketball court. Concepts of teamwork and selflessness have never been drilled home so well. My attitude on the court completely turned around after I read and understood this book. I wouldn't go so far to say it changed my life, but it definitely changed my life between the lines of the court.

profound reading experience, 02 May 1999
Like a sinner seeking salvation in the bible, Jackson's book, Sacred Hoops, helped change my life. His words helped me take control of my life by allowing me to understand who I truly am beneath my skin and within my soul. His vision helped me to see more clearly and if I could, I would thank him for showing me a path I would have never ordinarily traveled.

Good Stuff with a great perspective !, 17 Mar 1999
This book is great reading for those who lose faith in modern day sports and society in general. For once, you hear someone talk about teamwork, selflessness, sacrifice, positive attitude, etc. These are foreign concepts to most of today's NBA stars, but are what success is really all about. I also applaud Phil Jackson for daring to be different. Seeing things differently is often at the core of many successes. In this case, its using the power of the mind and selfless attitudes that are positioned as keys to taking you to the top. These ideas transcend basketball and make for good reading for anyone. I only wish their were more "originals" with a conscience like Phil Jackson.

Business needs came first for the teashop company's computer, 30 Jun 2005
There are two stories in this satisfying little book: one the story of a computer, or rather line of computers, and the other the story of a company. The curve of the Lyons company is traced from the company's origins in catering for exhibitions in the 19th century, through its heights in the 20s and 30s when its tea shops were the clerical worker's favoured lunch stop, to the post-way years of austerity when formica had replaced marble and service by waitresses (or "Nippys") had given way to self-service. At this point a visionary management, always looking for increased efficeincy in the business of getting buns from bakeries to plates as cost-effectively as possible, starts to automate its clerical functions by computer. What was so remarkable about this, as Georgina Ferry makes very clear, was that no company in the woorld had previously done this. Computers had been tools for universities and government researchers, not management information systems for businesses. What emerges clearly from her account is that the systems developers never lost sight of business needs in their extraordinary efforts to invent an industry from scratch. This book has several delights: the description of mercury delay lines shows how difficult it was to implement memory in the pre-semiconductor age and the continuous Swiss Roll bakery is a hard image to forget.

Ironically in view of its origins in "temperance fare", Lyons was swallowed up by a brewery at last. The computer subsidiary, having blazed a trail in business automation, was itself consumed by English Electric to become part of ICL and later Fujitsu. Georgina Ferry - wisely - does not draw too explicitly conclusions about British entrepreneurial skills from the whole history: she leaves us however with an impression that the history of computing in Britain and elsewhere might have been very different if opportunities had been grasped.

Entertaining and illuminating, 21 Jun 2005
This little book is a fascinating look at one of the little known stories of computer history: that UK catering giant Lyons not only built the world first business computer, but then set up their own company (Lyons Electronic Office or LEO for short)to sell the machines to European businesses trying to get back on their feet after the war.
The book is well written, and easy enough to understand whatever your understanding of computers is like. The notion of a computer is introduced early on, as well as the peculiar requirements of the massive Lyons empire that led to the introduction of the LEO. The book not only charts the development and introduction of the machine, but also the ultimate decline of the once proud company and the fate of its groudbreaking technology. The story is ultimately a typical story of an economically challenged post-war British company trying to recover its pre-war heyday, but the tone of the book is always upbeat, concentrating on the achievements other than their ultimate failure.
Computer history owes a great deal to British efforts. The UK built (in secret) the first wholly digital computer (Colossus), the first electronically-programmable computer and the first dedicated office computer but these achievements are often overlooked in other books which are mostly written by American authors and concentrate on the US story (fair enough) but are then presented as the whole story. This little book is a timely, readable and utterly likeable reminder that once upon the time the UK led the world in computer research, development and application and that the US hasn't always been the leader in the field.
Highly recommended.

A fascinating story well told, 13 Dec 2004
I'm only a few chapters into this book, but am back to buy another copy to give to a friend.

If you are interested in how innovation happens in business, or in the development of the computer industry, or in the application from first principles of computers to real-world problems, or in productive co-operation between industry and academia, or in user-centred product development, or in how immigrants can benefit an economy, then there is raw material for you in this book. It is (at least as far as I have read) a gripping story rather than an academic analysis- read how it was, and then if you feel so inclined draw your own conclusions.

When I joined the computer industry in 1965, a friend in IBM confided in me that the Leo (Lyons Electronic Office) series of computers (already in there last days) were IBM's most serious rival in commercial computing. This book makes this entirely credible. If you're British, read it and reflect on how British people managed to invent both commercial computing and the web, and yet Britain manages now to be a distant follower in both areas of endeavour.

Brings back the pioneering days of British Computing, 05 Dec 2003
Being 'in the trade' myself, and having used in my time Computers from Elliott, ICT, GEC, ICL, Data General, DEC, Burroughs, as well as IBM, I wondered whether this would just be a 're-hash' of some old war stories.

I was pleasantly surprised as to how Georgina Ferry had managed to breathe fresh life into the old tale.

It's particularly ironic today with all the emphasis on Data Modelling, Business Modelling, UML etc to look back at John Simmons's work and see just how visionary he was to take a Business-driven approach to both software & hardware nearly 40 years ago.

One puzzle remains : John Simmons retired in 1968; there's no mention in this book of what happened to him thereafter, but we do get biographies of all the other key characters.

Superbly Evocative Picture of the Pre-Silicon Era, 26 Aug 2003
As an enthusiast of vacuum tube radio technology, with its smells of hot dust and pipe tobacco, I found the story of the Lyons Electronic Office to be a superb metaphor for the British approach to engineering - uncertain, incremental, cautious, yet with flashes of great brilliance.

John Simmons and his team knew they were far ahead of everyone else (just as, earlier, at Bletchley Park, Thomas Flowers and Alan Turing must have known the same about their 'Colossus' machine) and we see that the dedication and enthusiasm produced by that awareness led them to the very forefront of an emerging technology. In 2003, vacuum tubes and tanks of mercury must seem very 'Heath Robinson' to us, yet it is worth reflecting upon the vast distance the computing industry has travelled in the 50 years since LEO. For a vivid example of this journey - go to the Science Museum in London and take a look at the Ferranti 'Pegasus' machine on display as a contemporary of LEO.

Alas, the business world failed to capitalise on the opportunity and the subsequent mergers meant opportunity was lost.In fairness, the author does make the point that the mergers that led to the creation of ICL had to happen to make the industry, as a whole, stand any kind of chance against the huge US market. Despite this, the Americans were still able to achieve dominance.

This is a fascinating story, skilfully told to engage and capture the reader's attention. There are no heavy techie details and no long/boring corporate manifestos - just the plain simple story of the vision of those who saw an opportunity to advance their own view of the application of knowledge for the benefit of all.

Very Readable, 29 Aug 2006
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and once into it found it very hard to put down. Whilst an entertaining read I like other reviewers wonder whether we have been given a caricature of Steve Jobs as opposed to the real man. There are lots of relationships that I wished I knew more about such as his interaction with Woz.

Certainly worth looking at.

Fascinating Person, Good Book, 07 Aug 2006
Being in my early thirties and working in technology, I've always had an interest in the early computing gang (Jobs, Woz, Gates etc.). Much has already been written about the early years in the Valley and this book recounts those times in great detail, maybe at the expense of more recent events. The last two years of events in the book seem added as an afterthought (I realise that this is an updated version but ..) and the research doesn't seem as thorough or the story as well told. All told, a good book about a fascinating person.

The story from college dropout to billionaire businessman., 08 Mar 2006
The book tells a comprehensive story of the history of Steve Jobs business dealings. It says the subject is a driven, selfish sometimes rude person. I still do not feel that I know what Steve Jobs is like everyday as a person. I still do not know why an Apple computer is diferent from a PC. The last 20 percent of the book is about Disney. The book is a story of Steve Jobs amazing business career but not a personal biography of the man.

Jobs: The Good, the bad and the ugly, plus the great!, 19 Jan 2006
I have to declare I love Mac's, I love Ipods and I love every movie that Pixar have made - that should make me a fan of Steve Jobs.

This book tells the story of his life so far, from birth, through education and right up to the present day, it pulls no punches about both his personal flaws and his corporate failures - it is a real page-turner and left me as thrilled as I have been by any fiction by the likes of Clancy or Grisham.

If you love Jobs then read the book, if you hate him then read it, if you haven't heard of Jobs, Macs, Ipods or even Pixar, then read the book!

It should be compulsory reading for any business studies student and any would-be entraprenour.

Why, becuase it shows the reality of what real business is like in the real world - even if this version of reality is larger than life!

An account Steve Jobs may not want to read, 06 Jan 2006
It's what an unauthorised biography should be, honest and as accurate as is "possibly" allowed without legal repercussions.

I found myself at points wondering “is this stuff too good to be true?” The answer is yes and no, the authors have done a fantastic job in researching Steve Jobs’ life and have been tactful in his most private life, however I felt that they were sometimes too biased towards the Steve Jobs ideology or rather "jobsian" attitude the authors refer to all the time. They almost seem too convinced of what they were writing was the truth, and how Steve Jobs would want it to be written rather than some of the raw and underlying truths of his personal and more publicised business life.

Overall the book was well written and as mentioned well researched, but beware, I am now convinced that I should save up for an iPod after reading how great and how revolutionary it has been to the music world.

beauty !, 21 Jun 2008
A very interesting combination of sport and awareness and leadership by example.
compassion in sports coaching , a rare thing.
mike

Peace of mind on the hardwood, 21 Aug 2000
Having read this book about 3 times already, I can truly say that Phil Jackson has discovered how to make players into superstars and superstars into players. The only thing that seperates players at the NBA level is mental toughness and this book outlines the what, how and why he did it. To get the greatest player ever to play in a team concept is tough and he's done it successfully.This book also provided me with an insight into the art of zen and it's implication on this great game. To summarize, I would recommend this book to anyone who wishes to learn about Phil Jackson and his success in Chigaco

Every hoopster needs to read this, 27 May 1999
This book helped me find peace with myself on the basketball court. Concepts of teamwork and selflessness have never been drilled home so well. My attitude on the court completely turned around after I read and understood this book. I wouldn't go so far to say it changed my life, but it definitely changed my life between the lines of the court.

profound reading experience, 02 May 1999
Like a sinner seeking salvation in the bible, Jackson's book, Sacred Hoops, helped change my life. His words helped me take control of my life by allowing me to understand who I truly am beneath my skin and within my soul. His vision helped me to see more clearly and if I could, I would thank him for showing me a path I would have never ordinarily traveled.

Good Stuff with a great perspective !, 17 Mar 1999
This book is great reading for those who lose faith in modern day sports and society in general. For once, you hear someone talk about teamwork, selflessness, sacrifice, positive attitude, etc. These are foreign concepts to most of today's NBA stars, but are what success is really all about. I also applaud Phil Jackson for daring to be different. Seeing things differently is often at the core of many successes. In this case, its using the power of the mind and selfless attitudes that are positioned as keys to taking you to the top. These ideas transcend basketball and make for good reading for anyone. I only wish their were more "originals" with a conscience like Phil Jackson.

Business needs came first for the teashop company's computer, 30 Jun 2005
There are two stories in this satisfying little book: one the story of a computer, or rather line of computers, and the other the story of a company. The curve of the Lyons company is traced from the company's origins in catering for exhibitions in the 19th century, through its heights in the 20s and 30s when its tea shops were the clerical worker's favoured lunch stop, to the post-way years of austerity when formica had replaced marble and service by waitresses (or "Nippys") had given way to self-service. At this point a visionary management, always looking for increased efficeincy in the business of getting buns from bakeries to plates as cost-effectively as possible, starts to automate its clerical functions by computer. What was so remarkable about this, as Georgina Ferry makes very clear, was that no company in the woorld had previously done this. Computers had been tools for universities and government researchers, not management information systems for businesses. What emerges clearly from her account is that the systems developers never lost sight of business needs in their extraordinary efforts to invent an industry from scratch. This book has several delights: the description of mercury delay lines shows how difficult it was to implement memory in the pre-semiconductor age and the continuous Swiss Roll bakery is a hard image to forget.

Ironically in view of its origins in "temperance fare", Lyons was swallowed up by a brewery at last. The computer subsidiary, having blazed a trail in business automation, was itself consumed by English Electric to become part of ICL and later Fujitsu. Georgina Ferry - wisely - does not draw too explicitly conclusions about British entrepreneurial skills from the whole history: she leaves us however with an impression that the history of computing in Britain and elsewhere might have been very different if opportunities had been grasped.

Entertaining and illuminating, 21 Jun 2005
This little book is a fascinating look at one of the little known stories of computer history: that UK catering giant Lyons not only built the world first business computer, but then set up their own company (Lyons Electronic Office or LEO for short)to sell the machines to European businesses trying to get back on their feet after the war.
The book is well written, and easy enough to understand whatever your understanding of computers is like. The notion of a computer is introduced early on, as well as the peculiar requirements of the massive Lyons empire that led to the introduction of the LEO. The book not only charts the development and introduction of the machine, but also the ultimate decline of the once proud company and the fate of its groudbreaking technology. The story is ultimately a typical story of an economically challenged post-war British company trying to recover its pre-war heyday, but the tone of the book is always upbeat, concentrating on the achievements other than their ultimate failure.
Computer history owes a great deal to British efforts. The UK built (in secret) the first wholly digital computer (Colossus), the first electronically-programmable computer and the first dedicated office computer but these achievements are often overlooked in other books which are mostly written by American authors and concentrate on the US story (fair enough) but are then presented as the whole story. This little book is a timely, readable and utterly likeable reminder that once upon the time the UK led the world in computer research, development and application and that the US hasn't always been the leader in the field.
Highly recommended.

A fascinating story well told, 13 Dec 2004
I'm only a few chapters into this book, but am back to buy another copy to give to a friend.

If you are interested in how innovation happens in business, or in the development of the computer industry, or in the application from first principles of computers to real-world problems, or in productive co-operation between industry and academia, or in user-centred product development, or in how immigrants can benefit an economy, then there is raw material for you in this book. It is (at least as far as I have read) a gripping story rather than an academic analysis- read how it was, and then if you feel so inclined draw your own conclusions.

When I joined the computer industry in 1965, a friend in IBM confided in me that the Leo (Lyons Electronic Office) series of computers (already in there last days) were IBM's most serious rival in commercial computing. This book makes this entirely credible. If you're British, read it and reflect on how British people managed to invent both commercial computing and the web, and yet Britain manages now to be a distant follower in both areas of endeavour.

Brings back the pioneering days of British Computing, 05 Dec 2003
Being 'in the trade' myself, and having used in my time Computers from Elliott, ICT, GEC, ICL, Data General, DEC, Burroughs, as well as IBM, I wondered whether this would just be a 're-hash' of some old war stories.

I was pleasantly surprised as to how Georgina Ferry had managed to breathe fresh life into the old tale.

It's particularly ironic today with all the emphasis on Data Modelling, Business Modelling, UML etc to look back at John Simmons's work and see just how visionary he was to take a Business-driven approach to both software & hardware nearly 40 years ago.

One puzzle remains : John Simmons retired in 1968; there's no mention in this book of what happened to him thereafter, but we do get biographies of all the other key characters.

Superbly Evocative Picture of the Pre-Silicon Era, 26 Aug 2003
As an enthusiast of vacuum tube radio technology, with its smells of hot dust and pipe tobacco, I found the story of the Lyons Electronic Office to be a superb metaphor for the British approach to engineering - uncertain, incremental, cautious, yet with flashes of great brilliance.

John Simmons and his team knew they were far ahead of everyone else (just as, earlier, at Bletchley Park, Thomas Flowers and Alan Turing must have known the same about their 'Colossus' machine) and we see that the dedication and enthusiasm produced by that awareness led them to the very forefront of an emerging technology. In 2003, vacuum tubes and tanks of mercury must seem very 'Heath Robinson' to us, yet it is worth reflecting upon the vast distance the computing industry has travelled in the 50 years since LEO. For a vivid example of this journey - go to the Science Museum in London and take a look at the Ferranti 'Pegasus' machine on display as a contemporary of LEO.

Alas, the business world failed to capitalise on the opportunity and the subsequent mergers meant opportunity was lost.In fairness, the author does make the point that the mergers that led to the creation of ICL had to happen to make the industry, as a whole, stand any kind of chance against the huge US market. Despite this, the Americans were still able to achieve dominance.

This is a fascinating story, skilfully told to engage and capture the reader's attention. There are no heavy techie details and no long/boring corporate manifestos - just the plain simple story of the vision of those who saw an opportunity to advance their own view of the application of knowledge for the benefit of all.

Awesome read, 15 Dec 2006
If you're interested in reading all about the genesis of the FPS genre, this is the book for you. As well as being a thoroughly entertaining and well-researched read thanks to the talented author, it takes you on a rollercoaster 'warts and all' ride from the childhood of the two Johns, through the creation of ID Software, Wolfenstein, Doom, Quake and more. Lots of great behind the scenes info about the team, especially about the Doom days. I couldn't put this down and have since ordered copies for friends!

Mmmmm, 09 Mar 2006
A very interesting book about a slice of popular culture that tends not to be covered too well in mainstream media.

Of the characters in the book, few of them come over as being particularly pleasant. I guess being nice to people is only something us non geniuses require.

The most influential book I ever read, 02 Sep 2005
If you are a developer, a programmer, someone who likes using his computer for creating games, or even 'casual' applications, you MUST read this book. It will make you want to code night and day. I have read it 4 times and still I get the same feeling when I go through it. John Carmack is a genius.

Yep, great read, 14 Feb 2005
I spent sooooo many hours, like soooo many other people, playing these games. The story of the Two Johns has been touched upon in the computer press but the story more than bears telling in a full length book. I picked it up just to read about what the background was to these incredible games that dominated weeks / months of my adult, slacker life, and sure enough the account given of how Wolfenstein and onwards were written was at turns exhilerating and bittersweet. I then started moving back through the book to the earliest days of the two johns and it held my attention throughout. Great story, great characters, and the author has a great eye for his subjects and the allure of the story of how geeks became rockstars. Gaming isnt going to disappear, and Carmack and Romero are like two Neil Armstrongs in terms of their acheivements. THis is a good history book in the making if nothing else, and it is surprising how much you end up feeling for both Carmack and Romero, two lost boys in a gold mine. Carmack in particular is an odd and mysterious character. My rating? Five stars. mmmm.

A Fantastic Book, 26 Dec 2004
This book really is fantastic. From the moment I picked it up I couldn't put it down, it's compulsive reading. I found it incredibly interesting both from a gamers point of view, and as someone starting a technology business myself. There are some real lessons to be learned from the book, and I would suggest all new business owners read it, along with "Boo Hoo" as a counterpoint.

Very Readable, 29 Aug 2006
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and once into it found it very hard to put down. Whilst an entertaining read I like other reviewers wonder whether we have been given a caricature of Steve Jobs as opposed to the real man. There are lots of relationships that I wished I knew more about such as his interaction with Woz.

Certainly worth looking at.

Fascinating Person, Good Book, 07 Aug 2006
Being in my early thirties and working in technology, I've always had an interest in the early computing gang (Jobs, Woz, Gates etc.). Much has already been written about the early years in the Valley and this book recounts those times in great detail, maybe at the expense of more recent events. The last two years of events in the book seem added as an afterthought (I realise that this is an updated version but ..) and the research doesn't seem as thorough or the story as well told. All told, a good book about a fascinating person.

The story from college dropout to billionaire businessman., 08 Mar 2006
The book tells a comprehensive story of the history of Steve Jobs business dealings. It says the subject is a driven, selfish sometimes rude person. I still do not feel that I know what Steve Jobs is like everyday as a person. I still do not know why an Apple computer is diferent from a PC. The last 20 percent of the book is about Disney. The book is a story of Steve Jobs amazing business career but not a personal biography of the man.

Jobs: The Good, the bad and the ugly, plus the great!, 19 Jan 2006
I have to declare I love Mac's, I love Ipods and I love every movie that Pixar have made - that should make me a fan of Steve Jobs.

This book tells the story of his life so far, from birth, through education and right up to the present day, it pulls no punches about both his personal flaws and his corporate failures - it is a real page-turner and left me as thrilled as I have been by any fiction by the likes of Clancy or Grisham.

If you love Jobs then read the book, if you hate him then read it, if you haven't heard of Jobs, Macs, Ipods or even Pixar, then read the book!

It should be compulsory reading for any business studies student and any would-be entraprenour.

Why, becuase it shows the reality of what real business is like in the real world - even if this version of reality is larger than life!

An account Steve Jobs may not want to read, 06 Jan 2006
It's what an unauthorised biography should be, honest and as accurate as is "possibly" allowed without legal repercussions.

I found myself at points wondering “is this stuff too good to be true?” The answer is yes and no, the authors have done a fantastic job in researching Steve Jobs’ life and have been tactful in his most private life, however I felt that they were sometimes too biased towards the Steve Jobs ideology or rather "jobsian" attitude the authors refer to all the time. They almost seem too convinced of what they were writing was the truth, and how Steve Jobs would want it to be written rather than some of the raw and underlying truths of his personal and more publicised business life.

Overall the book was well written and as mentioned well researched, but beware, I am now convinced that I should save up for an iPod after reading how great and how revolutionary it has been to the music world.

beauty !, 21 Jun 2008
A very interesting combination of sport and awareness and leadership by example.
compassion in sports coaching , a rare thing.
mike

Peace of mind on the hardwood, 21 Aug 2000
Having read this book about 3 times already, I can truly say that Phil Jackson has discovered how to make players into superstars and superstars into players. The only thing that seperates players at the NBA level is mental toughness and this book outlines the what, how and why he did it. To get the greatest player ever to play in a team concept is tough and he's done it successfully.This book also provided me with an insight into the art of zen and it's implication on this great game. To summarize, I would recommend this book to anyone who wishes to learn about Phil Jackson and his success in Chigaco

Every hoopster needs to read this, 27 May 1999
This book helped me find peace with myself on the basketball court. Concepts of teamwork and selflessness have never been drilled home so well. My attitude on the court completely turned around after I read and understood this book. I wouldn't go so far to say it changed my life, but it definitely changed my life between the lines of the court.

profound reading experience, 02 May 1999
Like a sinner seeking salvation in the bible, Jackson's book, Sacred Hoops, helped change my life. His words helped me take control of my life by allowing me to understand who I truly am beneath my skin and within my soul. His vision helped me to see more clearly and if I could, I would thank him for showing me a path I would have never ordinarily traveled.

Good Stuff with a great perspective !, 17 Mar 1999
This book is great reading for those who lose faith in modern day sports and society in general. For once, you hear someone talk about teamwork, selflessness, sacrifice, positive attitude, etc. These are foreign concepts to most of today's NBA stars, but are what success is really all about. I also applaud Phil Jackson for daring to be different. Seeing things differently is often at the core of many successes. In this case, its using the power of the mind and selfless attitudes that are positioned as keys to taking you to the top. These ideas transcend basketball and make for good reading for anyone. I only wish their were more "originals" with a conscience like Phil Jackson.

Business needs came first for the teashop company's computer, 30 Jun 2005
There are two stories in this satisfying little book: one the story of a computer, or rather line of computers, and the other the story of a company. The curve of the Lyons company is traced from the company's origins in catering for exhibitions in the 19th century, through its heights in the 20s and 30s when its tea shops were the clerical worker's favoured lunch stop, to the post-way years of austerity when formica had replaced marble and service by waitresses (or "Nippys") had given way to self-service. At this point a visionary management, always looking for increased efficeincy in the business of getting buns from bakeries to plates as cost-effectively as possible, starts to automate its clerical functions by computer. What was so remarkable about this, as Georgina Ferry makes very clear, was that no company in the woorld had previously done this. Computers had been tools for universities and government researchers, not management information systems for businesses. What emerges clearly from her account is that the systems developers never lost sight of business needs in their extraordinary efforts to invent an industry from scratch. This book has several delights: the description of mercury delay lines shows how difficult it was to implement memory in the pre-semiconductor age and the continuous Swiss Roll bakery is a hard image to forget.

Ironically in view of its origins in "temperance fare", Lyons was swallowed up by a brewery at last. The computer subsidiary, having blazed a trail in business automation, was itself consumed by English Electric to become part of ICL and later Fujitsu. Georgina Ferry - wisely - does not draw too explicitly conclusions about British entrepreneurial skills from the whole history: she leaves us however with an impression that the history of computing in Britain and elsewhere might have been very different if opportunities had been grasped.

Entertaining and illuminating, 21 Jun 2005
This little book is a fascinating look at one of the little known stories of computer history: that UK catering giant Lyons not only built the world first business computer, but then set up their own company (Lyons Electronic Office or LEO for short)to sell the machines to European businesses trying to get back on their feet after the war.
The book is well written, and easy enough to understand whatever your understanding of computers is like. The notion of a computer is introduced early on, as well as the peculiar requirements of the massive Lyons empire that led to the introduction of the LEO. The book not only charts the development and introduction of the machine, but also the ultimate decline of the once proud company and the fate of its groudbreaking technology. The story is ultimately a typical story of an economically challenged post-war British company trying to recover its pre-war heyday, but the tone of the book is always upbeat, concentrating on the achievements other than their ultimate failure.
Computer history owes a great deal to British efforts. The UK built (in secret) the first wholly digital computer (Colossus), the first electronically-programmable computer and the first dedicated office computer but these achievements are often overlooked in other books which are mostly written by American authors and concentrate on the US story (fair enough) but are then presented as the whole story. This little book is a timely, readable and utterly likeable reminder that once upon the time the UK led the world in computer research, development and application and that the US hasn't always been the leader in the field.
Highly recommended.

A fascinating story well told, 13 Dec 2004
I'm only a few chapters into this book, but am back to buy another copy to give to a friend.

If you are interested in how innovation happens in business, or in the development of the computer industry, or in the application from first principles of computers to real-world problems, or in productive co-operation between industry and academia, or in user-centred product development, or in how immigrants can benefit an economy, then there is raw material for you in this book. It is (at least as far as I have read) a gripping story rather than an academic analysis- read how it was, and then if you feel so inclined draw your own conclusions.

When I joined the computer industry in 1965, a friend in IBM confided in me that the Leo (Lyons Electronic Office) series of computers (already in there last days) were IBM's most serious rival in commercial computing. This book makes this entirely credible. If you're British, read it and reflect on how British people managed to invent both commercial computing and the web, and yet Britain manages now to be a distant follower in both areas of endeavour.

Brings back the pioneering days of British Computing, 05 Dec 2003
Being 'in the trade' myself, and having used in my time Computers from Elliott, ICT, GEC, ICL, Data General, DEC, Burroughs, as well as IBM, I wondered whether this would just be a 're-hash' of some old war stories.

I was pleasantly surprised as to how Georgina Ferry had managed to breathe fresh life into the old tale.

It's particularly ironic today with all the emphasis on Data Modelling, Business Modelling, UML etc to look back at John Simmons's work and see just how visionary he was to take a Business-driven approach to both software & hardware nearly 40 years ago.

One puzzle remains : John Simmons retired in 1968; there's no mention in this book of what happened to him thereafter, but we do get biographies of all the other key characters.

Superbly Evocative Picture of the Pre-Silicon Era, 26 Aug 2003
As an enthusiast of vacuum tube radio technology, with its smells of hot dust and pipe tobacco, I found the story of the Lyons Electronic Office to be a superb metaphor for the British approach to engineering - uncertain, incremental, cautious, yet with flashes of great brilliance.

John Simmons and his team knew they were far ahead of everyone else (just as, earlier, at Bletchley Park, Thomas Flowers and Alan Turing must have known the same about their 'Colossus' machine) and we see that the dedication and enthusiasm produced by that awareness led them to the very forefront of an emerging technology. In 2003, vacuum tubes and tanks of mercury must seem very 'Heath Robinson' to us, yet it is worth reflecting upon the vast distance the computing industry has travelled in the 50 years since LEO. For a vivid example of this journey - go to the Science Museum in London and take a look at the Ferranti 'Pegasus' machine on display as a contemporary of LEO.

Alas, the business world failed to capitalise on the opportunity and the subsequent mergers meant opportunity was lost.In fairness, the author does make the point that the mergers that led to the creation of ICL had to happen to make the industry, as a whole, stand any kind of chance against the huge US market. Despite this, the Americans were still able to achieve dominance.

This is a fascinating story, skilfully told to engage and capture the reader's attention. There are no heavy techie details and no long/boring corporate manifestos - just the plain simple story of the vision of those who saw an opportunity to advance their own view of the application of knowledge for the benefit of all.

Awesome read, 15 Dec 2006
If you're interested in reading all about the genesis of the FPS genre, this is the book for you. As well as being a thoroughly entertaining and well-researched read thanks to the talented author, it takes you on a rollercoaster 'warts and all' ride from the childhood of the two Johns, through the creation of ID Software, Wolfenstein, Doom, Quake and more. Lots of great behind the scenes info about the team, especially about the Doom days. I couldn't put this down and have since ordered copies for friends!

Mmmmm, 09 Mar 2006
A very interesting book about a slice of popular culture that tends not to be covered too well in mainstream media.

Of the characters in the book, few of them come over as being particularly pleasant. I guess being nice to people is only something us non geniuses require.

The most influential book I ever read, 02 Sep 2005
If you are a developer, a programmer, someone who likes using his computer for creating games, or even 'casual' applications, you MUST read this book. It will make you want to code night and day. I have read it 4 times and still I get the same feeling when I go through it. John Carmack is a genius.

Yep, great read, 14 Feb 2005
I spent sooooo many hours, like soooo many other people, playing these games. The story of the Two Johns has been touched upon in the computer press but the story more than bears telling in a full length book. I picked it up just to read about what the background was to these incredible games that dominated weeks / months of my adult, slacker life, and sure enough the account given of how Wolfenstein and onwards were written was at turns exhilerating and bittersweet. I then started moving back through the book to the earliest days of the two johns and it held my attention throughout. Great story, great characters, and the author has a great eye for his subjects and the allure of the story of how geeks became rockstars. Gaming isnt going to disappear, and Carmack and Romero are like two Neil Armstrongs in terms of their acheivements. THis is a good history book in the making if nothing else, and it is surprising how much you end up feeling for both Carmack and Romero, two lost boys in a gold mine. Carmack in particular is an odd and mysterious character. My rating? Five stars. mmmm.

A Fantastic Book, 26 Dec 2004
This book really is fantastic. From the moment I picked it up I couldn't put it down, it's compulsive reading. I found it incredibly interesting both from a gamers point of view, and as someone starting a technology business myself. There are some real lessons to be learned from the book, and I would suggest all new business owners read it, along with "Boo Hoo" as a counterpoint.

Frank, honest, open and totally fascinating, 01 Mar 2006
You have to feel sorry for Wil Wheaton at times. Here is a guy that seems to have been blighted by early success and fame only to be shot down to the ranks of just another actor in a field of thousands. This book covers a period in his life when he is reflecting on past glories and tells us of the inner emotional turmoil that he feels whilst trying to support his family and improve his Hollywood career. You really feel his pain at times when he recalls the many set-backs and rejections that he has faced.
The thing that impresses me most about this book is Wil's style of writing. It is frank and open, it peels back the veneer of an actors ego and exposes what he feels on the inside and you cannot help but feel for him as a result.
This is an excellent book, and I'd recommend it to geeks and non-geeks alike.

Set phasers to: stunning!, 03 Jan 2005
Whether you're a Star Trek TNG fan, a Stand By Me fan or simply a fan of the author himself, you owe it to yourself to buy this book. Wil's writing is deeply honest and self-deprecating. He's not afraid to show the reality of what it's like to be a struggling actor. Of having to make decisions that would mean the difference between the bills getting paid or losing his Star Trek credibility.

Ultimately, Just A Geek is a success story. It's about a man finding his place in world and allowing you to come along for the journey. I found myself laughing and crying in equal measure.

Thank you Wil.

The kid rocks, 09 Jul 2004
Remember Wil Wheaton? Wesley from Star Trek DS9? One of the kids in Stand by Me? Well, Wil has a kick-ass blog and now he has a kick-ass book. Get this book. Read it. Wil says it as he feels. He'll touch you too. But in a good way. ;-)

Very Readable, 29 Aug 2006
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and once into it found it very hard to put down. Whilst an entertaining read I like other reviewers wonder whether we have been given a caricature of Steve Jobs as opposed to the real man. There are lots of relationships that I wished I knew more about such as his interaction with Woz.

Certainly worth looking at.

Fascinating Person, Good Book, 07 Aug 2006
Being in my early thirties and working in technology, I've always had an interest in the early computing gang (Jobs, Woz, Gates etc.). Much has already been written about the early years in the Valley and this book recounts those times in great detail, maybe at the expense of more recent events. The last two years of events in the book seem added as an afterthought (I realise that this is an updated version but ..) and the research doesn't seem as thorough or the story as well told. All told, a good book about a fascinating person.

The story from college dropout to billionaire businessman., 08 Mar 2006
The book tells a comprehensive story of the history of Steve Jobs business dealings. It says the subject is a driven, selfish sometimes rude person. I still do not feel that I know what Steve Jobs is like everyday as a person. I still do not know why an Apple computer is diferent from a PC. The last 20 percent of the book is about Disney. The book is a story of Steve Jobs amazing business career but not a personal biography of the man.

Jobs: The Good, the bad and the ugly, plus the great!, 19 Jan 2006
I have to declare I love Mac's, I love Ipods and I love every movie that Pixar have made - that should make me a fan of Steve Jobs.

This book tells the story of his life so far, from birth, through education and right up to the present day, it pulls no punches about both his personal flaws and his corporate failures - it is a real page-turner and left me as thrilled as I have been by any fiction by the likes of Clancy or Grisham.

If you love Jobs then read the book, if you hate him then read it, if you haven't heard of Jobs, Macs, Ipods or even Pixar, then read the book!

It should be compulsory reading for any business studies student and any would-be entraprenour.

Why, becuase it shows the reality of what real business is like in the real world - even if this version of reality is larger than life!

An account Steve Jobs may not want to read, 06 Jan 2006
It's what an unauthorised biography should be, honest and as accurate as is "possibly" allowed without legal repercussions.

I found myself at points wondering “is this stuff too good to be true?” The answer is yes and no, the authors have done a fantastic job in researching Steve Jobs’ life and have been tactful in his most private life, however I felt that they were sometimes too biased towards the Steve Jobs ideology or rather "jobsian" attitude the authors refer to all the time. They almost seem too convinced of what they were writing was the truth, and how Steve Jobs would want it to be written rather than some of the raw and underlying truths of his personal and more publicised business life.

Overall the book was well written and as mentioned well researched, but beware, I am now convinced that I should save up for an iPod after reading how great and how revolutionary it has been to the music world.

beauty !, 21 Jun 2008
A very interesting combination of sport and awareness and leadership by example.
compassion in sports coaching , a rare thing.
mike

Peace of mind on the hardwood, 21 Aug 2000
Having read this book about 3 times already, I can truly say that Phil Jackson has discovered how to make players into superstars and superstars into players. The only thing that seperates players at the NBA level is mental toughness and this book outlines the what, how and why he did it. To get the greatest player ever to play in a team concept is tough and he's done it successfully.This book also provided me with an insight into the art of zen and it's implication on this great game. To summarize, I would recommend this book to anyone who wishes to learn about Phil Jackson and his success in Chigaco

Every hoopster needs to read this, 27 May 1999
This book helped me find peace with myself on the basketball court. Concepts of teamwork and selflessness have never been drilled home so well. My attitude on the court completely turned around after I read and understood this book. I wouldn't go so far to say it changed my life, but it definitely changed my life between the lines of the court.

profound reading experience, 02 May 1999
Like a sinner seeking salvation in the bible, Jackson's book, Sacred Hoops, helped change my life. His words helped me take control of my life by allowing me to understand who I truly am beneath my skin and within my soul. His vision helped me to see more clearly and if I could, I would thank him for showing me a path I would have never ordinarily traveled.

Good Stuff with a great perspective !, 17 Mar 1999
This book is great reading for those who lose faith in modern day sports and society in general. For once, you hear someone talk about teamwork, selflessness, sacrifice, positive attitude, etc. These are foreign concepts to most of today's NBA stars, but are what success is really all about. I also applaud Phil Jackson for daring to be different. Seeing things differently is often at the core of many successes. In this case, its using the power of the mind and selfless attitudes that are positioned as keys to taking you to the top. These ideas transcend basketball and make for good reading for anyone. I only wish their were more "originals" with a conscience like Phil Jackson.

Business needs came first for the teashop company's computer, 30 Jun 2005
There are two stories in this satisfying little book: one the story of a computer, or rather line of computers, and the other the story of a company. The curve of the Lyons company is traced from the company's origins in catering for exhibitions in the 19th century, through its heights in the 20s and 30s when its tea shops were the clerical worker's favoured lunch stop, to the post-way years of austerity when formica had replaced marble and service by waitresses (or "Nippys") had given way to self-service. At this point a visionary management, always looking for increased efficeincy in the business of getting buns from bakeries to plates as cost-effectively as possible, starts to automate its clerical functions by computer. What was so remarkable about this, as Georgina Ferry makes very clear, was that no company in the woorld had previously done this. Computers had been tools for universities and government researchers, not management information systems for businesses. What emerges clearly from her account is that the systems developers never lost sight of business needs in their extraordinary efforts to invent an industry from scratch. This book has several delights: the description of mercury delay lines shows how difficult it was to implement memory in the pre-semiconductor age and the continuous Swiss Roll bakery is a hard image to forget.

Ironically in view of its origins in "temperance fare", Lyons was swallowed up by a brewery at last. The computer subsidiary, having blazed a trail in business automation, was itself consumed by English Electric to become part of ICL and later Fujitsu. Georgina Ferry - wisely - does not draw too explicitly conclusions about British entrepreneurial skills from the whole history: she leaves us however with an impression that the history of computing in Britain and elsewhere might have been very different if opportunities had been grasped.

Entertaining and illuminating, 21 Jun 2005
This little book is a fascinating look at one of the little known stories of computer history: that UK catering giant Lyons not only built the world first business computer, but then set up their own company (Lyons Electronic Office or LEO for short)to sell the machines to European businesses trying to get back on their feet after the war.
The book is well written, and easy enough to understand whatever your understanding of computers is like. The notion of a computer is introduced early on, as well as the peculiar requirements of the massive Lyons empire that led to the introduction of the LEO. The book not only charts the development and introduction of the machine, but also the ultimate decline of the once proud company and the fate of its groudbreaking technology. The story is ultimately a typical story of an economically challenged post-war British company trying to recover its pre-war heyday, but the tone of the book is always upbeat, concentrating on the achievements other than their ultimate failure.
Computer history owes a great deal to British efforts. The UK built (in secret) the first wholly digital computer (Colossus), the first electronically-programmable computer and the first dedicated office computer but these achievements are often overlooked in other books which are mostly written by American authors and concentrate on the US story (fair enough) but are then presented as the whole story. This little book is a timely, readable and utterly likeable reminder that once upon the time the UK led the world in computer research, development and application and that the US hasn't always been the leader in the field.
Highly recommended.

A fascinating story well told, 13 Dec 2004
I'm only a few chapters into this book, but am back to buy another copy to give to a friend.

If you are interested in how innovation happens in business, or in the development of the computer industry, or in the application from first principles of computers to real-world problems, or in productive co-operation between industry and academia, or in user-centred product development, or in how immigrants can benefit an economy, then there is raw material for you in this book. It is (at least as far as I have read) a gripping story rather than an academic analysis- read how it was, and then if you feel so inclined draw your own conclusions.

When I joined the computer industry in 1965, a friend in IBM confided in me that the Leo (Lyons Electronic Office) series of computers (already in there last days) were IBM's most serious rival in commercial computing. This book makes this entirely credible. If you're British, read it and reflect on how British people managed to invent both commercial computing and the web, and yet Britain manages now to be a distant follower in both areas of endeavour.

Brings back the pioneering days of British Computing, 05 Dec 2003
Being 'in the trade' myself, and having used in my time Computers from Elliott, ICT, GEC, ICL, Data General, DEC, Burroughs, as well as IBM, I wondered whether this would just be a 're-hash' of some old war stories.

I was pleasantly surprised as to how Georgina Ferry had managed to breathe fresh life into the old tale.

It's particularly ironic today with all the emphasis on Data Modelling, Business Modelling, UML etc to look back at John Simmons's work and see just how visionary he was to take a Business-driven approach to both software & hardware nearly 40 years ago.

One puzzle remains : John Simmons retired in 1968; there's no mention in this book of what happened to him thereafter, but we do get biographies of all the other key characters.

Superbly Evocative Picture of the Pre-Silicon Era, 26 Aug 2003
As an enthusiast of vacuum tube radio technology, with its smells of hot dust and pipe tobacco, I found the story of the Lyons Electronic Office to be a superb metaphor for the British approach to engineering - uncertain, incremental, cautious, yet with flashes of great brilliance.

John Simmons and his team knew they were far ahead of everyone else (just as, earlier, at Bletchley Park, Thomas Flowers and Alan Turing must have known the same about their 'Colossus' machine) and we see that the dedication and enthusiasm produced by that awareness led them to the very forefront of an emerging technology. In 2003, vacuum tubes and tanks of mercury must seem very 'Heath Robinson' to us, yet it is worth reflecting upon the vast distance the computing industry has travelled in the 50 years since LEO. For a vivid example of this journey - go to the Science Museum in London and take a look at the Ferranti 'Pegasus' machine on display as a contemporary of LEO.

Alas, the business world failed to capitalise on the opportunity and the subsequent mergers meant opportunity was lost.In fairness, the author does make the point that the mergers that led to the creation of ICL had to happen to make the industry, as a whole, stand any kind of chance against the huge US market. Despite this, the Americans were still able to achieve dominance.

This is a fascinating story, skilfully told to engage and capture the reader's attention. There are no heavy techie details and no long/boring corporate manifestos - just the plain simple story of the vision of those who saw an opportunity to advance their own view of the application of knowledge for the benefit of all.

Awesome read, 15 Dec 2006
If you're interested in reading all about the genesis of the FPS genre, this is the book for you. As well as being a thoroughly entertaining and well-researched read thanks to the talented author, it takes you on a rollercoaster 'warts and all' ride from the childhood of the two Johns, through the creation of ID Software, Wolfenstein, Doom, Quake and more. Lots of great behind the scenes info about the team, especially about the Doom days. I couldn't put this down and have since ordered copies for friends!

Mmmmm, 09 Mar 2006
A very interesting book about a slice of popular culture that tends not to be covered too well in mainstream media.

Of the characters in the book, few of them come over as being particularly pleasant. I guess being nice to people is only something us non geniuses require.

The most influential book I ever read, 02 Sep 2005
If you are a developer, a programmer, someone who likes using his computer for creating games, or even 'casual' applications, you MUST read this book. It will make you want to code night and day. I have read it 4 times and still I get the same feeling when I go through it. John Carmack is a genius.

Yep, great read, 14 Feb 2005
I spent sooooo many hours, like soooo many other people, playing these games. The story of the Two Johns has been touched upon in the computer press but the story more than bears telling in a full length book. I picked it up just to read about what the background was to these incredible games that dominated weeks / months of my adult, slacker life, and sure enough the account given of how Wolfenstein and onwards were written was at turns exhilerating and bittersweet. I then started moving back through the book to the earliest days of the two johns and it held my attention throughout. Great story, great characters, and the author has a great eye for his subjects and the allure of the story of how geeks became rockstars. Gaming isnt going to disappear, and Carmack and Romero are like two Neil Armstrongs in terms of their acheivements. THis is a good history book in the making if nothing else, and it is surprising how much you end up feeling for both Carmack and Romero, two lost boys in a gold mine. Carmack in particular is an odd and mysterious character. My rating? Five stars. mmmm.

A Fantastic Book, 26 Dec 2004
This book really is fantastic. From the moment I picked it up I couldn't put it down, it's compulsive reading. I found it incredibly interesting both from a gamers point of view, and as someone starting a technology business myself. There are some real lessons to be learned from the book, and I would suggest all new business owners read it, along with "Boo Hoo" as a counterpoint.

Frank, honest, open and totally fascinating, 01 Mar 2006
You have to feel sorry for Wil Wheaton at times. Here is a guy that seems to have been blighted by early success and fame only to be shot down to the ranks of just another actor in a field of thousands. This book covers a period in his life when he is reflecting on past glories and tells us of the inner emotional turmoil that he feels whilst trying to support his family and improve his Hollywood career. You really feel his pain at times when he recalls the many set-backs and rejections that he has faced.
The thing that impresses me most about this book is Wil's style of writing. It is frank and open, it peels back the veneer of an actors ego and exposes what he feels on the inside and you cannot help but feel for him as a result.
This is an excellent book, and I'd recommend it to geeks and non-geeks alike.

Set phasers to: stunning!, 03 Jan 2005
Whether you're a Star Trek TNG fan, a Stand By Me fan or simply a fan of the author himself, you owe it to yourself to buy this book. Wil's writing is deeply honest and self-deprecating. He's not afraid to show the reality of what it's like to be a struggling actor. Of having to make decisions that would mean the difference between the bills getting paid or losing his Star Trek credibility.

Ultimately, Just A Geek is a success story. It's about a man finding his place in world and allowing you to come along for the journey. I found myself laughing and crying in equal measure.

Thank you Wil.

The kid rocks, 09 Jul 2004
Remember Wil Wheaton? Wesley from Star Trek DS9? One of the kids in Stand by Me? Well, Wil has a kick-ass blog and now he has a kick-ass book. Get this book. Read it. Wil says it as he feels. He'll touch you too. But in a good way. ;-)

VERY disappointing, 05 Nov 2004
This is a very dull, ininspired, lazy book. It doesn't really do anything. There is not enough detail to reveal anything new, it is not engagingly written, and it is too short to even be comprehensive. I really can't see the point in it at all - it must have taken about an afternoon to research and write, and it takes about an hour to read. At the end you feel your time, and money, has simply been wasted.

Much better than it looks, 18 Jun 2003
This series of books seems cheaply produced and I found myself not attracted by the looks of the volume. Still, I did buy it and after all it's what is between the covers that really counts. One acknowledges Hodges biography of Turing as the definitive work on the man but this book does not look to compete. It has its own agenda and that agenda is realised in a profoundly clear, interesting and informed way; in short, the writing is quite superb in what it says and in how it says it. For the price, a bargain. Surely, anyone interested in Turing will want to read the book. Well done to the author.

A brilliant book, 15 Nov 2001
If you have ever wondered where the computers on your desk came from (and the ones in your car and washing machine), then this book is a great place to start.

Jon Agar opens up the subject in a light and superbly readable style, but isn't afraid of taking on subjects such as 19th Century mathematics or 20th Century code-breaking. We learn about the well known personalities (Turing and Babbage) and the less well known (from Aiken to Zuse), and we see how the thoughts of people as diverse as Godel and Euclid have brought computers to where they are today.

More importantly still he is able to place the advent of computing within a social and philosophical context that will inspire you to look further.

Outstanding, 18 May 2001
A fantastic book; informative, exciting, and in today's zeitgeist of all things IT (e-biz, etc.) it provides a fascinating insight on how one man helped technology get this far.

Very Readable, 29 Aug 2006
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and once into it found it very hard to put down. Whilst an entertaining read I like other reviewers wonder whether we have been given a caricature of Steve Jobs as opposed to the real man. There are lots of relationships that I wished I knew more about such as his interaction with Woz.

Certainly worth looking at.

Fascinating Person, Good Book, 07 Aug 2006
Being in my early thirties and working in technology, I've always had an interest in the early computing gang (Jobs, Woz, Gates etc.). Much has already been written about the early years in the Valley and this book recounts those times in great detail, maybe at the expense of more recent events. The last two years of events in the book seem added as an afterthought (I realise that this is an updated version but ..) and the research doesn't seem as thorough or the story as well told. All told, a good book about a fascinating person.

The story from college dropout to billionaire businessman., 08 Mar 2006
The book tells a comprehensive story of the history of Steve Jobs business dealings. It says the subject is a driven, selfish sometimes rude person. I still do not feel that I know what Steve Jobs is like everyday as a person. I still do not know why an Apple computer is diferent from a PC. The last 20 percent of the book is about Disney. The book is a story of Steve Jobs amazing business career but not a personal biography of the man.

Jobs: The Good, the bad and the ugly, plus the great!, 19 Jan 2006
I have to declare I love Mac's, I love Ipods and I love every movie that Pixar have made - that should make me a fan of Steve Jobs.

This book tells the story of his life so far, from birth, through education and right up to the present day, it pulls no punches about both his personal flaws and his corporate failures - it is a real page-turner and left me as thrilled as I have been by any fiction by the likes of Clancy or Grisham.

If you love Jobs then read the book, if you hate him then read it, if you haven't heard of Jobs, Macs, Ipods or even Pixar, then read the book!

It should be compulsory reading for any business studies student and any would-be entraprenour.

Why, becuase it shows the reality of what real business is like in the real world - even if this version of reality is larger than life!

An account Steve Jobs may not want to read, 06 Jan 2006
It's what an unauthorised biography should be, honest and as accurate as is "possibly" allowed without legal repercussions.

I found myself at points wondering “is this stuff too good to be true?” The answer is yes and no, the authors have done a fantastic job in researching Steve Jobs’ life and have been tactful in his most private life, however I felt that they were sometimes too biased towards the Steve Jobs ideology or rather "jobsian" attitude the authors refer to all the time. They almost seem too convinced of what they were writing was the truth, and how Steve Jobs would want it to be written rather than some of the raw and underlying truths of his personal and more publicised business life.

Overall the book was well written and as mentioned well researched, but beware, I am now convinced that I should save up for an iPod after reading how great and how revolutionary it has been to the music world.

beauty !, 21 Jun 2008
A very interesting combination of sport and awareness and leadership by example.
compassion in sports coaching , a rare thing.
mike

Peace of mind on the hardwood, 21 Aug 2000
Having read this book about 3 times already, I can truly say that Phil Jackson has discovered how to make players into superstars and superstars into players. The only thing that seperates players at the NBA level is mental toughness and this book outlines the what, how and why he did it. To get the greatest player ever to play in a team concept is tough and he's done it successfully.This book also provided me with an insight into the art of zen and it's implication on this great game. To summarize, I would recommend this book to anyone who wishes to learn about Phil Jackson and his success in Chigaco

Every hoopster needs to read this, 27 May 1999
This book helped me find peace with myself on the basketball court. Concepts of teamwork and selflessness have never been drilled home so well. My attitude on the court completely turned around after I read and understood this book. I wouldn't go so far to say it changed my life, but it definitely changed my life between the lines of the court.

profound reading experience, 02 May 1999
Like a sinner seeking salvation in the bible, Jackson's book, Sacred Hoops, helped change my life. His words helped me take control of my life by allowing me to understand who I truly am beneath my skin and within my soul. His vision helped me to see more clearly and if I could, I would thank him for showing me a path I would have never ordinarily traveled.

Good Stuff with a great perspective !, 17 Mar 1999
This book is great reading for those who lose faith in modern day sports and society in general. For once, you hear someone talk about teamwork, selflessness, sacrifice, positive attitude, etc. These are foreign concepts to most of today's NBA stars, but are what success is really all about. I also applaud Phil Jackson for daring to be different. Seeing things differently is often at the core of many successes. In this case, its using the power of the mind and selfless attitudes that are positioned as keys to taking you to the top. These ideas transcend basketball and make for good reading for anyone. I only wish their were more "originals" with a conscience like Phil Jackson.

Business needs came first for the teashop company's computer, 30 Jun 2005
There are two stories in this satisfying little book: one the story of a computer, or rather line of computers, and the other the story of a company. The curve of the Lyons company is traced from the company's origins in catering for exhibitions in the 19th century, through its heights in the 20s and 30s when its tea shops were the clerical worker's favoured lunch stop, to the post-way years of austerity when formica had replaced marble and service by waitresses (or "Nippys") had given way to self-service. At this point a visionary management, always looking for increased efficeincy in the business of getting buns from bakeries to plates as cost-effectively as possible, starts to automate its clerical functions by computer. What was so remarkable about this, as Georgina Ferry makes very clear, was that no company in the woorld had previously done this. Computers had been tools for universities and government researchers, not management information systems for businesses. What emerges clearly from her account is that the systems developers never lost sight of business needs in their extraordinary efforts to invent an industry from scratch. This book has several delights: the description of mercury delay lines shows how difficult it was to implement memory in the pre-semiconductor age and the continuous Swiss Roll bakery is a hard image to forget.

Ironically in view of its origins in "temperance fare", Lyons was swallowed up by a brewery at last. The computer subsidiary, having blazed a trail in business automation, was itself consumed by English Electric to become part of ICL and later Fujitsu. Georgina Ferry - wisely - does not draw too explicitly conclusions about British entrepreneurial skills from the whole history: she leaves us however with an impression that the history of computing in Britain and elsewhere might have been very different if opportunities had been grasped.

Entertaining and illuminating, 21 Jun 2005
This little book is a fascinating look at one of the little known stories of computer history: that UK catering giant Lyons not only built the world first business computer, but then set up their own company (Lyons Electronic Office or LEO for short)to sell the machines to European businesses trying to get back on their feet after the war.
The book is well written, and easy enough to understand whatever your understanding of computers is like. The notion of a computer is introduced early on, as well as the peculiar requirements of the massive Lyons empire that led to the introduction of the LEO. The book not only charts the development and introduction of the machine, but also the ultimate decline of the once proud company and the fate of its groudbreaking technology. The story is ultimately a typical story of an economically challenged post-war British company trying to recover its pre-war heyday, but the tone of the book is always upbeat, concentrating on the achievements other than their ultimate failure.
Computer history owes a great deal to British efforts. The UK built (in secret) the first wholly digital computer (Colossus), the first electronically-programmable computer and the first dedicated office computer but these achievements are often overlooked in other books which are mostly written by American authors and concentrate on the US story (fair enough) but are then presented as the whole story. This little book is a timely, readable and utterly likeable reminder that once upon the time the UK led the world in computer research, development and application and that the US hasn't always been the leader in the field.
Highly recommended.

A fascinating story well told, 13 Dec 2004
I'm only a few chapters into this book, but am back to buy another copy to give to a friend.

If you are interested in how innovation happens in business, or in the development of the computer industry, or in the application from first principles of computers to real-world problems, or in productive co-operation between industry and academia, or in user-centred product development, or in how immigrants can benefit an economy, then there is raw material for you in this book. It is (at least as far as I have read) a gripping story rather than an academic analysis- read how it was, and then if you feel so inclined draw your own conclusions.

When I joined the computer industry in 1965, a friend in IBM confided in me that