The Soul of a New Machine

By: Tracy Kidder

Narrated by: Ben Sullivan

Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

Computers have changed since 1981, when Tracy Kidder memorably recorded the drama, comedy, and excitement of one company's efforts to bring a new microcomputer to market. What has not changed is the feverish pace of the high-tech industry, the go-for-broke approach to business that has caused so many computer companies to win big (or go belly up), and the cult of pursuing mind-bending technological innovations. The Soul of a New Machine is an essential chapter in the history of the machine that revolutionized the world in the 20th century.

©2011 Tracy Kidder (P)2016 Hachette Audio

About one machine

This tells what happens in the creation of ONE computer. It was complete, it gave a thorough breakdown of how it happened, and it was interesting. It didn't describe other computer development.

It is hard to extrapolate any useful lessons from this account. I liked it, but I would have LOVED if it had posited how this story could be used to guide new development or teams. That would have been more compelling.

Great read in 2022

I can see why the book won awards back in the day. The writing is compelling and the narrative and is engaging. I especially liked how the author is able to get into integrated circuit design in a way that’s approachable. We don’t really learn too much about integrated circuits in modern computer science unless you focus on that.

Wanting to read for years, but disappointed

I was first introduced to this book in the 1980's while working at a computer development department at a major aerospace company. And I had always intended to read this book because it was obviously something I could relate to.
The thing is, what it really describes is typical politics of just about any electronics/software development company. The management, the tyrants, the superstars, the lackeys. Truly this describes most of the companies and project teams I have worked on. So you might interpret this as being near and dear, or to familiar to be interesting.
I recognize this was written years ago, but many of the technical concepts and innovations described weren't really that revolutionary and were kind of typical. Moral of the story, data general wasn't really all that revolutionary or innovative..
I can see the interest in the book, but maybe it is a bit too removed from current technology to be that interesting anymore.

What I didn't like was the narrator. Just awful, butchering the pronunciation of engineering and technology terms continually to the point of distraction and cringe.

Gives a close up feel of a computers genesis

Gives a close up feel of a computers genesis . Dont need to be technical to enjoy this.

Fascinating!

A few years old now, it is still absorbing and intriguing to follow the triumphs and travails of creating a new computer!

Entertaining listen

This was a really interesting book to listen to. It's old, but didn't feel irrelevant. The author did a great job of taking something very technical (the design of a new micro computer) and weaving it into a story.
I enjoyed getting a view into the world of computer hardware.
The narrator did a great job and kept me interested and held my attention.

If you're at all interested in technology or computers, this should be on your reading list.

Interesting deep dive into computer entrepreneurship with

I never used a CDC machine but I knew they were “hot” about 1970. I found it interesting- fixing bugs in a new machine. I also enjoyed “When Wizards Stay up Late..” which is making of the first internet (Arpanet).

I read this book years ago ..

I read this book years ago when it was first published. As I am an electrical engineer that has worked in teams releasing complex machines, it is interesting to draw parallels between the Eclipse team and the teams where I have been a key player.
Great enjoying it on Audible. I listen to an Audible book every morning while taking a walk through my neighborhood.

We grew the technology of our day as awesome.

The best things in life are the those that passed the tests of time. 1010101

Wonderful - and still accurate today

This is an amazing read, and still accurate today. I work with many silicon design teams and have stories just like these to share even from the past few years. The technology has changed, but the fundamentals are the same.