Turing: Pioneer of the Information Age by B. Jack Copeland (PDF)

Description

Alan Turing is regarded as one of the greatest scientists of the 20th century. But who was Turing, and what did he achieve during his tragically short life of 41 years? Best known as the genius who broke Germany’s most secret codes during the war of 1939-45, Turing was also the father of the modern computer. Today, all who ‘click-to-open’ are familiar with the impact of Turing’s ideas.Here, B. Jack Copeland provides an account of Turing’s life and work, exploring the key elements of his life-story in tandem with his leading ideas and contributions. The book highlights Turing’s contributions to computing and to computer science, including Artificial Intelligence and Artificial Life, and the emphasis throughout is on the relevance of his work to modern developments. The story of his contributions to codebreaking during the Second World War is set in the context of his thinkingabout machines, as is the account of his work in the foundations of mathematics.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐I am admirer of Turing and I just finished another book about him. Much thinner than this one and, consequently, less informative. This one, on the other hand, provides a lot of information RELATED to Turing and his ideas but, strictly speaking, not really about his original work.Turing was, if I understand his short life correctly, in a unique position. As someone who contributed significantly, perhaps decidedly, to the breaking of two different German military codes and a post war peaceful applications of computers, he knew more than many of his colleagues. Unfortunately, once the war was won by the allies, the standard squabbling started and the progress on building new computers based on Turing’s ideas slowed down considerably.Mr. Copeland obviously interviewed many Turing’s contemporaries, he is too young to know Turing before his untimely death.Four stars, recommended to all who want to learn about the early history of computers.

⭐Excellent bio of Alan Turing. Copeland’s description of his personality and life is good, but what really interested me was his description of his work. He gives a good, detailed description of Turing’s role in inventing modern computing and his work at Bletchley, enough to satisfy geeky people like me. He considers the possibilities for Turing’s death, and he convinces me at least that it was probably caused by sloppy lab behavior rather than suicide. He mentions the possibility that the British secret service had him killed, and yes, that is a distant possibility. One reviewer said Copeland believed that was the most likely explanation, but if you read the book you realize that all he is describing is a possibility.

⭐This is a fantastic book — I could barely put it down. It is both excellent narrative and carefully documented history. As a computer scientist I am familiar with Turing’s groundbreaking work, including the technical construction of his “Turing machine.” But I did not realize many of the other contributions he was responsible for, such as “artificial life,” electronic music, and even sequential analysis (from statistics). The book does not dwell on technical details, but does present enough about the work to be accurate and informative. The alternative read of the evidence concerning Turing’s untimely death, in the last chapter of the book, is also very compelling. In sum: This book is evidence that the Imitation Game, while a great film, sold us short: Turing’s life story could have been told in a historically accurate manner while still being great entertainment. Read this book to be gripped, and to learn the story of an amazing man.

⭐Most accounts of innovations in computing omit stories of the earliest ideas and practical implementations. In this they are not to blame, because the British Government enforced secrecy about WW II code-breaking for about 60 years. Jack Copeland’s 2012 book, Turing–Pioneer of the Information Age, corrects the record.It is a good read, even for people who eschew reading about technical topics!

⭐Microscopic print. Mediocre writing skills. Silly and space wasting choice of words. Why would copeland say “land of the free” rather than “United States”? How is referring to Turing as “decidedly lah di dah” supposed to enhance my understanding of the man? Weird choices of word and a lot of other nonsense more than once nearly led me to toss this book in the garbage. It’s my travel book so I’ll muddle through it but I’d recommend others to look elsewhere for a book on Turing that is at least readable…in a lah di dah sort of way.5/31/15—-I wish I could say that Copeland’s writing has improved (as of page 117), but it stinks even worse now. He can’t seem to tell his story, or any portion of it, chronologically, and instead bounces around in time with no rhyme or reason. He also likes to surmise how people “must” have felt or whether they “might” have been somewhere, which is not exactly useful. On page 117 alone he does this twice—“the informality must have perplexed and perhaps even irritated Bletchley’s military blimps…” Followed by “Churchill himself might have been present.” Good God this man can’t write!!

⭐from what I can experience of his life, from this book, I can totally empathize with what this man suffered: the torture from a ignorant culture

⭐I enjoyed this book on Alan Turing’s life and legacy, and especially the author’s alternate ideas and theories on his untimely death.

⭐Wonderful story of a real hero and brilliant man who was treated with such hatred in his own country.

⭐Just right, I wanted to read about the person, this book gives an interesting insight, deals with the technical aspects of the machines, without over complicating them, which some others books cover more fully.

⭐Liked it but it has rather a lot of technical detail. Somethings I did not quite understand. Good biography of a tormented man !

⭐HE certainly “saved” the Western world from tyrany and hatred. Should have been posthumously knighted. The way he was treated by the U.K. leaders was simply atrocious and they should have been ashamed.

⭐Brilliant book and a great read also came very quick thank you ******

⭐just right, exactly as ordered

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