Core Memory is a guided tour through some of the most notable and curious devices in the history of computing. Featuring important and eccentric machines spanning more than five decades, this book brings the inspired design of pioneering computer scientists into sharp focus. Mark Richards' lovingly detailed images reveal the sometimes surprising marks of human effort (such as a console equipped with its own ashtray) in a technology that is often thought of as clinical and futuristic, as well as presenting a capsule visual history of modern computing. Each entry also includes text by acclaimed writer John Alderman, detailing the characteristics of each machine and providing an overview of its historical importance and points of scientific interest. Core Memory profiles 35 machines from the collection of the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California, in the heart of Silicon Valley -- the largest assemblage of vintage technology in the world. - Jacket flap.