How Computers Work, Ninth Edition

Introduction

	“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”
	--Arthur C. Clarke

SORCERERS have their magic wands—powerful, potentially dangerous tools with lives of their own. Witches have their familiars—creatures disguised as household beasts that could, if they choose, wreak the witches’ havoc. Mystics have their golems—beings built of wood and tin brought to life to do their masters’ bidding.

We have our personal computers.

PCs, too, are powerful creations that often seem to have a life of their own. Usually, they respond to a wave of a mouse or a spoken incantation by performing tasks we couldn’t imagine doing ourselves without some sort of preternatural help. But even as computers successfully carry out our commands, ...