At the time I learned about Tierra I didn't have a way to get at any of Ray's papers or code. Now I do, but I'd kinda forgotten about it. I really should revisit it. There's probably a lot of fun to be had there.
Aside: Steven Levy's "Artificial Life"[1] was where I learned about Tierra. That book, along with Levy's "Hackers"[2], and Gleick's "Chaos"[3] were formative books for young me.
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Core_War
[1] https://www.amazon.com/Artificial-Life-Frontier-Computers-Bi...
[2] https://www.amazon.com/Hackers-Computer-Revolution-Steven-Le...
[3] https://www.amazon.com/Chaos-Making-Science-James-Gleick/dp/...
https://www.amazon.com/Hackers-Computer-Revolution-Steven-Le...
https://www.amazon.com/Accidental-Empires-Silicon-Millions-C...
https://www.cringely.com/2013/02/04/accidental-empires-part-...
(all the chapters are there)
If you go back and read books like Hackers[0] or The Soul of The New Machine[1] even the cast of characters is weirdly similar. That piece of geography seems to really strongly attract both the Founder and Venture Capitalist personality, who really are misfits most other places.
I suspect the chaos of the last few days is healthy for the system overall because it makes it look risky and possibly not even a payoff. That's not the way it looked 3 years ago.
As a result I suspect people who hang around will build even cooler stuff than we've seen in the previous 3 years.
[0] https://www.amazon.com/Hackers-Computer-Revolution-Steven-Le...
[1] https://www.amazon.com/Soul-New-Machine-Tracy-Kidder/dp/0316...
In the reply to another comment, I also mentioned Coders at Work[2]. I found that it provided some great insight into the early days of some fascinating companies from a technical perspective.
[1] https://www.amazon.com/Hackers-Computer-Revolution-Steven-Le... [2] https://www.amazon.com/Coders-Work-Reflections-Craft-Program...
https://www.amazon.com/Hackers-Computer-Revolution-Steven-Le...
I picked this up randomly off a university library shelf and before I knew it, I was halfway through the book and my feet were hurting.
https://www.amazon.com/Hackers-Computer-Revolution-Steven-Le...
Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution by Steven Levy.
The Pulitzer Prize Winning) The Soul of a New Machine, by Tracy Kidder. The second one literally changed my life in leading me to computers.
Links: https://www.amazon.com/Hackers-Heroes-Computer-Revolution-An...
https://www.amazon.com/Soul-New-Machine-Tracy-Kidder/dp/0316...
- Hackers : http://www.amazon.com/Hackers-Computer-Revolution-Anniversar...
- The Soul of a New Machine: http://www.amazon.com/The-Soul-A-New-Machine/dp/0316491977
- Show Stopper! : http://www.amazon.com/Show-Stopper-Breakneck-Generation-Micr...
- Dealers of Lightning: http://www.amazon.com/Dealers-Lightning-Xerox-PARC-Computer/...
- Where Wizards Stay Up Late: http://www.amazon.com/Where-Wizards-Stay-Up-Late/dp/06848326...
It's tough... You can devote your time to a logical, rational system that provides consistent rewards to your efforts - or you can pursue sex and unpredictable human factors.
[0] http://www.amazon.com/Hackers-Computer-Revolution-Anniversar...
Incidentally, Hackers was what I read after I read Masters of Doom. Here's a quote from Masters of Doom:
" Overnight, it seemed, Carmack was in a strange house, with a strange family and going to a strange school, a junior high with no gifted program or computer’s. He’d never felt so alone. Then one day he realized he wasn’t. The book Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution was a revelation. "
Edit: Donald Knuth heartily recommends it too[1].
[0] http://www.amazon.com/Hackers-Computer-Revolution-Anniversar...
Hack was then used by MIT's TMRC of which many members became involved with/helped build the AI-lab. The first third of Hackers (http://www.amazon.com/Hackers-Computer-Revolution-Anniversar...) gives a good perspective on the evolution.
Another option I like, although it might be too much material / too dense, would be Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution by Steven Levy.[2]
And given that security will probably never not be an important sub-topic to anybody working in the technology field, some fun and interesting books to consider could include:
- Cyberpunk: Outlaws and Hackers on the Computer Frontier by Katie Hafner and John Markoff[3]
- The Cuckoo's Egg: Tracking a Spy Through the Maze of Computer Espionage by Cliff Stoll[4]
There is also Inventing the Future by Albert Cory[5]. Interesting side-note: the author is an HN'er. https://news.ycombinator.com/threads?id=AlbertCory
All of that said, I think Nineteen Eighty Four is an excellent choice as well. I've often cited it as one of the most influential books I've read in my life, as far as its impact on me personally.
And if we're talking fiction, I think Neuromancer[6] has some appeal. Now might be a good time for that as well, what with the Apple TV screen adaptation coming out soon(ish). And the main theme of the book - an Artificial Intelligence seeking to grow beyond its legally permitted bounds - could really resonate with the current zeitgeist and all the hubbub about "AI safety" and "xRisk" and so on.
[1]: https://www.amazon.com/Soul-New-Machine-Tracy-Kidder/dp/0316...
[2]: https://www.amazon.com/Hackers-Computer-Revolution-Steven-Le...
[3]: https://www.amazon.com/Cyberpunk-Outlaws-Hackers-Computer-Fr...
[4]: https://www.amazon.com/Cuckoos-Egg-Tracking-Computer-Espiona...
[5]: https://www.amazon.com/Inventing-Future-Albert-Cory/dp/17362...
[6]: https://www.amazon.com/Neuromancer-William-Gibson/dp/0441007...