Understanding the Digital World has established itself as the essential computer science textbook for nonmajors and a must-read for anyone who wants to know more about computers and communications. It explains how computers are built and how they compute, what programming is, how the Internet and the web work, Python programming, AI and machine learning, the inherent limitations of computers, and much more. Now completely updated, this informative and accessible book covers all facets of the digital world, revealing how computers affect security, privacy, property, and many other vital social, political, and economic issues.
- Now covers large language models and chatbots like ChatGPT
- Features timely new discussions of how LLMs are changing how we live and work, including how the use of AI is transforming programming itself
- Gives updated examples of new technologies like self-driving cars and how they affect us
- Provides added coverage of data breaches, facial recognition and biometrics, tracking, and other privacy issues
- Offers expanded coverage of hardware like multiple cores and GPUs
- Additional historical discussions cover topics such as Leibniz鈥檚 work on binary numbers
- Includes suggestions for further reading and a glossary of technical terms and buzzwords
Brian W. Kernighan is professor of computer science at 快色直播 University. His many books include Millions, Billions, Zillions: Defending Yourself in a World of Too Many Numbers (快色直播) and The C Programming Language.
"“[Kernighan's] credentials as a computer scientist are stellar but what comes through in this book is a humanitarian concern about the place of technology in the modern world. . . . The grounding [the book] provides in the fundamentals of computing and how the technology interacts with our lives will remain relevant for a very long time.”—Steve Mansfield-Devine, Network Security"
"This is the clearest and simplest explanation of the world we now all depend on—how it works and why it does what it does—from one of our best-known inventors. Everyone on Earth needs to read it."—Eric Schmidt, former executive chairman of Alphabet Inc. and Google
"This book takes the mystery out of computers and the Internet, and everyone can learn from it. With a friendly and accessible style, Kernighan connects what is happening inside machines to the news of the day and developments about the digital world."—Harry Lewis, coauthor of Blown to Bits: Your Life, Liberty, and Happiness after the Digital Explosion
"Kernighan tells us exactly what we need to know about computers and computer science, focusing on ideas that are useful and interesting for everyday computer users. He covers a fascinating range of topics, including fundamentals such as computer hardware, programming, algorithms, and networks, as well as politically charged issues related to government surveillance, privacy, and Internet neutrality."—John MacCormick, author of Thinking AI: How Artificial Intelligence Emulates Human Understanding
"Understanding the Digital World provides a broad overview of computers and electronic communications for a general audience. The book flows smoothly from topic to topic, and readers from diverse backgrounds will find it accessible."—Bryan Respass, Bergen County Academies
This publication has been produced to meet accepted Accessibility standards and contains various accessibility features including concise image descriptions, a table of contents, a page list to navigate to pages corresponding to the print source version, and elements such as headings for structured navigation. Appearance of the text and page layout can be modified according to the capabilities of the reading system.
Accessibility Features
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WCAG v2.2
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WCAG level AA
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Table of contents navigation
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Single logical reading order
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Short alternative textual descriptions
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Print-equivalent page numbering
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Landmark navigation
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Index navigation
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Epub Accessibility Specification 1.1
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ARIA roles provided
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All non-decorative content supports reading without sight
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No known hazards or warnings
