In our class, our last textbook is 9 Algorithms That Changed The Future by John MacCormick. All together the book was rather interesting but didn't really grab my attention, which is what I really expect from a textbook. Like all the textbooks in this class it is not horribly long but long enough to get the point across. There were parts of the book that I liked and that I felt MacCormick explained really well. One starts on page 94 and explains a simplified neural network. He explains that a neural network is a computer model that represents a small faction of the brain, but very simplified. He goes on to talk about the umbrella problem, which simply is if you should take your umbrella or not based on the conditions outside. In the model he presents, he has multiple neurons that is assigned a number called its threshold. The neurons add up their numbers and if it is at least the number of the threshold the neuron fires, otherwise it does nothing. In the umbrella problem there are three inputs into the network where the neurons are. These three inputs send signals into the network, just as our eyes and ears send signals to our brain. Each input states true or false to the condition they are assigned, such as "already raining?", "humid?", or "cloudy?". The network has two neurons, one with a threshold of one and the other with a threshold of two. The first threshold will fire if "already raining?" is true or if "humid?" and "cloudy?" are both true and fire the neuron with two thresholds and thus fires the first. If either of these are met the network decides to take an umbrella, if not it remains idle.
Another part of the book I liked is MacCormick's description of tables starting on page 124. In class we had a similar discussion of how tables should work and be set up and this kind of cemented some ideas about tables. In the book it is very simplified; using a table to list people, their ages, and people they are friends with. In class we discussed how tables were used to make lists of people on websites, such as usernames and passwords.
I already knew a few things about algorithms from past assignments and books so this book did not teach me a whole lot more about them then I already knew.
John Dupuis wrote an article reviewing this book and I agree with what he has to say about it. He talks about how the book is written for those who love computers but don't know about all the inner workings of the computer. This book does a great job of describing different algorithms to the general public but does come off a bit wordy. Dupuis adds that he feels that MacCormick could have been more "techy" with the writing of this book, such as adding pseudocode or a flow chart. For me I really appreciate the amount of pictures in the book to explain what he is talking about. A few of them really help demonstrate what he is talking about. Otherwise though the book is really well suited for a general audience of people who want to know computers better.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wanted to get to know computers better, especially some basic but important algorithms that go into almost every computer. Preferably someone who is just starting out in computers with a little background so not all the topics covered in this book are confusing. I could see why this would be chosen as a textbook, as it covers a lot of important and interesting information but is also not horribly dry like a normal school textbook.
John Dupuis Reading Diary: Nine Algorithms That Changed The Future by John MacCormick
http://scienceblogs.com/confessions/2012/06/11/reading-diary-nine-algorithms-that-changed-the-future-by-john-maccormick/
