Rod Paddock

A Different Kind of Reading List

I love biographies. I am really a sucker for stories related to the creation of great software and hardware. These books provide me with inspiration that great things are possible.

Here are some of my favorites:

Revolution in the Valley

The Apple Macintosh is arguably one of the greatest software/hardware creations of all time. This book (one of my favorites) contains a ton of stories told by the people that created the Apple Macintosh computer. Its origins started on the web site www.folklore.org. Check out this web site for stories of the Mac.

Postmortems

One of my favorite magazines is Game Developer Magazine. The reason it is my favorite is because of the monthly column called Postmortem. Every issue highlights the process of creation of a game pointing from two perspectives. What went right and what went wrong. Game developers face the same issues that line of business developers face: tough deadlines, new tools, process problems and other recurring themes from our profession.

This book contains dozens of these postmortems culled from the magazine over the years.

Showstopper

The creation of Windows NT marked one of the greatest milestones in the history of Microsoft Windows. This book by Pascal Zachary tells the stories of the architects, designers and developers of Windows NT.  With all the problems with Windows Vista Microsoft should put Dave Cutler back in charge (read the book and you'll know why)

Before www.myspace.com (the web site where every page looks like a ransom letter) there existed an application that enabled neophyte developers create there own web pages (that also looked like ransom letters <G>) with just a few simple clicks and a very intuitive interface. This book documents the process of creating Microsoft FrontPage. Microsoft did not originally create Microsoft FrontPage. Microsoft FrontPage was purchases from a company called Vermeer. This book shows the process that Vermeer went through when creating. FrontPage. It also gives a history of some tools we still use today. FrontPage extensions anyone?

Making the Xbox

The XBOX is one of the best  things to come out of Microsoft in the most recent history. (With the exception of the .NET of course <G>)  This book documents the creation of the first XBOX.  It discusses the design work, the production process and risks involved in creating something truly great.

I like this book because it reinforces the idea that great things come from small teams.

Soul of a New Machine

This book was the inspiration for the book Showstopper. It documents the creation of the Data General minicomputer. This book, written in 1981(practically the dawn of the computer industry as we know it) tells the story of creating a new 32bit minicomputer this book is all about the blood sweat and tears that come with creating something great.

I Sing the Body Electronic

There was a day when creating content for CDs (yes CDs) was a new and innovative field of work. Anyone remember the game Manhole? This book documents the process of creating a new children's multimedia title at Microsoft.