Great site I stumbled across that discusses the history of information technology and the rise of computers. Yeah I know it sounds dry but this is a site where a guy who had access to many of the ground floor players has posted his entire multi-chapter book. It’s very informative and well written.
Worth a look… and it’s free!
http://www.rheingold.com/texts/tft/1.html
"Tools for Thought by Howard Rheingold
The idea that people could use computers to amplify thought and communication, as tools for intellectual work and social activity, was not an invention of the mainstream computer industry or orthodox computer science, nor even homebrew computerists; their work was rooted in older, equally eccentric, equally visionary, work. You can’t really guess where mind-amplifying technology is going unless you understand where it came from.
- HLR"