Greetings EEVBees:
--I just discovered a new book about the history of computing, "Turing's Cathedral, The Origins of the Digital Universe" by George Dyson, son of Freeman Dyson. Although the title of the book mentions Turing, the main protagonist of the story is John von Neumann. It is the story of MANIAC, the ground breaking stored program computer. Some of my favorite usual suspects show up in this story; David Hilbert, Kurt Godel, Freeman Dyson, Max Born, who was Olivia Newton-John's grandfather, and many others. Oddly enough von Neumann who worked with Teller on the H-Bomb, was worried about the effect the computer might have on humanity.
"Turing's Cathedral" is available at Amazon, as a hard cover or e-book at the below link. I highly recommend.
http://www.amazon.com/Turings-Cathedral-Origins-Digital-Universe/dp/0375422773“If people do not believe that mathematics is simple, it is only because they do not realize how complicated life is.”
John von Neumann 1903 -1957
Best Regards
Clear Ether