Computer Science: An Overview

First, some quick advice to those who found the book too basic or general: read the title if you can't make it to page one of the preface! This book is an overview of computer science. You can't expect it to be "Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs" + "Introduction to Algorithms, 2nd ed" + "Principles of Compiler Design" + "C Primer Plus", etc. . . If you're looking for that kind of topic depth refer to books... Read Full Review

This isn't a book about programming, it isn't a book about laying out a spreadsheet, reading this book isn't going to give you skills on the latest Microsoft operating system.It's a book on COMPUTER SCIENCE. Computer Science is more related to math than the "computers" most people think of. It isn't practical, it's theoretical -- it's supposed to be.It cracks me up to read the reviews where the reader just doesn't get the... Read Full Review

This book provides the fundamentals of the Science behind computing and the machines called computers in a down to earth, straightforward, easy to understand manner. An absolute MUST READ for anyone who works with computers and computer science, and simple enough to understand that anyone interested in computers can read it. If you are interested in learning the details of how comptuers work but don't know much about them... Read Full Review

As noted by other reviewers, this book is a useful and usable broad survey for beginning CS and other interested students, and as such it deserves five stars. But I wish to describe it from a narrow perspective. Readers of another review of mine who sought help with the GRE/CS mentioned this book; I was surprised to find it now as a top match under Book Search: GRE Computer Science, because it makes no claim to prepare... Read Full Review

I agree completely with the reader from Colorado. This is a great book.I picked it up on impulse when purchasing a textbook for a computer architecture course at university. Usually when I buy a book on impulse, I regret it. Not this time. This is the best one-volume coverage of computer science I've seen.The book is written as an "overview", but anyone who reads it thoroughly will come away with quite a sophisticated ... Read Full Review