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From Baker Street to Binary: An Introduction to Computers and Computer Programming
From Baker Street to Binary An Introduction to Computers and Computer Programming Author:Henry F. Ledgard, Patrick E. McQuaid, Andrew Singer Suppose the legendary Sherlock Holmes had had a computer to help solve his cases. That is the premise of the stories in From Baker Street to Binary, a remarkable blend of fiction and instruction. — In fact, the forerunner of the computer, the Analytic Engine, was designed by Charles Babbage in the mid-1880's, the era of Sherlock Holmes. It is thi... more »s machine that helps Holmes solve the baffling cases in this book and unlock the mysteries of computers for the reader.
In "The Adventure of the Abacus," a mathematics professor is murdered and top secret government documents are destroyed. As Holmes solves the crime, the reader learns how the computer stores data and other elementary computer concepts. In "The Adventure of the Carriage Wheel," a computer calculation saves a young man accused of burglary, while the reader is taught the fundamentals of programming. An anonymous note threatens that "the vile machine must be destroyed to end its wickedness" in "The Adventure of the Red Queen's Race." Holmes and his chess-playing colleagues race against time to identify the mysterious Red Queen and stop the destruction, while the reader learns all about the nature of artificial intelligence and the social implications of computers.
These are only a few of the adventurous encounters of the supremely logical detective with the supremely logical machine. Readers everywhere will be enchanted and informed.« less