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The Magic Machine: A Handbook of Computer Sorcery
Discusses chaos, computer viruses, fractal worlds, prototype computers, and artificial landscapes, and includes suggestions for a variety of interesting computer programs
357 pages, Paperback
First published September 15, 1990
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About the author
A.K. Dewdney
24 books29 followersAlexander Keewatin (A.K.) Dewdney is a professor of computer science at the University of Western Ontario, a mathematician, environmental scientist, and author of books on diverse subjects.
Wanderers of cyberspace may discover something about my life as a mathematician and computer scientist, environmental scientist, conservationist, and author of books and articles.
The name "Keewatin" is an Ojibway word meaning "north wind."
The name ":Dewdney" is from the French/Jewish name, "Dieudonne."
Wanderers of cyberspace may discover something about my life as a mathematician and computer scientist, environmental scientist, conservationist, and author of books and articles.
The name "Keewatin" is an Ojibway word meaning "north wind."
The name ":Dewdney" is from the French/Jewish name, "Dieudonne."
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 10, 2018
The Magic Machine by A. K. Dewdney
It was funny when I first saw the cover and saw that he wrote for Scientific America.
Then I was fairly certain I had read his articles most likely without ever knowing it at Hazel Park Library or other Libraries.
I have spent a lot of time at libraries and it is recommended.
These screens are good at many things and even reading books on them is not terrible so long as you can be free of distractions.
Distractions are one of the things I feel we contend with most in this particular Nprobable timeline.
Onto the book.
If we onto our goto then we start to make the maze of programs we might imagine from the beginning to the end of the work.
The work gives you ideas then shares meta programs that you could then convert into your favorite programming language as long as they supported libraries that would allow you to fiddle with memory or screens.
If not you can always write libraries.
Who knows maybe you like to listen to your mandelbrot fractals instead creating libraries of fractal sound or some other sense.
First things first.
The work is dedicated to a Philosopher, and Computer Scientist. :)
Then we move into the magic of the technopath.
Spell One - Conjuring up chaos
Mandelbrot Magic
Visions of Julia
Mandelbrew and Mandelbus
The Strange Attractions of Chaos
Catching Biomorphs
Spell Two - Weird Machines
Vehicles of thought
The aprahulian wonder
Atomic computers
Paradoxical gold
Spell Three Deus Ex Machina
Fractal mountains and Graftal plants
Hodgepodge reactions
The demons of cyclic space
Slow growths
Programmed parties
Palmiter's protozoa
Spell Four Puzzling Landscapes
Mazes and minotaurs
People puzzles
Panning for Primes
Trains of thought
Prosodic programs
The martian dictionary
Spell Five Mathemagical movies
Special Fx
Balls in boxes
The invisible professor
Spell Six Battles of the Magi
The enigma and the bombe
Computers in the crypt
Core wars
Attacks of the viruses
The language itself is slightly lyrical and prosodic which I enjoy. For what is the reason to write but to play in word idea and sound.
To explore the very shapes of all things from their beginnings to their ends.
It's nice to play it would seem that so much about adult life at least where I am now in my life is about toil and not play.
This I need to change and always I focus on let's play.
If we do this much of the toil diminishes as shadows shed to the light.
This book plays and explores and after you play and explore through the pages you can challenge yourself to create, and creating is such a rewarding experience that I recommend it to all that can.
With that be kind, love, and play all of your live long days.
Your Friend Luminosity
It was funny when I first saw the cover and saw that he wrote for Scientific America.
Then I was fairly certain I had read his articles most likely without ever knowing it at Hazel Park Library or other Libraries.
I have spent a lot of time at libraries and it is recommended.
These screens are good at many things and even reading books on them is not terrible so long as you can be free of distractions.
Distractions are one of the things I feel we contend with most in this particular Nprobable timeline.
Onto the book.
If we onto our goto then we start to make the maze of programs we might imagine from the beginning to the end of the work.
The work gives you ideas then shares meta programs that you could then convert into your favorite programming language as long as they supported libraries that would allow you to fiddle with memory or screens.
If not you can always write libraries.
Who knows maybe you like to listen to your mandelbrot fractals instead creating libraries of fractal sound or some other sense.
First things first.
The work is dedicated to a Philosopher, and Computer Scientist. :)
Then we move into the magic of the technopath.
Spell One - Conjuring up chaos
Mandelbrot Magic
Visions of Julia
Mandelbrew and Mandelbus
The Strange Attractions of Chaos
Catching Biomorphs
Spell Two - Weird Machines
Vehicles of thought
The aprahulian wonder
Atomic computers
Paradoxical gold
Spell Three Deus Ex Machina
Fractal mountains and Graftal plants
Hodgepodge reactions
The demons of cyclic space
Slow growths
Programmed parties
Palmiter's protozoa
Spell Four Puzzling Landscapes
Mazes and minotaurs
People puzzles
Panning for Primes
Trains of thought
Prosodic programs
The martian dictionary
Spell Five Mathemagical movies
Special Fx
Balls in boxes
The invisible professor
Spell Six Battles of the Magi
The enigma and the bombe
Computers in the crypt
Core wars
Attacks of the viruses
The language itself is slightly lyrical and prosodic which I enjoy. For what is the reason to write but to play in word idea and sound.
To explore the very shapes of all things from their beginnings to their ends.
It's nice to play it would seem that so much about adult life at least where I am now in my life is about toil and not play.
This I need to change and always I focus on let's play.
If we do this much of the toil diminishes as shadows shed to the light.
This book plays and explores and after you play and explore through the pages you can challenge yourself to create, and creating is such a rewarding experience that I recommend it to all that can.
With that be kind, love, and play all of your live long days.
Your Friend Luminosity
October 3, 2018
When I was a teenager and starting to get into programming, this book absolutely blew me away. It was so much fun to read and really spurred me to continue getting further into development.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews