I majored in electronics (more than a decade ago) but always worked in software development. Does it still make sense to purchase it? I am eager to buy it, just need the push. :)
I have a similar background in Electrical Engineering and, while I enjoyed the book, it did not change my perspective. I think the book does a good job of opening up what many programmers (and, of course, others) may see as a "black box" that they interact with on a daily basis. I recommend it to those who do not already have a fairly comprehensive of how a computer works, but if you think you pretty much already understand how transistors become ALUs and have touched Assembly, you may find it a bit boring (as I did).
Thanks for this solid comment. Assembly is the one that I am most removed from at the moment. It is 15 years or more. So it seems like I will enjoy it at the very least.
I finished my Electrical and Computer Engineering undergrad in 2008 and have been a software dev ever since.
You won't learn anything new if you had computer architecture and digital logic classes. But it's an excellent refresher. And so well written that it reads more like light fiction than a technical deep dive.
(Assuming the second edition is as good as the first) yes. This is the kind of book you can read on a plane ride from New York to San Francisco without taking notes or opening up your computer, and still get a lot out of. It's captivating but conversational and well written.