Promotional Information

This insightful book provides a structure to help us understand the breadth and depth of computing, which can enable us to place our knowledge in a coherent framework, and in turn can inform the design of curricula. -- Tim Bell, Professor, Computer Science and Software Engineering, University of Canterbury To understand computing is not to examine the computer as a tool, but rather to comprehend the underlying principles that apply to computing's many manifestations and instances. Great Principles of Computing sets us on the path to uncover those underlying principles. But you will not be spoon-fed the keys -- you need to identify, ingest, and articulate them for yourself once you read through the tour de force that Denning and Martell offer us. Theirs is a brilliant effort to present a global view of what computing is all about and how it fits into the world we inhabit. -- Leonard Kleinrock, Distinguished Professor of Computer Science, University of California, Los Angeles With some effort almost everyone can learn to program. Writing code is not enough to build significant computing artifacts; to do that requires deeper insight into (at least) how computers work, how to choose algorithms, how computing systems are structured, and what goes into a correct, dependable design. How does one begin to gain those insights when all those items are interrelated? This book is one approach -- a thoughtful, integrated presentation of some of the fundamental concepts underlying computing. Presented as a set of detailed yet understandable topics, this text provides a solid foundation for someone learning how to think about computing beyond its mere codification in a programming language. Denning and Martell's text really does present great principles for the student of computing. -- Eugene H. Spafford, Professor of Computer Science, Purdue University

About the Author

Peter J. Denning is Distinguished Professor of Computer Science at the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California. He is the coauthor of The Innovator's Way- Essential Practices for Successful Innovation and Great Principles of Computing, both published by the MIT Press.

Craig H. Martell is Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the Naval Postgraduate School.