Description

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In 1975 there were a thousand physicists doing research in the areas of optics and semiconductor devices. Several inventions that formed the hardware platform for computers, mobile devices, the internet and broadband communication were created. Today, these sectors are giants. The wealth of Bill Gates is about half the market cap of IBM. How did this happen? Publisher's Weekly: McCarney draws on a doctorate in physics and years of experience as a corporate researcher to create a fascinating account tracing the development of the modern world's defining technologies.... The detailed scientific history is interwoven with stories of human greed and ambition, revealing the ample political backstabbing, legal battles, and business machinations that accompanied the development of now-ubiquitous items.... his focus remains on the tireless human impulse toward innovation. McCarney's impeccable research is certain to interest and inspire STEM students, while the behind-the-scenes drama will appeal to nonspecialists.