Brian W. Kernighan

Numbers are often intimidating, confusing, and even deliberately deceptive—especially when they are really big. The media loves to report on millions, billions, and trillions, but frequently makes basic mistakes or presents such numbers in misleading ways. Misunderstanding numbers can have serious consequences, as they can deceive us in many of our most important decisions, including how to vote, what to...

A brand-new edition of the popular introductory textbook that explores how computer hardware, software, and networks work. Computers are everywhere. Some are highly visible, in laptops, tablets, cell phones, and smart watches. But most are invisible, like those in appliances, cars, medical equipment, transportation systems, power grids, and weapons. We never see the myriad computers that quietly collect, share, and...

An essential guide to recognising bogus numbers and misleading data: Numbers are often intimidating, confusing, and even deliberately deceptive—especially when they are really big. The media loves to report on millions, billions, and trillions, but frequently makes basic mistakes or presents such numbers in misleading ways. Misunderstanding numbers can have serious consequences, since they can deceive us in many of...