Red Flayer's Journal: Need some reading suggestions -- PC history

So, due to this post, or rather the inspiration for that post, I've decided that I should resume writing regularly.

I've been pretty busy for a couple years (having a kid will do that), and I've had a dearth of ideas and inspiration, until now.

We've all seen the humorous portrayals of the cult of Jobs, but I think this is an idea that can be expanded and fleshed out into several novels based on the history of PCs in the US. The key would be in working out how computing could be transformed into some kind of karmic or religious power while maintaining the key factors that led them to develop as they did.

So now I've got to get my nose into research, and begin reading (and re-reading) everything I can about the early years of PCs... I've got a list I'll be tackling shortly, but anyone have any suggestions? I'm particularly interested in the individuals involved.

Games Workshop

[Shadow Wrought]

This is somewhat of a different direction, but re3ading some of Games Workshop's Warhammer 40k fiction might be helpful, too. I don't know if you are a gamer or not, but in their "universe" all technology is handled by Tech-Priests. So in their fiction their priests will say prayers and the like over electrical components so they will work. It truly is a cult, and the members don't even fully understand the Machine God. So its a thought that it might be interesting to you to see how they handle that cul

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[Red Flayer]

Thanks for the tip about the 40k fiction... I'll have to check it out. I used to be a somewhat avid gamer, so I'll likely get a kick out of it.

It truly is a cult, and the members don't even fully understand the Machine God.

Kind of like most users :) which is sort of the central theme I've been working on.

Sounds like a neat idea...

[ConceptJunkie]

If you ever make a movie, I suggest casting "Bender" as Steve Ballmer.

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[Red Flayer]

Hm... If I had to cast a robot, Bender would be a good choice. But if I could cast any non-human, surely Domokun would be a better choice?

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[ConceptJunkie]

Well, I was making a bit of a joke because in the "Pirates of Silicon Valley" Steve Ballmer was played by John DiMaggio, the voice of Bender.

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[Red Flayer]

Ahhh... I didn't see it, so that one flew waaay over my head.

That's one I'll need to watch, but after I've done enough reading -- I find video of characters to absolutely kill my imagination.

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[ConceptJunkie]

It was a bit of a jump, yes. Definitely check out the movie, but I think your instinct about not letting video color your sense of the characters is a very good, _especially_ fictional accounts.

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[Red Flayer]

The big problem I'm having so far is assigning classic archetypes to the big players. I want the story to be compelling but understandable, but I'm having some difficulty with Gates -- I want to be true to his character as best I can, but I'm coming up empty (maybe I need to get in touch with people who have interacted with him personally).