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Hackers & Painters by Paul Graham

Get the book: https://amzn.to/49j7aaM

We are living in the computer age, a world increasingly shaped by programmers and software designers—people who often call themselves hackers. But who are these individuals, what drives them, and why does it matter?

Consider this: everything around us is becoming a computer. Typewriters have disappeared, replaced by computers. Your phone is now a computer, and so is your camera. Soon, even your TV will be fully computer-driven. Cars not only rely on computers for design but now have more processing power than a room-sized mainframe from the 1970s. Letters, encyclopedias, newspapers, and even local stores are being transformed by the internet.

In Hackers & Painters, Paul Graham delves into this rapidly evolving world and the motivations behind those shaping it. With clear and thoughtful prose, Graham offers insights into what he calls an “intellectual wild west,” enriched with historical context and real-world examples.

This book discusses ideas that will deeply influence how we think, work, innovate, and live. Topics range from the role of beauty in software design, how to create wealth, and the relationship between heresy and free speech to the rise of open-source software, the programming language revolution, digital design, and the dynamics of internet start-ups.