Today, as more and more people are introduced to the computer--and as more and more computers are built into our cars, our phones, and our appliances--the need for a book like this couldn't be greater. Here, in terms anyone can understand, is a lively, comprehensive history and practical overview of computers and computing, from Leonardo da Vinci's design for a calculating machine to the creation of the World Wide Web; from the simple binary circuits inside all digital computers to the complex programs that beat the greatest human chess players; from the countless uses of the Internet to its hidden pitfalls. Newbies and nerds alike will find answers here to all the questions they'd care to ask.