Dealers of Lightning

Discover the untold story of the inventors at Xerox’s Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) who paved the way for today's indispensable technology. In Dealers of Lightning, renowned Los Angeles Times reporter, Michael Hiltzik, delves into the forces and faces behind the revolution that saw the creation of the first personal computer, Internet and user-friendly word-processing programs. Hiltzik reveals how the group was given complete freedom from deadlines and directives at Xerox headquarters, which led to a steady output of amazing technology. Despite failing to utilize the technology produced by the group, Xerox managed to produce one successful invention, the laser printer, which earned the company billions. Featuring interviews with engineers, executives, and scientists involved in the Xerox PARC this book chronicles an amazing era of egos, ideas, and inventions at the dawn of the computer age.