Language and Computers (Edinburgh University Press, £14.95, ISBN 0 7486
0785 4) is Geoff Barnbrook’s beginners’ introduction to computer analysis of
texts. He starts students off with the quaint mysteries of 5.25″ floppy disks
(remember the bendy ones?). By the end, keen readers will dream in awk (a
text-processing language).
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles
1
Fully autonomous drones have killed human soldiers for the first time
2
What is a ‘normal’ memory slowdown, and when should I worry?
3
Toy universe shows that time could be a quantum illusion
4
Understanding anorexia’s grip on the brain could unlock new therapies
5
Why we should all take quantum physics extremely personally
6
Unpicking endometriosis reveals how it affects more than the pelvis
7
Hundreds of new moons are revealing our solar system's violent history
8
Global map reveals the vast scale of underground fungal networks
9
We may finally know why gold stays so shiny
10
A nuclear war between India and Pakistan could destroy the ozone layer
