"How We Got Here" free e-book in PDF

Colin Dunstan · 05-03-2005, 08:24 PM

Thanks to jkOnTheRun for pointing out that Andy Kessler's newest (not yet released) book How We Got Here: A Slightly Irreverent History of Technology and Markets is now available for free in Adobe PDF format.

How We Got Here is the book Kessler wishes someone had handed him on his first day as a freshman engineering student at Cornell or on the day he started on Wall Street. In the style of James Burke, it connects the dots through history to how we got to where we are today. Presented with his trademark wit and smart-ass assessments, How We Got Here offers readers an original and refreshing look at history.

hacker · 05-03-2005, 11:16 PM

Sigh.

This is the second "free PDF eBook" I've seen this week which is most-definately not "free". If I asked to provide anything in exchange for downloading (an email addres and name in this case), the resource ceases to be free.

I'm getting tired of the Internet re-defining common terms like this:

"Free! Just enter your credit card number below to verify!"

"Free with paid membership."

"Free access to valid paid accounts."

Pathetic. Maybe I'm being ornery, but this really muddies the waters of what is "free" (as in "..without obligations") and what is not.

This is not free.

Now I'm off to create a throwaway account in gmail to grab this pdf and convert it to Plucker format... "for free" of course. <grin>

Colin Dunstan · 05-04-2005, 04:46 AM

David follow the link and you'll read:

Quote:

Our hosting provider, Verio.com, has disabled our fulfillment system due to high volume.

However, you can go straight to this page and retrieve a generic version of the PDF (it won't be personalized for you, however).

You don't have to enter anything to download the book.

hacker · 05-04-2005, 04:58 AM

Ok, then it was just me being over-tired and ranting. Sorry...

05-03-2005, 08:24 PM	#1
Colin Dunstan Is papyrophobic! Posts: 1,926 Karma: 1009999 Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: USA Device: Dell Axim	"How We Got Here" free e-book in PDF Thanks to jkOnTheRun for pointing out that Andy Kessler's newest (not yet released) book How We Got Here: A Slightly Irreverent History of Technology and Markets is now available for free in Adobe PDF format. How We Got Here is the book Kessler wishes someone had handed him on his first day as a freshman engineering student at Cornell or on the day he started on Wall Street. In the style of James Burke, it connects the dots through history to how we got to where we are today. Presented with his trademark wit and smart-ass assessments, How We Got Here offers readers an original and refreshing look at history.

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05-03-2005, 11:16 PM	#2
hacker Technology Mercenary Posts: 617 Karma: 2561 Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: East Lyme, CT Device: Direct Neural Implant	Sigh. This is the second "free PDF eBook" I've seen this week which is most-definately not "free". If I asked to provide anything in exchange for downloading (an email addres and name in this case), the resource ceases to be free. I'm getting tired of the Internet re-defining common terms like this: "Free! Just enter your credit card number below to verify!" "Free with paid membership." "Free access to valid paid accounts." Pathetic. Maybe I'm being ornery, but this really muddies the waters of what is "free" (as in "..without obligations") and what is not. This is not free. Now I'm off to create a throwaway account in gmail to grab this pdf and convert it to Plucker format... "for free" of course. <grin>

05-04-2005, 04:58 AM	#4
hacker Technology Mercenary Posts: 617 Karma: 2561 Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: East Lyme, CT Device: Direct Neural Implant	Ok, then it was just me being over-tired and ranting. Sorry...

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