Nightwork: A History of Hacks and Pranks at MIT
by Institute Historian T. F. Peterson
|
List Price: $21.95
Our Price: $4.48
Your Save: $ 17.47 ( 80% )
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: The MIT Press
|
Average Customer Rating:  
|
|
Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 378.7444
EAN: 9780262661379
ISBN: 0262661373
Label: The MIT Press
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 190
Publication Date: 2003-03-14
Publisher: The MIT Press
Studio: The MIT Press
|
|
|
|
|
|
Spotlight customer reviews:
|
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Nice, but doesn't live up to its predecessors
Comment: This is an entertaining book full of pictures of MIT hacks and anecdotes and essays on hacking. However, much of the material is reprinted from the more lengthy and generally superior previous two books on MIT's hacking tradition, "Is This the Way to Baker House?" and "The Journal of the Institute for Hacks, Tomfoolery & Pranks at MIT". I bought this book since it includes some more recent hacks than either of those two. Nightwork is worth buying, but if you really want good books on hacking at MIT, find yourself used copies of the other two.
Customer Rating:
Summary: what about all the failed pranks?
Comment: Here is an informal romp through decades of MIT pranks. Reflecting well on the ingenuity and craziness of the undergrads who devoted so much time and sweat to making these happen. Most of the pranks revolve around some high tech gimmick. As you follow the narrative, you might admire the unorthodox nature to which technology has been applied.
The only lack in the book is in anecdotes of failed pranks. These could surely comprise a much larger text.
Customer Rating:
Summary: ^_^
Comment: Ok, originally I was trying to buy a book on Asian women in the work force for my Anthropology class. The frist part of the name of this book is the same as the other book so I quickly bought it before I finished reading the rest of the title, so it is all my fault for getting the wrong book. Either way, this book is alot better and more enertaining. Best mistake I ever made ^_^. The book was mailed to my house fast and in great condition.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great book, but with a caveat.
Comment: This is a terrific, fairly comprehensive book of the highlights from MIT's long tradition of pranks. However, if you have already read Journal of the Institute of Hacks, Tomfoolery, and Pranks, you'll find you've read most of this before, and in better detail, with better-reproduced photographs (in my opinion.) The good thing about Nightwork is that this is includes hacks from more recent years than the other book.
For me, the time they spent on the new stuff wasn't nearly enough to justify buying a whole new book, but on its own and to someone who has never read its predecessor, it is an excellent and entertaining history.
Customer Rating:
Summary: And yet, the professor pulls off another Hack ...
Comment: I had a brief opportunity to read this book a while ago. There are plenty of stories about hacks that would make anyone go "why in the name of science these geeks wanted to do that?" And well, you are asking that about people that are pride of being considered geeks. But then again, with this book you will get acquainted with the all-time famous football game between Harvard and Yale where the winner was MIT (??), the 48 unit weight that "cracked" the dome and that the measure of the Harvard bridge is about 364.4 smoots + one ear
And for those of you lucky enough to have established contact with an MIT student/alum, ask them about the secret that lies within the Institute Historian T. F. Peterson and the "hack" that its right there in front of your eyes. Congratulations, you have been hacked.
|
|
|
Editorial Reviews:
|
Customer Rating:
Summary: Nice, but doesn't live up to its predecessors
Comment: This is an entertaining book full of pictures of MIT hacks and anecdotes and essays on hacking. However, much of the material is reprinted from the more lengthy and generally superior previous two books on MIT's hacking tradition, "Is This the Way to Baker House?" and "The Journal of the Institute for Hacks, Tomfoolery & Pranks at MIT". I bought this book since it includes some more recent hacks than either of those two. Nightwork is worth buying, but if you really want good books on hacking at MIT, find yourself used copies of the other two.
Customer Rating:
Summary: what about all the failed pranks?
Comment: Here is an informal romp through decades of MIT pranks. Reflecting well on the ingenuity and craziness of the undergrads who devoted so much time and sweat to making these happen. Most of the pranks revolve around some high tech gimmick. As you follow the narrative, you might admire the unorthodox nature to which technology has been applied.
The only lack in the book is in anecdotes of failed pranks. These could surely comprise a much larger text.
Customer Rating:
Summary: ^_^
Comment: Ok, originally I was trying to buy a book on Asian women in the work force for my Anthropology class. The frist part of the name of this book is the same as the other book so I quickly bought it before I finished reading the rest of the title, so it is all my fault for getting the wrong book. Either way, this book is alot better and more enertaining. Best mistake I ever made ^_^. The book was mailed to my house fast and in great condition.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great book, but with a caveat.
Comment: This is a terrific, fairly comprehensive book of the highlights from MIT's long tradition of pranks. However, if you have already read Journal of the Institute of Hacks, Tomfoolery, and Pranks, you'll find you've read most of this before, and in better detail, with better-reproduced photographs (in my opinion.) The good thing about Nightwork is that this is includes hacks from more recent years than the other book.
For me, the time they spent on the new stuff wasn't nearly enough to justify buying a whole new book, but on its own and to someone who has never read its predecessor, it is an excellent and entertaining history.
Customer Rating:
Summary: And yet, the professor pulls off another Hack ...
Comment: I had a brief opportunity to read this book a while ago. There are plenty of stories about hacks that would make anyone go "why in the name of science these geeks wanted to do that?" And well, you are asking that about people that are pride of being considered geeks. But then again, with this book you will get acquainted with the all-time famous football game between Harvard and Yale where the winner was MIT (??), the 48 unit weight that "cracked" the dome and that the measure of the Harvard bridge is about 364.4 smoots + one ear
And for those of you lucky enough to have established contact with an MIT student/alum, ask them about the secret that lies within the Institute Historian T. F. Peterson and the "hack" that its right there in front of your eyes. Congratulations, you have been hacked.
Before the term hacking became associated with computers, MIT undergraduates used it to describe any activity that took their minds off studying, suggested an unusual solution to a technical problem, or generally fostered nondestructive mischief. The MIT hacking culture has given us such treasures as police cars and cows on the Great Dome, a disappearing door to the President's office, and the commencement game of "Al Gore Buzzword Bingo." Hacks can be technical, physical, virtual, or verbal. Often the underlying motivation is to conquer the inaccessible and make possible the improbable. Hacks can express dissatisfaction with local culture or with administrative decisions, but mostly they are remarkably good-spirited. They are also by definition ephemeral. Fortunately, the MIT Museum has amassed a unique collection of hack-related pictures, reports, and remnants. Nightwork collects the best materials from this collection, to entertain innocent bystanders and inspire new generations of practitioners.
|
|
|
- Ask about this education product "Nightwork: A History of Hacks and Pranks at MIT" in the forum
- Give review on this education product "Nightwork: A History of Hacks and Pranks at MIT" in the forum
- Search related information in the forum
|
|
|
|
|
| OOEN Referral Program Spotlight |
 | | Brookdale Community College
Now you can earn the IT certification you need in as little as 3 to 12 months. Brookdale Community College allows you to earn your certification the way you want, online or on campus. Be confident with a 90% certification success rate and paid-for re-testing. We also offer a satisfaction, money-back guarantee. If you’re serious about earning your IT certification, look no further than Brookdale Community College. | |  | |
 | | Center for Digital Imaging Arts at Boston University
The Center for Digital Imaging Arts at Boston University is one of the nation’s leading centers to study digital arts. Students choose the center for its hands on approach, state-of-the-art facilities, and individualized teaching methods. Career-track programs are offered in 3D Animation, Photography, Filmmaking, and Graphics & Web Design. Extensive career services are available as well as financial aid for students who qualify. | | | |
 | | Central Pennsylvania College
Earn a degree at Central Pennsylvania College and achieve your career goals. Choose from bachelor and associate degree programs in criminal justice, business administration (including healthcare administration and management), corporate communications and information technology (including cyber security). Programs allow you to focus on your specific area of interest and combine hands-on learning with high quality academics for career preparation. Professors have real-world professional experience in the subjects they teach. Our high job placement percentage speaks to the marketability of our students upon graduation. Benefit from personalized learning to build the skills you need for employment and success. Financial aid is available for those who qualify. | | | |
|
What is OOEN Referral Program Spotlight?
OOEN provides comprehensive listing of online courses, degree programs, colleges and universities.
Also OOEN provides links to their information request pages; if you want to find out more about any course,
degree program, college or university, you can just fill out the form linked from OOEN and request information.
It is completely free for anyone to request information, and you can request information from as many colleges
and universities as you'd like. We list featured schools and their brief information
in this "OOEN Referral Program Spotlight" section of OOEN Store for Education,
in case that you are interested in taking a class or two or even pursuing degree program
through these featured schools.
|
|
|
