If asked to name professions that impact our lives, many would list doctors, firefighters or others involved in life-saving professions. But on a daily basis, it's computer programmers who are "among the most quietly influential people on the planet." In Coders, Wired columnist Clive Thompson examines the architects of the digital world and their impact on every corner of society. Thanks to coders, we have unprecedented opportunities to access information, complete complex tasks and express individuality--all within the confines of decisions made by coders.
Women were the earliest programmers, gaining experience with primitive computers and as code-breakers in World War II. Within two decades, women were sidelined by men once the field became lucrative; it has been almost exclusively male ever since. Thompson interviews many coders to identify the traits that make them tick: an affinity for problem-solving, an obsession with efficiency, anti-authoritarian leanings and an infallible belief in the virtues of the meritocracy.
Thompson sees no question that software developed by coders has improved our lives in countless ways, yet his book does not shy away from the problems caused by the industry's white male monoculture. Rarely the target of harassment themselves, coders failed to anticipate how the platforms they created could so easily spread hate and disinformation. Recent trends show the beginnings of democratization in the field, as "hooded young Zuckerbergian coders" who felt they alone could change the world give way to women, people of color and residents of rural areas who can learn code on their own terms. --Frank Brasile, librarian