Exactly
by Simon Winchester · first published 2018
83% recommend17% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Accessible history of how precision engineering developed, covering measurement, machine tools and standards. Recommended to curious general readers and anyone interested in how precision shaped modern technology.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
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> why do we invent these formal languages except to be more semantically precise than natural language To be... more precise? On a more serious note, cannot recommend enough "Exactly: How Precision Engineers Created the Modern World" by Winchester. While the book talks mostly about the precision in mechanical engineering, it made me appreciate _precision_ itself to a greater degree.
on “Lies, Damned Lies and Proofs: Formal Methods Are Not Slopless” ↗The ones I rated highest out of those I read this year (which is what I think the question means). * Exactly: How Precision Engineers Created the Modern World by Simon Winchester * Atomic Adventures: Secret Islands, Forgotten N-Rays, and Isotopic Murder-A Journey into the Wild World of Nuclear Science by James Magaffey * Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters…
on “Ask HN: Favorite Nonfiction Books of 2019?” ↗…Hubble's mirror back in the day. Involves chipped paint and household washers. https://hackaday.com/2020/04/29/test-equipment-shim-washers-... Simon Winchester also covers it in great detail in his book Exactly: How Precision Engineers Created the Modern World If you're interested in precision making and how it all came to be it's a very joyful read.
on “Amateur Telescope Making Main Page” ↗I though it was about machining threads on screws. If you did too and found it exciting, you'll find this book exciting too: Exactly: How Precision Engineers Created the Modern World https://www.amazon.co.uk/Exactly-Precision-Engineers-Created...
on “A brief history of threads and threading” ↗Exactly: How Precision Engineers Created the Modern World http://www.simonwinchester.com/exactly Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longitude_(book) Boyd: The Fighter…
on “Ask HN: Books about people who did hard things” ↗In Ireland at least, there's no such book title - here it's "Exactly: how precision engineers created the modern world" https://dlr.spydus.ie/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/BIBENQ?SET... Just in case anyone else can't find it under the "Perfectionists" title. ISBN at that link.
on “I just wanted to see James Taylor – – I didn't know it would cost me $5k” ↗