Acknowledgements 1 Universal Machines 2 The Blue Pig 3 Prolific Piglets:Computers everywhere 4 A World Out of Control 5 Babbage:A‘Difference Engine’ that made a difference? 6 The Analytical:Engine 7 Accidental Information 8 Information on the Masses 9 The Spur ofWar 10 Zuse in Nazi Germany 11 American Speed 12 Turing in Secret Britain 13 Foundations Shakell 14 Mathematics:Truth or game? 15 Crisis L00llls 16 Turing and the Decision Problem 17 Government Codes 18 The Computer 19 Minding the Gap:Many universal machines 20 Cold War Minds