Skip to main content
Unpositioned
Edit position
Edit position

No position recorded yet. Picking a shelf here sets the manual override.

Colossus : the secrets of Bletchley Park's codebreaking computers / B. Jack Copeland and others ; edited by B. Jack Copeland
Diagnose this book
Open in Vernon Browser

Colossus : the secrets of Bletchley Park's codebreaking computers / B. Jack Copeland and others ; edited by B. Jack Copeland

by B. Jack Copeland

A history of Colossus, the world's first electronic digital computer, which was used to crack enemy codes at Bletchley Park during the Second World War. Drawing on declassified documents, it features personal accounts from those who built and operated the machine.

Accession 10947 ISBN 9780192840554 Publisher Oxford University Press
Book Images
Reference and live side by side Hover to see live images
Reference
Colossus : the secrets of Bletchley Park's codebreaking computers / B. Jack Copeland and others ; edited by B. Jack Copeland spine
Colossus : the secrets of Bletchley Park's codebreaking computers / B. Jack Copeland and others ; edited by B. Jack Copeland cover
Live
No live
No live
Colossus : the secrets of Bletchley Park's codebreaking computers / B. Jack Copeland and others ; edited by B. Jack Copeland spine
No live
Colossus : the secrets of Bletchley Park's codebreaking computers / B. Jack Copeland and others ; edited by B. Jack Copeland cover
No live
TAGS
Curated Derived
Communication Computer Science Culture Economics History Institutions Philosophy Science Social Sciences Technology War
CONNECTIONS
No connections
State
on_shelf
True
position_updated_at
never
orientation
unknown
Details

Physical

binding_type
Hard Back
dimensions
none captured
spine_text
none captured
LOCATION HISTORY
No location history available for this book.
Vernon snapshot
View live

Frozen copy of Vernon's record from the last sync. Fields tagged → flow back into the Pulse record.

Last synced 2026-05-21 00:52 (3 days, 22 hours ago)

Identity

name→ title
Colossus : the secrets of Bletchley Park's codebreaking computers / B. Jack Copeland and others ; edited by B. Jack Copeland
vernon_id
14726
accession_no→ accession_number
10947
vernon_slug
colossus-the-secrets-of-bletchley-parks-codebreaking-computers-b-jack-copeland-and-others-edited-by-b-jack-copeland

Drives Pulse state

curr_loc_status→ on_shelf
On Shelf
location_name
Zone N3/Level 2 (Mezzanine)/Phrontisterion/MONA
location_reason
On Shelf
isbn_issn→ isbn (when valid)
9780192840554

Descriptive

production_date
2006
object_type
Books/Document genres/Information forms/Visual and Verbal Communication
object_status
Accessioned
brief_description
The American ENIAC is customarily regarded as having been the starting point of electronic computation. This book rewrites the history of computer science, arguing that in reality Colossus--the giant computer built by the British secret service during World War II--predates ENIAC by two years. -- blurb.

Subjects & people

authors→ author (initial fill only)
B. Jack Copeland
tags→ tags
Science, History, Social sciences, Civilisation, Sociology, Communication, Technology, World history, Computer systems, Computers, Electronic digital computers, History, Modern -- 20th century, Computer science, World War, 1939-1945, Signs and symbols, Visual communication, Ciphers [Codes], Cryptography, Bletchley Park (Milton Keynes, England), Parks -- England, Enigma cipher system, Machine ciphers, Colossus (Computer), ENIAC (Computer), Lorenz cipher system [Tunny]
subject_people
—
subject_objects
—

Cover image

vernon_cover_image_id→ cover_image
23119

Raw Vernon JSON

click to inspect

The source payload behind the snapshot above.
Use ⌘F to search once expanded.
{7 keys}
"slug": "colossus-the-secrets-of-bletchley-parks-codebreaking-computers-b-jack-copeland-and-others-edited-by-b-jack-copeland"
"opacObjectId": "14726"
"opacCollection": {1 keys}
"opacCollectionId": "1"
"imagesCollection": {2 keys}
"images": [1 items]
"[0]": {5 keys}
"imageId": "23119"
"cssColors": [4 items]
"[0]": {9 keys}
"hex": "191970"
"hue": 240
"rank": 1
"presence": 76.23
"colorName": "midnightblue"
"lightness": 27
"colorGroup": "blue"
"saturation": 64
"formattedColorName": "midnight blue"
"[1]": {9 keys}
"hex": "778899"
"hue": 210
"rank": 2
"presence": 18.2
"colorName": "lightslategray"
"lightness": 53
"colorGroup": "gray"
"saturation": 14
"formattedColorName": "light slate gray"
"[2]": {9 keys}
"hex": "b0c4de"
"hue": 214
"rank": 3
"presence": 1.61
"colorName": "lightsteelblue"
"lightness": 78
"colorGroup": "blue"
"saturation": 41
"formattedColorName": "light steel blue"
"[3]": {9 keys}
"hex": "db7093"
"hue": 340
"rank": 4
"presence": 2.91
"colorName": "palevioletred"
"lightness": 65
"colorGroup": "pink"
"saturation": 60
"formattedColorName": "pale violet red"
"rawColors": [7 items]
"[0]": {6 keys}
"hex": "545a82"
"hue": 232
"rank": 1
"presence": 76.23
"lightness": 41
"saturation": 21
"[1]": {6 keys}
"hex": "8097a4"
"hue": 201
"rank": 2
"presence": 18.2
"lightness": 57
"saturation": 16
"[2]": {6 keys}
"hex": "d6e2e8"
"hue": 200
"rank": 3
"presence": 1.61
"lightness": 87
"saturation": 28
"[3]": {6 keys}
"hex": "955d73"
"hue": 336
"rank": 4
"presence": 2.91
"lightness": 47
"saturation": 23
"[4]": {6 keys}
"hex": "ba4b68"
"hue": 344
"rank": 5
"presence": 0.63
"lightness": 51
"saturation": 44
"[5]": {6 keys}
"hex": "573d4e"
"hue": 320
"rank": 6
"presence": 0.36
"lightness": 29
"saturation": 17
"[6]": {6 keys}
"hex": "97aabc"
"hue": 209
"rank": 7
"presence": 0.06
"lightness": 66
"saturation": 21
"imageLabels": [10 items]
"[0]": {5 keys}
"count": 1140
"score": 90.93
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "World"
"imageLabelId": 89
"[1]": {5 keys}
"count": 331
"score": 90.81
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Product"
"imageLabelId": 160
"[2]": {5 keys}
"count": 19411
"score": 85.41
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Font"
"imageLabelId": 12
"[3]": {5 keys}
"count": 19018
"score": 84.96
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Publication"
"imageLabelId": 23
"[4]": {5 keys}
"count": 11760
"score": 81.71
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Poster"
"imageLabelId": 21
"[5]": {5 keys}
"count": 15171
"score": 77.48
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Book"
"imageLabelId": 67
"[6]": {5 keys}
"count": 3985
"score": 75.75
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Electric blue"
"imageLabelId": 49
"[7]": {5 keys}
"count": 380
"score": 74.62
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Space"
"imageLabelId": 258
"[8]": {5 keys}
"count": 5351
"score": 74.1
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Advertising"
"imageLabelId": 71
"[9]": {5 keys}
"count": 12694
"score": 73.29
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Book cover"
"imageLabelId": 90
"imageDerivatives": [6 items]
"[0]": {4 keys}
"url": "https://browser.mona.net.au/records/images/large/3591/cdec26f915628f78afe7a1ef171806713dae3ba9.jpg"
"width": "512"
"height": "800"
"identifier": "LARGE"
"[1]": {4 keys}
"url": "https://browser.mona.net.au/records/images/medium/3591/cdec26f915628f78afe7a1ef171806713dae3ba9.jpg"
"width": "256"
"height": "400"
"identifier": "MEDIUM"
"[2]": {4 keys}
"url": "https://browser.mona.net.au/records/images/nano/3591/cdec26f915628f78afe7a1ef171806713dae3ba9.jpg"
"width": "22"
"height": "35"
"identifier": "NANO"
"[3]": {4 keys}
"url": "https://browser.mona.net.au/records/images/small/3591/cdec26f915628f78afe7a1ef171806713dae3ba9.jpg"
"width": "96"
"height": "150"
"identifier": "SMALL"
"[4]": {4 keys}
"url": "https://browser.mona.net.au/records/images/tiny/3591/cdec26f915628f78afe7a1ef171806713dae3ba9.jpg"
"width": "48"
"height": "75"
"identifier": "TINY"
"[5]": {4 keys}
"url": "https://browser.mona.net.au/records/images/xlarge/3591/cdec26f915628f78afe7a1ef171806713dae3ba9.jpg"
"width": "768"
"height": "1200"
"identifier": "XLARGE"
"totalImages": 1
"objectSearchScore": 0.31199765
"opacObjectFieldSets": [40 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "accession_no"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "10947"
"[1]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "name"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"value": "Colossus : the secrets of Bletchley Park's codebreaking computers / B. Jack Copeland and others ; edited by B. Jack Copeland"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "title"
"value": "Colossus : the secrets of Bletchley Park's codebreaking computers / B. Jack Copeland and others ; edited by B. Jack Copeland"
"[2]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "other_name"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[3]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "artist_last_first"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "Copeland, B. Jack"
"[4]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "prod_pri_date"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"value": "2006"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [2 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "earliest_date"
"value": "2006-01-01Z"
"[1]": {2 keys}
"key": "latest_date"
"value": "2006-12-31Z"
"[5]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "prod_pri_date_notes"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[6]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "edition"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[7]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "brief_desc"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "The American ENIAC is customarily regarded as having been the starting point of electronic computation. This book rewrites the history of computer science, arguing that in reality Colossus--the giant computer built by the British secret service during World War II--predates ENIAC by two years. -- blurb."
"[8]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "measure_desc"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[9]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "credit_line"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[10]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "curr_loc_status"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"value": "On Shelf"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "curr_loc_status:"On Shelf""
"[11]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "ob_status"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "Accessioned"
"[12]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "lender"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[13]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "copyright_owner"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[14]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "copyright_type"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[15]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "copyright_start"
"opacObjectFields": [0 items]
"[16]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "copyright_expiry"
"opacObjectFields": [0 items]
"[17]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "copyright_notes"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[18]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "curr_loc"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "Zone N3/Level 2 (Mezzanine)/Phrontisterion/MONA"
"[19]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "object_type"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"value": "Books/Document genres/Information forms/Visual and Verbal Communication"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "object_type:"Books/Document genres/Information forms/Visual and Verbal Communication""
"[20]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "collection"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"value": "Main Collection/Library"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "collection:"Main Collection/Library""
"[21]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "prod_pri_place"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "Oxford/England"
"[22]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "prod_pri_publisher"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "Oxford University Press"
"[23]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "physical_notes"
"opacObjectFields": [2 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "xvi, 462 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm."
"[1]": {1 keys}
"value": "Includes index and bibliographical references."
"[24]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "language"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "English"
"[25]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "isbn_issn"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "9780192840554"
"[26]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "user_sym_1"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "358.24 COP"
"[27]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "usual_loc_being"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "Zone N3/Level 2 (Mezzanine)/Phrontisterion/MONA"
"[28]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "subject_class"
"opacObjectFields": [10 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"value": "Bletchley Park (Milton Keynes, England)/Parks -- England"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Bletchley Park (Milton Keynes, England)/Parks -- England""
"[1]": {2 keys}
"value": "Ciphers [Codes]/Signs and symbols/Visual communication/Communication/Sociology/Social sciences/Civilisation"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Ciphers [Codes]/Signs and symbols/Visual communication/Communication/Sociology/Social sciences/Civilisation""
"[2]": {2 keys}
"value": "Colossus (Computer)/Electronic digital computers/Computers/Computer systems"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Colossus (Computer)/Electronic digital computers/Computers/Computer systems""
"[3]": {2 keys}
"value": "Computer science/Science"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Computer science/Science""
"[4]": {2 keys}
"value": "Cryptography/Signs and symbols/Visual communication/Communication/Sociology/Social sciences/Civilisation"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Cryptography/Signs and symbols/Visual communication/Communication/Sociology/Social sciences/Civilisation""
"[5]": {2 keys}
"value": "ENIAC (Computer)/Electronic digital computers/Computers/Computer systems"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"ENIAC (Computer)/Electronic digital computers/Computers/Computer systems""
"[6]": {2 keys}
"value": "Enigma cipher system/Machine ciphers/Ciphers [Codes]/Signs and symbols/Visual communication/Communication/Sociology/Social sciences/Civilisation"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Enigma cipher system/Machine ciphers/Ciphers [Codes]/Signs and symbols/Visual communication/Communication/Sociology/Social sciences/Civilisation""
"[7]": {2 keys}
"value": "Lorenz cipher system [Tunny]/Machine ciphers/Ciphers [Codes]/Signs and symbols/Visual communication/Communication/Sociology/Social sciences/Civilisation"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Lorenz cipher system [Tunny]/Machine ciphers/Ciphers [Codes]/Signs and symbols/Visual communication/Communication/Sociology/Social sciences/Civilisation""
"[8]": {2 keys}
"value": "Technology/Science"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Technology/Science""
"[9]": {2 keys}
"value": "World War, 1939-1945/History, Modern -- 20th century/World history/History"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"World War, 1939-1945/History, Modern -- 20th century/World history/History""
"[29]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "subject_date"
"opacObjectFields": [0 items]
"[30]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "subject_event"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[31]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "subject_period"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[32]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "subject_object"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[33]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "subject_person"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[34]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "subject_place"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[35]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "assoc_person"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[36]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "assoc_place"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[37]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "assoc_event"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[38]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "assoc_object"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[39]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "user_sym_9"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"relationshipsCollection": {2 keys}
"relationships": [1 items]
"[0]": {4 keys}
"relatedRecords": [1 items]
"[0]": {3 keys}
"slug": "b-jack-copeland"
"title": "B. Jack Copeland"
"relatedRecordId": "14959"
"relationshipId": "object_prod_pri_person"
"relatedRecordType": "person"
"totalRelatedRecords": 1
"totalRelationships": 1