Basiswissen Informatik

A Basic Introduction to Computer Science – Fundamental Concepts Explained #

  • Author: Eckart Zitzler
  • Contributors: Andrea Meuli, Magdalena Siegenthaler
  • Illustrations: Magdalena Siegenthaler
  • Publisher: Springer-Verlag
  • Publication year: 2019, 2nd Edition 2021
  • ISBN: 978-3-662-63938-2 (Softcover), 978-3-662-63939-9 (eBook)

About the Book #

The book Basiswissen Informatik offers a simple, richly illustrated, but well-founded introduction to the field of computer science and explains step-by-step how computers and the Internet work. In 18 chapters, the key concepts underlying computer technology are explained in manageable portions, and an additional chapter provides insights into four hot research topics.

It deliberately avoids technical details, formulas and complicated definitions, the focus is on understanding the ideas. It is about digital and analogue, the working principles and the structure of computers, coding, programming languages, algorithms and data structures, the technology underlying the Internet as well as artificial intelligence, encryption and security.

The book is divided into four parts, each diving a little bit deeper into the subject. It is aimed at anyone who wants to acquire a basic knowledge in computer science and to look behind the scenes of the digital world. Computer science can be understood!

Illustration of the topics covered in the book

Currently, the book is only available in German. Further information (in German) can be found on the publisher’s Website.

Drawings #

The drawings in the book are available for download — please follow the link to the corresponding parts. The drawings have been made by Magdalena Siegenthaler based on sketches by and in cooperation with Eckart Zitzler.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4