[mashmac2]

If you haven't seen the Bloomberg version of 'What is code?', take a look.

http://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-paul-ford-what-is-cod...

It's much longer, but also much more detailed and in-depth.

[wuschel]

Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software by Charles Petzold is an excellent book I have recently begun to read. It's even longer that the Bloomberg post, and also such much more detailed and in-depth (-;

In fact, I found the book very enjoyable. It gives a nice pedagogic twist on how information can processed with hardware.

It has been discussed on HN here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1936474

[veritas3241]

I just picked this book up as well. I've been trying to find resources that go from first principles to real-world implementation of something and this is the best example I've found so far. Enjoy!

[sanderjd]

I really liked that article and it was super fun to read, but as I read the OP, I found myself thinking, "wow, this is a much more succinct and far clearer version". I sent Paul Ford's article to my friends and family, and none of them read it because it didn't pay off with an answer to the title question for many thousands of words. This article seems like a better one to send people who really don't know what people mean when they talk about "code".

[scott_s]

HN discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9698870