Nearly every topic has a canon, a set of classics that you need to know. These works are recognized as key touchpoints of analysis and understanding. Technology, though, seems to resist that sort of thing. We think of it as something that is changing too fast for anything to remain relevant for long.

But it is precisely because technology does change that its lasting works are so important. What remains after round after around of creative destruction has proven its value. Many of the works that reach that threshold are scholarship, but certainly not all of them. We tried to reach deep and wide with this canon. We began with more than 200 suggestions from tech writers and scholars on Twitter and whittled them down to this core group.

Of course, no one will be wholly happy with this list. It may be a little too academic for some. Too focused on the recent past for others. Perhaps it's not digital-centric enough.

That's why we're thinking of this canon as a living document. We want your suggestions, which you can send us through this form. We're also more than open to critique or help. This is the start of the conversation, not the end, and we hope you'll help us sharpen our vision of what works deserve lasting glory.