Classic Computer Science Books

[Wilde, Donald S]

Good ones, all, so I won't be repetitive.=20

The 'why' of language design and implementation: "Programming Language Prag=
matics" by Michael Scott

I'm currently being tasked to play C++ programmer, so I'm groking Booch et =
al "Object Oriented Analysis and Design", "UML Distilled" by Martin, Strous=
trop's books and a nifty one called "C++ Template Metaprogramming" by Abrah=
ams and Gurtovoy.=20

Speaking of metaprogramming, "Metaprogramming Ruby" is well worth a read. :=
D
=20
-----Original Message-----
From: Patrick Lynch [mailto:[email protected]]=20
Sent: Saturday, June 11, 2011 6:01 AM
To: ruby-talk ML
Subject: Re: Classic Computer Science Books

...if you are into compilers, you'll like the 'Dragon Book', 'Principles of=
=20
Compiler Design' by Alfred V. Aho and Jeffrey D. Ullman...1977

----- Original Message -----=20
From: "Ivan Cenov" <[email protected]>
To: "ruby-talk ML" <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, June 11, 2011 6:41 AM
Subject: Re: Classic Computer Science Books

 

[Avdi Grimm]

I'm currently being tasked to play C++ programmer, so I'm groking Booch et al "Object Oriented Analysis and Design"

This was my first "Serious OO" text, and in retrospect I can't
recommend it. Very dry, very dull, probably could have been stated in
half as many pages. It was one of those books that I had trouble
remembering anything I'd read the next day because it was so dull to
read. I wish I had started out with Bertrand Meyer. Or perhaps Rebecca
Wirfs-Brock; I've heard very good things about her approach.

 

[Anurag Priyam]

Hey Stu,

Thank you for the reply. I am certainly interested in javascript
books. I am interested in books that you have read, learned from, and
consider a keeper. The best of the bunch. A book that influenced you
in such a way that changed the way you programmed from that point
forward. What's your favorite book?

I am quite sure K&R is one, but since a lot of people had already
mentioned it, I didn't bother. Gregory Brown's Ruby Best Practices
influenced my Ruby a lot.

I started programming in 8th grade with Robert Lafore's Object
Oriented Programming in C++, and a year later Deitel and Deitel's Java
How To Program. But it doesn't really count for much more than
sentimental value at this point.

Apart from this I am not sure if a book has influenced me so much that
it changed the way I program. Its mostly been people who have
influenced me such, like one of my surrogate mentors in the previous
summer of code. But then I must admit, I haven't read a lot either, or
written loads of code. I am still very much learning .

I can add two more books to the list that I like a lot though:
Kernighan and Pike's The Practice of Programming, and Peter Siebel's
Coders at Work. I learned from them a lot, and consider them a keeper.

 

[Vinícius]

Wow, those are a lot of books, as a beginner programmer, I don't have
a clue where to start from.

 

[Martin DeMello]

Wow, those are a lot of books, as a beginner programmer, I don't have
a clue where to start from.

I'd recommend How To Design Programs [http://www.htdp.org/] as an
excellent first book. The authors have years of experience in teaching
computer science and programming, and have clearly put a lot of
thought into the presentation and development of the material.

martin

 

[Anurag Priyam]

Wow, those are a lot of books, as a beginner programmer, I don't have

a clue where to start from.

Practice of Programming.

 

[Stu]

The Practice of Programming is a great book. Definitely worthy of
being in ones personal library.

 

[Vinícius]

Hey, I'm gonna check the links above

Thanks in advance!

 

[Nomen Nescio]

I'm not interested in C or UNIX and I've learned almost all of the languages
I know just from the vendor (usually IBM) reference manuals. Dry but
effective and damn well written until about a decade or so ago.

The few books I have on programming topics I wouldn't part with are Gilman &
Rose's "A Programming Language" and Griswold, Poage, and Polonsky's "The
SNOBOL4 Programming Language" (so-called Green Book, because of its cover
and now available on line). Because those languages are such departures from
"traditional" languages, whatever that means to most people, I think they're
worth looking into no matter what platform you program on. They will change
the way you think about solving problems if you don't already know APL and
SNOBOL4. I

 

[Stu]

There is a classic series online called "How to Think Like a Computer Scien=
tist"

You can use those to not only get some theory but also get into the
syntax of the languages in which you may be interested. Though the
ruby one of not complete you can use one of the other languages to
bridge the knowledge to ruby. I believe the book is available for
Java, C++, and Python. The Ruby one is apparently stillborn.

This series is "free" online with both html and pdf available. They
are canonical and pedagogical for beginners. This is a good place to
start IMHO.

 

[Phillip Gawlowski]

There is a classic series online called "How to Think Like a Computer Sci= entist"

This series is "free" online with both html and pdf available. They
are canonical and pedagogical for beginners. This is a good place to
start IMHO.

Please define "free". Available as pirated copies, or in some format
that is a non-OSS/non-CC license, or what?


--=20
Phillip Gawlowski

A method of solution is perfect if we can forsee from the start,
and even prove, that following that method we shall attain our aim.
=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0-- Leibnitz

 

[Ryan Davis]

=20
Please define "free". Available as pirated copies, or in some format
that is a non-OSS/non-CC license, or what?

Google quickly shows:

http://greenteapress.com/thinkapjava/

which says:

How to Think... is a free textbook available under the GNU Free =

Documentation License. Readers are free to copy and distribute the text; =
they are also free to modify it, which allows them to adapt the book to =
different needs, and to help develop new material.

 

[Stu]

Free as in Freedom =3D)

As in Richard Stallman's definition of "Free"

 

[Phillip Gawlowski]

Free as in Freedom =3D)

As in Richard Stallman's definition of "Free"

Which isn't very free, just a cage in a different colour.

--=20
Phillip Gawlowski

A method of solution is perfect if we can forsee from the start,
and even prove, that following that method we shall attain our aim.
=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0-- Leibnitz

 

[Stu]

This is correct. If you read the book your obligated to become
altruistic with the information you acquired from it and share with
your neighbor.

I am truly impressed how Stallman turned existing EULA contract law
against itself. Very clever if you think about it. if it's to
restrictive or utopian for you consider BSD licensed documentation for
any books you want to write.

Some FUD for your pleasure:
https://mikeely.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/open_source_is_communism.jpg

All joking aside if someone is also new to the variations of open
source and proprietary software licenses take the time to see what is
already out there and the differences with all of them.

~Stu