Best books on Software ever. Please vote or add! [modified]
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Dear reader, I really got a lot out of codeproject. Codeproject is invaluable. For a long time now I want to contribute, but nothing really good came in my mind. So I want to present my top-favorite list of books here that influenced me most heavily as a software-professional. I hope this list is usfull also for others. If you have your top-favorite book, please reply and I will update this list. Also I kindly ask you to provide me some text which should be attached to the books. Attention: Sorry, I didn't expect such an overwhelming number of responses. Now I have a problem: How to manage this thread ! ! ! I'm not able to to it in a reasonable way via "tagging" some text. Any ideas? Can I upload some document here?
Architecture
Rank 1: J. Lakos: Large scale C++ design
By far the best book on SW I've ever read (even of much more value for me then the most prominent one, E. Gamma, see below) This book is on C++, yes, but the techniques provided here hold for any language. It covers design and architecture at any scale. Did you have the same experience as I did? I applied the rules of OO heavily, I applied patterns extensively, but my SW was hardly maintainable, testable, understandable. I did not understand why, until I read this book. Now I'm can write SW at any scale in less time which is testable from the beginning. What are the reasons? Let me say, there are two "secretes" which are addressed in this book: The first is "physical design" and the second is "decoupling methods". Detailed very thoroughly with lots of examples (in C++) Votes (Total: 1) Nothing comparable: 1 Good: 0 Medium: 0
Rank 2: E. Gamma, et all: Design Patterns
Nothing more to say. Nobody can invent all. Whithout the knowledge presented in this book in your bag you cannot say you are a Software-Developer/-Architect. Votes (Total: 1) Nothing comparable: 1 Very Good: 0 Medium: 0
Programming Languages
Rank 1: S. Meyers, Effective C++, two Volumes
Once you mastered the basics of C++. Memorize the roughly 70 topics of these two books and you are prepared for almost any szenario. The techniques inside are a must for any serious C++ programmer. Votes (Total: 1) Nothing comparable: 0 Very Good: 1 Medium: 0
Rank 2: S. Meyers, Effective STL
You want get
I do love Code Complete. I think the design pattern book is good, the trouble is, it's caused a mania for patterns as some sort of silver bullet, and a mania to invent patterns where none exist.
Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista. Read my blog to find out how I've worked around bugs in Microsoft tools and frameworks.
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Dear reader, I really got a lot out of codeproject. Codeproject is invaluable. For a long time now I want to contribute, but nothing really good came in my mind. So I want to present my top-favorite list of books here that influenced me most heavily as a software-professional. I hope this list is usfull also for others. If you have your top-favorite book, please reply and I will update this list. Also I kindly ask you to provide me some text which should be attached to the books. Attention: Sorry, I didn't expect such an overwhelming number of responses. Now I have a problem: How to manage this thread ! ! ! I'm not able to to it in a reasonable way via "tagging" some text. Any ideas? Can I upload some document here?
Architecture
Rank 1: J. Lakos: Large scale C++ design
By far the best book on SW I've ever read (even of much more value for me then the most prominent one, E. Gamma, see below) This book is on C++, yes, but the techniques provided here hold for any language. It covers design and architecture at any scale. Did you have the same experience as I did? I applied the rules of OO heavily, I applied patterns extensively, but my SW was hardly maintainable, testable, understandable. I did not understand why, until I read this book. Now I'm can write SW at any scale in less time which is testable from the beginning. What are the reasons? Let me say, there are two "secretes" which are addressed in this book: The first is "physical design" and the second is "decoupling methods". Detailed very thoroughly with lots of examples (in C++) Votes (Total: 1) Nothing comparable: 1 Good: 0 Medium: 0
Rank 2: E. Gamma, et all: Design Patterns
Nothing more to say. Nobody can invent all. Whithout the knowledge presented in this book in your bag you cannot say you are a Software-Developer/-Architect. Votes (Total: 1) Nothing comparable: 1 Very Good: 0 Medium: 0
Programming Languages
Rank 1: S. Meyers, Effective C++, two Volumes
Once you mastered the basics of C++. Memorize the roughly 70 topics of these two books and you are prepared for almost any szenario. The techniques inside are a must for any serious C++ programmer. Votes (Total: 1) Nothing comparable: 0 Very Good: 1 Medium: 0
Rank 2: S. Meyers, Effective STL
You want get
Principles of Programming Languages: Design, Evaluation, and Implementation[^] Bruce J. MacLennan (In college we used the 1987 Second Edition) I also have a copy of the GoF book, but my feeling about Design Patterns is that their primary purpose is to enable developers to easily communicate some higher concepts -- the book is like a dictionary... a 300+ page dictionary with only twenty-three terms. :suss:
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I do love Code Complete. I think the design pattern book is good, the trouble is, it's caused a mania for patterns as some sort of silver bullet, and a mania to invent patterns where none exist.
Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista. Read my blog to find out how I've worked around bugs in Microsoft tools and frameworks.
Maybe I'm getting old, but Code Complete just regurgitated all the concepts I grew up programming with, so the book was sort of a sleeper for me. Not trying to be arrogant or anything, just saying it seemed to be telling me stuff I already knew. On the other hand, it might be useful for programmers just getting into the flow.
- S 50 cups of coffee and you know it's on! Code, follow, or get out of the way.
-
Dear reader, I really got a lot out of codeproject. Codeproject is invaluable. For a long time now I want to contribute, but nothing really good came in my mind. So I want to present my top-favorite list of books here that influenced me most heavily as a software-professional. I hope this list is usfull also for others. If you have your top-favorite book, please reply and I will update this list. Also I kindly ask you to provide me some text which should be attached to the books. Attention: Sorry, I didn't expect such an overwhelming number of responses. Now I have a problem: How to manage this thread ! ! ! I'm not able to to it in a reasonable way via "tagging" some text. Any ideas? Can I upload some document here?
Architecture
Rank 1: J. Lakos: Large scale C++ design
By far the best book on SW I've ever read (even of much more value for me then the most prominent one, E. Gamma, see below) This book is on C++, yes, but the techniques provided here hold for any language. It covers design and architecture at any scale. Did you have the same experience as I did? I applied the rules of OO heavily, I applied patterns extensively, but my SW was hardly maintainable, testable, understandable. I did not understand why, until I read this book. Now I'm can write SW at any scale in less time which is testable from the beginning. What are the reasons? Let me say, there are two "secretes" which are addressed in this book: The first is "physical design" and the second is "decoupling methods". Detailed very thoroughly with lots of examples (in C++) Votes (Total: 1) Nothing comparable: 1 Good: 0 Medium: 0
Rank 2: E. Gamma, et all: Design Patterns
Nothing more to say. Nobody can invent all. Whithout the knowledge presented in this book in your bag you cannot say you are a Software-Developer/-Architect. Votes (Total: 1) Nothing comparable: 1 Very Good: 0 Medium: 0
Programming Languages
Rank 1: S. Meyers, Effective C++, two Volumes
Once you mastered the basics of C++. Memorize the roughly 70 topics of these two books and you are prepared for almost any szenario. The techniques inside are a must for any serious C++ programmer. Votes (Total: 1) Nothing comparable: 0 Very Good: 1 Medium: 0
Rank 2: S. Meyers, Effective STL
You want get
I have many favorites. General 1) The Algorithm Design Manual Second Edition A classic book and gives you clear understanding into algorithms. It comes with a lot of practical stories. 2) Code complete 3) Head First - Design Patterns 4) Domain Driven Design Tackling Complexity In The Heart Of Software 5) New Turing Omnibus (New Turning Omnibus : 66 Excursions in Computer Science) C++ 1) Exceptional C++ 2) Effective C++ 3) Modern C++ Design Generic Programming and Design Patterns Applied 4) C++ coding - best practices 5) C++ Template Metaprogramming - Concepts Tools and Techniques from Boost and Beyond 6) Thinking in C++ C# 1) C# 3.0 in a Nutshell - Albahari 2) C# in depth - Jon Skeet 3) CLR via C# - Jeffrey Ritcher :)
Navaneeth How to use google | Ask smart questions
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Dear reader, I really got a lot out of codeproject. Codeproject is invaluable. For a long time now I want to contribute, but nothing really good came in my mind. So I want to present my top-favorite list of books here that influenced me most heavily as a software-professional. I hope this list is usfull also for others. If you have your top-favorite book, please reply and I will update this list. Also I kindly ask you to provide me some text which should be attached to the books. Attention: Sorry, I didn't expect such an overwhelming number of responses. Now I have a problem: How to manage this thread ! ! ! I'm not able to to it in a reasonable way via "tagging" some text. Any ideas? Can I upload some document here?
Architecture
Rank 1: J. Lakos: Large scale C++ design
By far the best book on SW I've ever read (even of much more value for me then the most prominent one, E. Gamma, see below) This book is on C++, yes, but the techniques provided here hold for any language. It covers design and architecture at any scale. Did you have the same experience as I did? I applied the rules of OO heavily, I applied patterns extensively, but my SW was hardly maintainable, testable, understandable. I did not understand why, until I read this book. Now I'm can write SW at any scale in less time which is testable from the beginning. What are the reasons? Let me say, there are two "secretes" which are addressed in this book: The first is "physical design" and the second is "decoupling methods". Detailed very thoroughly with lots of examples (in C++) Votes (Total: 1) Nothing comparable: 1 Good: 0 Medium: 0
Rank 2: E. Gamma, et all: Design Patterns
Nothing more to say. Nobody can invent all. Whithout the knowledge presented in this book in your bag you cannot say you are a Software-Developer/-Architect. Votes (Total: 1) Nothing comparable: 1 Very Good: 0 Medium: 0
Programming Languages
Rank 1: S. Meyers, Effective C++, two Volumes
Once you mastered the basics of C++. Memorize the roughly 70 topics of these two books and you are prepared for almost any szenario. The techniques inside are a must for any serious C++ programmer. Votes (Total: 1) Nothing comparable: 0 Very Good: 1 Medium: 0
Rank 2: S. Meyers, Effective STL
You want get
I guess you mean the best books on C++ ever...
xacc.ide
IronScheme - 1.0 beta 4 - out now!
((λ (x) `(,x ',x)) '(λ (x) `(,x ',x))) The Scheme Programming Language – Fourth Edition -
Dear reader, I really got a lot out of codeproject. Codeproject is invaluable. For a long time now I want to contribute, but nothing really good came in my mind. So I want to present my top-favorite list of books here that influenced me most heavily as a software-professional. I hope this list is usfull also for others. If you have your top-favorite book, please reply and I will update this list. Also I kindly ask you to provide me some text which should be attached to the books. Attention: Sorry, I didn't expect such an overwhelming number of responses. Now I have a problem: How to manage this thread ! ! ! I'm not able to to it in a reasonable way via "tagging" some text. Any ideas? Can I upload some document here?
Architecture
Rank 1: J. Lakos: Large scale C++ design
By far the best book on SW I've ever read (even of much more value for me then the most prominent one, E. Gamma, see below) This book is on C++, yes, but the techniques provided here hold for any language. It covers design and architecture at any scale. Did you have the same experience as I did? I applied the rules of OO heavily, I applied patterns extensively, but my SW was hardly maintainable, testable, understandable. I did not understand why, until I read this book. Now I'm can write SW at any scale in less time which is testable from the beginning. What are the reasons? Let me say, there are two "secretes" which are addressed in this book: The first is "physical design" and the second is "decoupling methods". Detailed very thoroughly with lots of examples (in C++) Votes (Total: 1) Nothing comparable: 1 Good: 0 Medium: 0
Rank 2: E. Gamma, et all: Design Patterns
Nothing more to say. Nobody can invent all. Whithout the knowledge presented in this book in your bag you cannot say you are a Software-Developer/-Architect. Votes (Total: 1) Nothing comparable: 1 Very Good: 0 Medium: 0
Programming Languages
Rank 1: S. Meyers, Effective C++, two Volumes
Once you mastered the basics of C++. Memorize the roughly 70 topics of these two books and you are prepared for almost any szenario. The techniques inside are a must for any serious C++ programmer. Votes (Total: 1) Nothing comparable: 0 Very Good: 1 Medium: 0
Rank 2: S. Meyers, Effective STL
You want get
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Frygreen wrote:
Rank 1: S. Meyers, Effective C++, two Volumes
His stl book is also pretty good. I find the format of these perfect for 'bathroom reading'
I wish I was as fortunate as fortunate as me
Josh Gray wrote:
I find the format of these perfect for 'bathroom reading'
I guess someone does not like that trend ;P I do however!
xacc.ide
IronScheme - 1.0 beta 4 - out now!
((λ (x) `(,x ',x)) '(λ (x) `(,x ',x))) The Scheme Programming Language – Fourth Edition -
Dear reader, I really got a lot out of codeproject. Codeproject is invaluable. For a long time now I want to contribute, but nothing really good came in my mind. So I want to present my top-favorite list of books here that influenced me most heavily as a software-professional. I hope this list is usfull also for others. If you have your top-favorite book, please reply and I will update this list. Also I kindly ask you to provide me some text which should be attached to the books. Attention: Sorry, I didn't expect such an overwhelming number of responses. Now I have a problem: How to manage this thread ! ! ! I'm not able to to it in a reasonable way via "tagging" some text. Any ideas? Can I upload some document here?
Architecture
Rank 1: J. Lakos: Large scale C++ design
By far the best book on SW I've ever read (even of much more value for me then the most prominent one, E. Gamma, see below) This book is on C++, yes, but the techniques provided here hold for any language. It covers design and architecture at any scale. Did you have the same experience as I did? I applied the rules of OO heavily, I applied patterns extensively, but my SW was hardly maintainable, testable, understandable. I did not understand why, until I read this book. Now I'm can write SW at any scale in less time which is testable from the beginning. What are the reasons? Let me say, there are two "secretes" which are addressed in this book: The first is "physical design" and the second is "decoupling methods". Detailed very thoroughly with lots of examples (in C++) Votes (Total: 1) Nothing comparable: 1 Good: 0 Medium: 0
Rank 2: E. Gamma, et all: Design Patterns
Nothing more to say. Nobody can invent all. Whithout the knowledge presented in this book in your bag you cannot say you are a Software-Developer/-Architect. Votes (Total: 1) Nothing comparable: 1 Very Good: 0 Medium: 0
Programming Languages
Rank 1: S. Meyers, Effective C++, two Volumes
Once you mastered the basics of C++. Memorize the roughly 70 topics of these two books and you are prepared for almost any szenario. The techniques inside are a must for any serious C++ programmer. Votes (Total: 1) Nothing comparable: 0 Very Good: 1 Medium: 0
Rank 2: S. Meyers, Effective STL
You want get
MFC Internals is invaluable for anyone working with MFC - IMHO.
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I have many favorites. General 1) The Algorithm Design Manual Second Edition A classic book and gives you clear understanding into algorithms. It comes with a lot of practical stories. 2) Code complete 3) Head First - Design Patterns 4) Domain Driven Design Tackling Complexity In The Heart Of Software 5) New Turing Omnibus (New Turning Omnibus : 66 Excursions in Computer Science) C++ 1) Exceptional C++ 2) Effective C++ 3) Modern C++ Design Generic Programming and Design Patterns Applied 4) C++ coding - best practices 5) C++ Template Metaprogramming - Concepts Tools and Techniques from Boost and Beyond 6) Thinking in C++ C# 1) C# 3.0 in a Nutshell - Albahari 2) C# in depth - Jon Skeet 3) CLR via C# - Jeffrey Ritcher :)
Navaneeth How to use google | Ask smart questions
Hi Navaneeth I personally I think "C# in depth" by Jon Skeet knocks the socks off the Nutshell book. I was actually going to post that it was the best software book I'd ever read before I saw that you'd already mentioned it. I'd spent a long time programming in Java, and like many Java advocates, used to look down a bit on C#. C# in depth helped take my development to another level, such that I now honestly believe that C# is a better language then Java. All the best, Andy
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Maybe I'm getting old, but Code Complete just regurgitated all the concepts I grew up programming with, so the book was sort of a sleeper for me. Not trying to be arrogant or anything, just saying it seemed to be telling me stuff I already knew. On the other hand, it might be useful for programmers just getting into the flow.
- S 50 cups of coffee and you know it's on! Code, follow, or get out of the way.
I have to agree. I think it'd be good for people just starting out in programming, but I read it after a number of years in the industry and it just sounded like common sense and not anything mind-blowing.
I hope you realise that hamsters are very creative when it comes to revenge. - Elaine
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I have to agree. I think it'd be good for people just starting out in programming, but I read it after a number of years in the industry and it just sounded like common sense and not anything mind-blowing.
I hope you realise that hamsters are very creative when it comes to revenge. - Elaine
Same applies to Design Patterns: they just made money writting down what most people were doing. I'm writing a book on "putting on your pants on leg at a time" and cashing in on that market
Fast, Cheap, Good: choose any 2 - anonymous
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Same applies to Design Patterns: they just made money writting down what most people were doing. I'm writing a book on "putting on your pants on leg at a time" and cashing in on that market
Fast, Cheap, Good: choose any 2 - anonymous
Cool! Which leg goes in first? (Or is that copyright?)
I hope you realise that hamsters are very creative when it comes to revenge. - Elaine
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Hi Navaneeth I personally I think "C# in depth" by Jon Skeet knocks the socks off the Nutshell book. I was actually going to post that it was the best software book I'd ever read before I saw that you'd already mentioned it. I'd spent a long time programming in Java, and like many Java advocates, used to look down a bit on C#. C# in depth helped take my development to another level, such that I now honestly believe that C# is a better language then Java. All the best, Andy
That's true. C# in depth is a classic and a new version of that book is in progress. However, I am not sure comparing C# in depth and Nutshel makes sense as both covers different details.
Navaneeth How to use google | Ask smart questions
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Dear reader, I really got a lot out of codeproject. Codeproject is invaluable. For a long time now I want to contribute, but nothing really good came in my mind. So I want to present my top-favorite list of books here that influenced me most heavily as a software-professional. I hope this list is usfull also for others. If you have your top-favorite book, please reply and I will update this list. Also I kindly ask you to provide me some text which should be attached to the books. Attention: Sorry, I didn't expect such an overwhelming number of responses. Now I have a problem: How to manage this thread ! ! ! I'm not able to to it in a reasonable way via "tagging" some text. Any ideas? Can I upload some document here?
Architecture
Rank 1: J. Lakos: Large scale C++ design
By far the best book on SW I've ever read (even of much more value for me then the most prominent one, E. Gamma, see below) This book is on C++, yes, but the techniques provided here hold for any language. It covers design and architecture at any scale. Did you have the same experience as I did? I applied the rules of OO heavily, I applied patterns extensively, but my SW was hardly maintainable, testable, understandable. I did not understand why, until I read this book. Now I'm can write SW at any scale in less time which is testable from the beginning. What are the reasons? Let me say, there are two "secretes" which are addressed in this book: The first is "physical design" and the second is "decoupling methods". Detailed very thoroughly with lots of examples (in C++) Votes (Total: 1) Nothing comparable: 1 Good: 0 Medium: 0
Rank 2: E. Gamma, et all: Design Patterns
Nothing more to say. Nobody can invent all. Whithout the knowledge presented in this book in your bag you cannot say you are a Software-Developer/-Architect. Votes (Total: 1) Nothing comparable: 1 Very Good: 0 Medium: 0
Programming Languages
Rank 1: S. Meyers, Effective C++, two Volumes
Once you mastered the basics of C++. Memorize the roughly 70 topics of these two books and you are prepared for almost any szenario. The techniques inside are a must for any serious C++ programmer. Votes (Total: 1) Nothing comparable: 0 Very Good: 1 Medium: 0
Rank 2: S. Meyers, Effective STL
You want get
does the art of programming (knuth) cut it as book on software? i don't think i'll ever get to finish this book though. life's too short!
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modified on Thursday, October 8, 2009 4:56 AM
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Frygreen wrote:
Rank 1: S. Meyers, Effective C++, two Volumes
His stl book is also pretty good. I find the format of these perfect for 'bathroom reading'
I wish I was as fortunate as fortunate as me
I have the Effective C++ books for bathroom reading although I haven't programmed in C++ for a few years now.
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Maybe I'm getting old, but Code Complete just regurgitated all the concepts I grew up programming with, so the book was sort of a sleeper for me. Not trying to be arrogant or anything, just saying it seemed to be telling me stuff I already knew. On the other hand, it might be useful for programmers just getting into the flow.
- S 50 cups of coffee and you know it's on! Code, follow, or get out of the way.
Well, I never had any formal training, so for me, it kind of put a name to things I was kind of doing, but hadn't really thought about as clearly as the book forced me to.
Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista. Read my blog to find out how I've worked around bugs in Microsoft tools and frameworks.
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MFC Internals is invaluable for anyone working with MFC - IMHO.
Because you added MFC, I'd like to add my 2 cents as well on the same topic: MFC: "Programming Windows with MFC" and "MFC Internals". There are numerous other good books, but these two are very important. Windows programming: "Programming Windows" by Charles Petzold - I found it to explain the very fundamentals of windows programming. One must start with this, really. "Programming Visual C++" by David Kruglinski - A good book. "Windows via C/C++" by Jeffrey Richter and Chrisopher Nassare, and "Windows Internals" by Mark Russinovich. Both of these books explains the nuts and bolts of several aspects of Windows operating system in great detail. IMHO, these two are must have references if you really want to know how things work internally in Windows. [Added] Not related to MFC, but The Timeless way of building[^] is an excellent book.
It is a crappy thing, but it's life -^ Carlo Pallini
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Dear reader, I really got a lot out of codeproject. Codeproject is invaluable. For a long time now I want to contribute, but nothing really good came in my mind. So I want to present my top-favorite list of books here that influenced me most heavily as a software-professional. I hope this list is usfull also for others. If you have your top-favorite book, please reply and I will update this list. Also I kindly ask you to provide me some text which should be attached to the books. Attention: Sorry, I didn't expect such an overwhelming number of responses. Now I have a problem: How to manage this thread ! ! ! I'm not able to to it in a reasonable way via "tagging" some text. Any ideas? Can I upload some document here?
Architecture
Rank 1: J. Lakos: Large scale C++ design
By far the best book on SW I've ever read (even of much more value for me then the most prominent one, E. Gamma, see below) This book is on C++, yes, but the techniques provided here hold for any language. It covers design and architecture at any scale. Did you have the same experience as I did? I applied the rules of OO heavily, I applied patterns extensively, but my SW was hardly maintainable, testable, understandable. I did not understand why, until I read this book. Now I'm can write SW at any scale in less time which is testable from the beginning. What are the reasons? Let me say, there are two "secretes" which are addressed in this book: The first is "physical design" and the second is "decoupling methods". Detailed very thoroughly with lots of examples (in C++) Votes (Total: 1) Nothing comparable: 1 Good: 0 Medium: 0
Rank 2: E. Gamma, et all: Design Patterns
Nothing more to say. Nobody can invent all. Whithout the knowledge presented in this book in your bag you cannot say you are a Software-Developer/-Architect. Votes (Total: 1) Nothing comparable: 1 Very Good: 0 Medium: 0
Programming Languages
Rank 1: S. Meyers, Effective C++, two Volumes
Once you mastered the basics of C++. Memorize the roughly 70 topics of these two books and you are prepared for almost any szenario. The techniques inside are a must for any serious C++ programmer. Votes (Total: 1) Nothing comparable: 0 Very Good: 1 Medium: 0
Rank 2: S. Meyers, Effective STL
You want get
Steve McConnel, Code Complete. [head and shoulders above any other book I have read] An Introduction to OOP, Timothy Budd. Software Engineering - A practitioner's approach, Roger S. Pressman.
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Josh Gray wrote:
I find the format of these perfect for 'bathroom reading'
I guess someone does not like that trend ;P I do however!
xacc.ide
IronScheme - 1.0 beta 4 - out now!
((λ (x) `(,x ',x)) '(λ (x) `(,x ',x))) The Scheme Programming Language – Fourth EditionFor me the toilet is a place to get a job done and leave quickly before the paint melts. I have never understood bathroom reading except for my adolescent encounters with Scope Magazine.
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Maybe I'm getting old, but Code Complete just regurgitated all the concepts I grew up programming with, so the book was sort of a sleeper for me. Not trying to be arrogant or anything, just saying it seemed to be telling me stuff I already knew. On the other hand, it might be useful for programmers just getting into the flow.
- S 50 cups of coffee and you know it's on! Code, follow, or get out of the way.
It's a nice aggregation and focus of good practice. Nothing new for me, but the best laid out cheat-sheet of good practice I ever laid eyes on.
