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Mathematics for Computer Science (2018) [pdf]

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Re: Mathematics for Computer Science (2018) [pdf]

#22
post #17

I always see lists of like 100 MUST HAVE books for Computer Science. Is there like a top 5 must have books for Computer Science?

Top 5 will never cover the field. Here's my top 10 * Brookshear and Brylow - Computer Science - An Overview * Forta - Teach yourself SQL in 10 minutes * Stallings - Computer Organization and Architecture * Stallings - Operating Systems - Internals and Design Principles * CLRS * Kurose, Ross - Computer Networking - A Top Down Approach * Sipser - Introduction to The Theory of Computation * Stallings, Brown - Computer S…

Just to add to this, I think John Levine's Linkers and Loaders is also a great reference.

Re: Mathematics for Computer Science (2018) [pdf]

#23

I always see lists of like 100 MUST HAVE books for Computer Science. Is there like a top 5 must have books for Computer Science?

It's more useful to practice programming through projects. Then once you feel you're missing the knowledge for a particular problem you're trying to solve, read up about that one.

Thats a little like saying if you want to learn mechanical engineering, fix things around your home and then do research when you get stumped.

Building a bunch of software projects probably isn’t a very efficient way of learning computer science. You might figure out things like big-O or A* on your own, but a more academic approach is going to take you further, faster.

Re: Mathematics for Computer Science (2018) [pdf]

#24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's more useful to practice programming through projects. Then once you feel you're missing the knowledge for a particular problem you're trying to solve, read up about that one.

Thats a little like saying if you want to learn mechanical engineering, fix things around your home and then do research when you get stumped. Building a bunch of software projects probably isn’t a very efficient way of learning computer science. You might figure out things like big-O or A* on your own, but a more academic approach is going to take you further, faster.

It's well established that practical project work is what works best at producing tangible results, and most institutions that aim to produce the best programmers focus on that.

I can understand this is not the approach preferred by academic types which is a strong community on hackernews.

Most people are more motivated to understand the theory because it helps them solve a practical problem, rather than theory for the sake of theory.

Re: Mathematics for Computer Science (2018) [pdf]

#27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thats a little like saying if you want to learn mechanical engineering, fix things around your home and then do research when you get stumped. Building a bunch of software projects probably isn’t a very efficient way of learning computer science. You might figure out things like big-O or A* on your own, but a more academic approach is going to take you further, faster.

It's well established that practical project work is what works best at producing tangible results, and most institutions that aim to produce the best programmers focus on that. I can understand this is not the approach preferred by academic types which is a strong community on hackernews. Most people are more motivated to understand the theory because it helps them solve a practical problem, rather than theory for t…

I thought this thread was about computer science. Working on a programming project is related to computer science in the same way that welding together a shelf is related to mechanical engineering.

Re: Mathematics for Computer Science (2018) [pdf]

#28

I always see lists of like 100 MUST HAVE books for Computer Science. Is there like a top 5 must have books for Computer Science?

It's more useful to practice programming through projects. Then once you feel you're missing the knowledge for a particular problem you're trying to solve, read up about that one.

That seems more like a necessary precondition, than a path to learning computer science. Like you will probably need to learn penmanship and multiplication tables before you get into real mathematics, but, that isn’t really mathematics.

Re: Mathematics for Computer Science (2018) [pdf]

#29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's well established that practical project work is what works best at producing tangible results, and most institutions that aim to produce the best programmers focus on that. I can understand this is not the approach preferred by academic types which is a strong community on hackernews. Most people are more motivated to understand the theory because it helps them solve a practical problem, rather than theory for t…

I thought this thread was about computer science. Working on a programming project is related to computer science in the same way that welding together a shelf is related to mechanical engineering.

An elitist view disconnected from reality.

Even something like game theory was only developed and earned nobel prizes because of its applications to making money in finance.

Re: Mathematics for Computer Science (2018) [pdf]

#30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's well established that practical project work is what works best at producing tangible results, and most institutions that aim to produce the best programmers focus on that. I can understand this is not the approach preferred by academic types which is a strong community on hackernews. Most people are more motivated to understand the theory because it helps them solve a practical problem, rather than theory for t…

I thought this thread was about computer science. Working on a programming project is related to computer science in the same way that welding together a shelf is related to mechanical engineering.

Being "handy" around the house (or even more advanced tinkering) and a mechanical engineering degree--maybe especially from a good school--are absolutely not the same thing.
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