I sold almost all of them, being a penniless student. And yes, I regret it.
Ask HN: Did you throw away all of your college textbooks and regret it?
11–19 of 19 posts
Re: Ask HN: Did you throw away all of your college textbooks and regret it?
#12I once pointed out, to a former grad school roommate, a big fat general relativity textbook sitting on my bookshelf. I said that even though I didn't use it any more and had forgotten its contents, it was hard for me to throw it out. "Of course not!" he replied, "It's the only proof you have that ever knew any of that stuff."
It's gone now. I've gotten rid of most of my textbooks, but I still retain a sampling for sentimental reasons.
Re: Ask HN: Did you throw away all of your college textbooks and regret it?
#13[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: Did you throw away all of your college textbooks and regret it?
#14It's my notes I regret throwing out.
The books, I could replace on Amazon or eBay if I chose.
Re: Ask HN: Did you throw away all of your college textbooks and regret it?
#15At age 32 I sold those that had still had any resale value. Recycled most of the rest, and hung on to three with nostalgic value.
Re: Ask HN: Did you throw away all of your college textbooks and regret it?
#16Out the day I graduated.
Re: Ask HN: Did you throw away all of your college textbooks and regret it?
#17I kept all the definitive language references (K&R for example), and theoretical books that I thought would be applicable, but got rid of most of the rest. I didn't even really use textbooks the last year or two of school, so it was mostly just undergrad classes that I had left.
Re: Ask HN: Did you throw away all of your college textbooks and regret it?
#18After the first term, I mostly stopped buying books and used the library instead. The books I did buy I've hung on to.
Today, I mostly regret not living close enough to an academic library to visit when I want.
Re: Ask HN: Did you throw away all of your college textbooks and regret it?
#19I've kept about a dozen, mostly higher level, books and chucked the rest. Of those I've probably used 3-4 over the past few years, and I've never missed any of the ones I chucked.