Current draft of The Art of Computer Programming pre-fascicle 6a [ps] • Hacker News Board

Re: Current draft of The Art of Computer Programming pre-fascicle 6a [ps]

#111

Post by taeric » Sat, Jul 04, 2015, 10:52 PM UTC

wglb wrote: post #56

codeshaman wrote: post #48

If this is art then I'll have to admit - after 20 years of learning and practicing programming, I'm still a mechanic (or craftsman), not an artist. I will not be able to read and understand this book fully and I probably won't even try, unless I'm locked in a cell with it. Although I've helped build software used by millions, what I did was stitch together things that are too brilliant (or insane) for me to fully und…

You might be amused about one of the questions asked of each interviewee in http://www.codersatwork.com/ about whether or not they read TAoCP. Most, including Knuth, claim that they did not read it. I have one of the first printings of the three first volumes but have not read all parts. I did do a deep dive in the floating point, as we at one point had to write that at MWC for an early compiler for the non-8087 clas…

Wasn't the question about whether or not they read other people's code. Doesn't make much sense to ask if Knuth reads his own book. Nor would the answer of no make any sense. Just this last year he discovered a new fact that he shared from Concrete Mathematics in the Christmas Tree Lecture. He clearly goes through them a lot.

Re: Current draft of The Art of Computer Programming pre-fascicle 6a [ps]

#112

Post by taeric » Sat, Jul 04, 2015, 10:52 PM UTC

wglb wrote: post #56

codeshaman wrote: post #48

If this is art then I'll have to admit - after 20 years of learning and practicing programming, I'm still a mechanic (or craftsman), not an artist. I will not be able to read and understand this book fully and I probably won't even try, unless I'm locked in a cell with it. Although I've helped build software used by millions, what I did was stitch together things that are too brilliant (or insane) for me to fully und…

You might be amused about one of the questions asked of each interviewee in http://www.codersatwork.com/ about whether or not they read TAoCP. Most, including Knuth, claim that they did not read it. I have one of the first printings of the three first volumes but have not read all parts. I did do a deep dive in the floating point, as we at one point had to write that at MWC for an early compiler for the non-8087 clas…

Wasn't the question about whether or not they read other people's code. Doesn't make much sense to ask if Knuth reads his own book. Nor would the answer of no make any sense. Just this last year he discovered a new fact that he shared from Concrete Mathematics in the Christmas Tree Lecture. He clearly goes through them a lot.

Re: Current draft of The Art of Computer Programming pre-fascicle 6a [ps]

#113

Post by taeric » Sat, Jul 04, 2015, 10:54 PM UTC

mpu wrote: post #71

clw8 wrote: post #52

I've been holding off on reading TAOCP because of the modernized assembly language promised for the next version -- is this at all justified?

Nope, except for the fun, the assembly part does not add much to the matter. The essence is how to design, describe and analyze algorithms, so it is largely orthogonal to the language you use.

It is actually a little humbling to see just how well written and understood some assembly can be. In particular, the section simulating elevators is clearer than many high level examples I have seen of similar complexity.

Re: Current draft of The Art of Computer Programming pre-fascicle 6a [ps]

#114

Post by wglb » Sun, Jul 05, 2015, 4:53 AM UTC

taeric wrote: post #111

wglb wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You might be amused about one of the questions asked of each interviewee in http://www.codersatwork.com/ about whether or not they read TAoCP. Most, including Knuth, claim that they did not read it. I have one of the first printings of the three first volumes but have not read all parts. I did do a deep dive in the floating point, as we at one point had to write that at MWC for an early compiler for the non-8087 clas…

Wasn't the question about whether or not they read other people's code. Doesn't make much sense to ask if Knuth reads his own book. Nor would the answer of no make any sense. Just this last year he discovered a new fact that he shared from Concrete Mathematics in the Christmas Tree Lecture. He clearly goes through them a lot.

On page 44, in his interview with Jamie Zawinski:

Seibel: Have you read Knuth's, The Art5 of Computer Programming?

Zawinski: I haven't.

Check the book.

Re: Current draft of The Art of Computer Programming pre-fascicle 6a [ps]

#115

Post by taeric » Sun, Jul 05, 2015, 7:12 AM UTC

wglb wrote: post #114

taeric wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wasn't the question about whether or not they read other people's code. Doesn't make much sense to ask if Knuth reads his own book. Nor would the answer of no make any sense. Just this last year he discovered a new fact that he shared from Concrete Mathematics in the Christmas Tree Lecture. He clearly goes through them a lot.

On page 44, in his interview with Jamie Zawinski: Seibel: Have you read Knuth's, The Art5 of Computer Programming ? Zawinski: I haven't. Check the book.

Just saw I double posted in reply to you. Apologies.

Not sure what book I have in mind, then. I know there was one where they focus for many interviewees was whether or not they read other people's code.

And, I should add that I don't see it as a failing that people don't read some literature. I do think it is more approachable than it often gets credit for. To the point that I wish I had tried to read it years ago. That said, people that are being obviously productive should remain so using whatever strategy they have used to this point. :)

Re: Current draft of The Art of Computer Programming pre-fascicle 6a [ps]

#116

Post by Gars » Sun, Jul 05, 2015, 4:26 PM UTC

zatatto wrote: post #80

msie wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ask anyone with a Mac. It generates PDFs automatically from it.

Can anyone on Mac please email me PDF to historician@gmail.com? thank you

You could also boot on a Ubuntu live environment - bare-metal or through a virtual machine. You can preview the .gz directly from the file manager - it's transparent.