Algorithms by Jeff Erickson • Hacker News Board

app4soft wrote: post #14

> Algorithms by Jeff Erickson (Free algorithms textbook) Please, change title to: "Algorithms by Jeff Erickson, free book (2019)"

Thanks, I've changed the title. But I'm confused by the page saying "1st edition (2019)" when there are HN threads going back at least to 2015: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10661376

Re: Algorithms by Jeff Erickson

#24

Post by JoshTriplett » Tue, Feb 09, 2021, 8:30 AM UTC

asicsp wrote: post #5

From https://jeffe.cs.illinois.edu/teaching/algorithms/hwex.html#... > Please do not ask me for solutions. With very rare exceptions, I will say no, even if you are an instructor. I recognize that my stance limits the utility of these materials, especially for self-learners, but I'm trying to optimize the learning experience of my own students at Illinois. The point of homework is not to solve that particular homewor…

> I was asked multiple times for solutions to my self-pub ebooks that I relented.

You could always publish the solutions in a separate paid ebook. If people want to be able to check their own answers, or they want to use the exercises to set homework and make it easier to grade, they might be willing to pay you for them.

Re: Algorithms by Jeff Erickson

#25

Post by chillee » Tue, Feb 09, 2021, 9:02 AM UTC

FWIW, I really liked the sections of this book that I've read. In particular, I read the sections on "Minimum Spanning Trees" and "Fast Fourier Transform" and found them the clearest treatment of the subject that I've seen.

Re: Algorithms by Jeff Erickson

#26

Post by tasogare » Tue, Feb 09, 2021, 9:04 AM UTC

JoshTriplett wrote: post #24

asicsp wrote: post #5

From https://jeffe.cs.illinois.edu/teaching/algorithms/hwex.html#... > Please do not ask me for solutions. With very rare exceptions, I will say no, even if you are an instructor. I recognize that my stance limits the utility of these materials, especially for self-learners, but I'm trying to optimize the learning experience of my own students at Illinois. The point of homework is not to solve that particular homewor…

> I was asked multiple times for solutions to my self-pub ebooks that I relented. You could always publish the solutions in a separate paid ebook. If people want to be able to check their own answers, or they want to use the exercises to set homework and make it easier to grade, they might be willing to pay you for them.

Caricatural mercantile thinking at play here. It’s sad to read.

Re: Algorithms by Jeff Erickson

#27

Post by app4soft » Tue, Feb 09, 2021, 9:05 AM UTC

dang wrote: post #23

app4soft wrote: post #14

> Algorithms by Jeff Erickson (Free algorithms textbook) Please, change title to: "Algorithms by Jeff Erickson, free book (2019)"

Thanks, I've changed the title. But I'm confused by the page saying "1st edition (2019)" when there are HN threads going back at least to 2015: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10661376

> HN threads going back at least to 2015

Guess, as on 2015 it was WIP.[0]

[0] http://web.archive.org/web/20160102200214/http://web.engr.il...

Re: Algorithms by Jeff Erickson

#28

Post by matsemann » Tue, Feb 09, 2021, 9:13 AM UTC

asicsp wrote: post #5

From https://jeffe.cs.illinois.edu/teaching/algorithms/hwex.html#... > Please do not ask me for solutions. With very rare exceptions, I will say no, even if you are an instructor. I recognize that my stance limits the utility of these materials, especially for self-learners, but I'm trying to optimize the learning experience of my own students at Illinois. The point of homework is not to solve that particular homewor…

While I get this stance (the books are often written with students in mind), it's sometimes a bit hard when reading this kind of material while not enrolled. I don't have any TAs, professors, peers etc to ask or grade my stuff when working my way through a text book in my spare time. How can I be sure I understood stuff correctly?

For me it's ok, I guess. I have graduated years ago and it's strictly for fun. But I wonder if it also creates a kind of artificial divide for those not able to attend a university but could have gotten good use of this kind of material by self study.

Edit, found this quote from him on an earlier discussion which summarizes it nicely:

> I'm honestly seriously torn about this. There is a serious tension between pedagogical needs of students in formal classrooms and the pedagogical needs of self-learners. I've chosen to aim for the former. Yes, I know it's a bummer.

Re: Algorithms by Jeff Erickson

#29

Post by ignoramous » Tue, Feb 09, 2021, 9:18 AM UTC

jazzyjackson wrote: post #13

gladuz wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you please explain it in detail. I don't know Arabic and can't figure out the pattern. He is born in my country and it would be cool to show the cover to my peers.

The pattern is the script called "Square Kufic" (a google image search +mosaic reveals many wondrous examples) and the arabic form of al-Khwarizmi is الخوارزمي The kufic letters are fairly abstract but look for the verticals, there are 9 letters (last 2 are joined, I think, I cannot read it either just looking closely) ا A ل l خ kh و w ا a ر r ز z م m ي i

> ...Square Kufic

Its superset, "Geometric Kufic", is a more interesting rabbit hole. In general, Arabesque patterns are almost exclusively floral / geometric.

Re: Algorithms by Jeff Erickson

#30

Post by deadmutex » Tue, Feb 09, 2021, 9:21 AM UTC

bfung wrote: post #15

Good ‘ole CS 373, had Erickson back in 2002 and it’s def. a defining course in CS at UIUC. The answers to a lot of these are now google-able; you’ll learn more by researching than being spoon fed the solution! Imagine those of us students back then when google wasn’t a verb yet trying to solve these problems!

Heh, btw, it was changed to 473 shortly after ;).