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The Pragmatic Programmer: 20th Anniversary Edition (2023)

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Re: The Pragmatic Programmer: 20th Anniversary Edition (2023)

#21
post #7

Alternatively, consider being an idealistic programmer! - Fall in love with a single topic, regardless of how trendy. - Learn as much as you can about it. - Keep learning about it. - Learn about it some more. - Spend years of your life doing nothing but breathing and thinking about this one topic. - Let fads and fashion pass you by. - Don't settle for good enough. Try to build the best version possible. - Choose wher…

Redundancy groups are full of idealists. It's ok to be passionate about a topic, but also understand if that topic is still relevant in 3-5 years.

Being an idealist doesn't excuse you from being a realist.

Re: The Pragmatic Programmer: 20th Anniversary Edition (2023)

#22
post #7

Alternatively, consider being an idealistic programmer! - Fall in love with a single topic, regardless of how trendy. - Learn as much as you can about it. - Keep learning about it. - Learn about it some more. - Spend years of your life doing nothing but breathing and thinking about this one topic. - Let fads and fashion pass you by. - Don't settle for good enough. Try to build the best version possible. - Choose wher…

I get you're comparing philosophies but none of those suggestions are mutually exclusive to the lessons taught in this book.

Not only are they not mutually exclusive, but if we're being honest, only idealistic programmers care enough to read Pragmatic Programmer, and they read it in the process of becoming a master.

Re: The Pragmatic Programmer: 20th Anniversary Edition (2023)

#24
post #6

A great book, but I read it too late, after I had already learned pretty much everything it says the hard way. So it was one of those books I enjoyed because it reinforced what I already thought, but didn't really get much from. Wish it had been written a decade earlier.

I'd say learning things on your own, even if they take time, is still better as you don't have to actively force yourself to develop that mindset. We often rush towards our goal without realizing how important the journey (small steps) is. Isn't reaching the goal more worthwhile if you have enjoyed the journey along the way? Isn't that what it means to be human?

Re: The Pragmatic Programmer: 20th Anniversary Edition (2023)

#25
post #7

Alternatively, consider being an idealistic programmer! - Fall in love with a single topic, regardless of how trendy. - Learn as much as you can about it. - Keep learning about it. - Learn about it some more. - Spend years of your life doing nothing but breathing and thinking about this one topic. - Let fads and fashion pass you by. - Don't settle for good enough. Try to build the best version possible. - Choose wher…

Over specializatoin is the enemy of adaptation.

Re: The Pragmatic Programmer: 20th Anniversary Edition (2023)

#26
post #7

Alternatively, consider being an idealistic programmer! - Fall in love with a single topic, regardless of how trendy. - Learn as much as you can about it. - Keep learning about it. - Learn about it some more. - Spend years of your life doing nothing but breathing and thinking about this one topic. - Let fads and fashion pass you by. - Don't settle for good enough. Try to build the best version possible. - Choose wher…

I have read many books. If you can only read one book about how to program in your life , I would say that it is this book: A philosophy of software design: John Ousterhout. It is 10 times better than the next best book.

Re: The Pragmatic Programmer: 20th Anniversary Edition (2023)

#28

I have read a number of programming books but the only two that really stood out to me and that I still remember are The Pragmatic Programmer and K&R The C Programming Language. They are obviously very different but foundational in ways that enabled me to get a lot of things done. I do still encourage people to learn C only because you could understand how the language works or a long weekend and it will help you app…

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Re: The Pragmatic Programmer: 20th Anniversary Edition (2023)

#29
post #3

When I started a programming job, I read this book, Clean Code, and Code Complete. Code Complete is kinda old but still great, Clean Code is not bad but it's Java centric and has a lot of questionable tips. But The Pragmatic Programmer never gets old.

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