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The Pragmatic Programmer: 20th Anniversary Edition (2023)

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

#31

Post by garethrowlands »

android521 wrote: post #26
sfpotter wrote: 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.

It's very good. And quite short!

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

#32

Post by 1313ed01 »

When the first version came out, around the time I got my first job, it felt like everyone around me had read this book, and for a long time we were throwing around quotes from this book. Sadly after a few years it felt like the only thing that really stuck in the larger community was "Don't Repeat Yourself", which wasn't really something that at the time stood out as much more important than many of the other "rules".

My personal favorite was always the one about "English is just a programming language", but when I read the 20th anniversary edition that one seemed like it had been toned down? I did not go back to find the original one to compare, but the way I remember it it was pretty hardcore about keeping text as text and using tools like for programming (use macros in text to avoid repeating yourself etc).

Overall the 20th anniversary did feel a bit less idealistic? I guess for a "pragmatic" book that makes sense, but I remember the original like it was making stronger arguments for or against things. I really liked the (anti-)IDE chapter, or the parts on the importance of learning how to use a good text editor well, for instance, but now they basically cut that out. Did give me the impression that they were trying to be down with the kids at times.

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

#33

Post by ck45 »

android521 wrote: post #26
sfpotter wrote: 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.

For me “the problem with software, why smart engineers write bad code” is the prequel. Not as technical, but explains a big problem

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

#34

Post by keyle »

android521 wrote: post #26
sfpotter wrote: 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.

Thanks, purchased.

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

#36

Post by djeastm »

android521 wrote: post #29
hamasho wrote: 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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We only need to see one comment from you about this, don't we? Please give it a rest.

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

#39

Post by arthurfirst »

hamasho wrote: 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.

I was given code complete by my first programming manager in around 99 -- maybe he thought I needed to read it heh
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