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littleGreenDude27-Jan-20 5:41

littleGreenDude

27-Jan-20 5:41

Personally, I find that drinking too little coffee causes problems.

“The palest ink is better than the best memory.” - Chinese Proverb

Kelly Herald27-Jan-20 11:25

Kelly Herald

27-Jan-20 11:25

Wouldn't that cause problems for everyone around you?

For our sake, here Java | [Coffee]

Kelly Herald
Software Developer

Daniel Pfeffer27-Jan-20 6:21

Daniel Pfeffer

27-Jan-20 6:21

Coffee is the bane of the sleeping classes.

Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.
-- 6079 Smith W.

self-taught dev seeks computer science

W∴ Balboos, GHB27-Jan-20 7:52

W∴ Balboos, GHB

27-Jan-20 7:52

Only if you're brewing some trouble and mocha big deal out of it.

Ravings en masse^
"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein
"If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010

raddevus27-Jan-20 2:12

27-Jan-20 2:12

Yesterday I got on the idea of learning basic Computer Science things (data structures, algorithms, etc) and I started looking for a book. I become afflicted with this idea every year or so. Roll eyes | :rolleyes:

I found all the normal ones like

Introduction to Algorithms (The MIT Press) 3rd Edition, Kindle Edition
by Thomas H. Cormen (Author), Charles E. Leiserson (Author), Ronald L. Rivest (Author), Clifford Stein [^]

But that is way too mathy for me. I like math but I like it to be applied. Anyways, I wanted to really see Big O explained and tied to specific algorithms. I wanted to start out relative simply but not treat me like I'm totally ignorant. I stumbled upon this book from the Pragmatic Programmer publishers...

A Common-Sense Guide to Data Structures and Algorithms: Level Up Your Core Programming Skills[^]

I devoured the first 4 chapters and it is amazing. Definitely check this one out. I'm so excited about it. I feel like I'm really putting the concepts together. This one is going into the Top 5 All-time Best books on programming. Seriously up there with Petzold Windows programming.
After reading those first 4 chapters I actually understand what O(1), O(N), O(log N) and O(N^2) mean. I even understand them in relation to algorithms. The author connects them to the algos and shows graphs of time / efficiency and it is absolutely clear and interesting.

modified 27-Jan-20 8:41am.

Kris Lantz27-Jan-20 3:19

Kris Lantz

27-Jan-20 3:19

(I'm sure it's like this many places) Algorithms was one of my Campus' Crush-the-soul-of-the-CS-student classes, second to x86 assembly. The Professor was fantastic though, and was passionate about the topic.
Now you've got me wanting to dust of my Alg book... and maybe read it within a salt circle. $Shucks | :-\$

ZurdoDev27-Jan-20 4:34

ZurdoDev

27-Jan-20 4:34

If you really want to learn just post some articles or questions and show your code and there will be plenty of people pointing out what you did wrong. I mean pointing out how you can write better code. Wink | ;)

Social Media - A platform that makes it easier for the crazies to find each other.

Everyone is born right handed. Only the strongest overcome it.
Fight for left-handed rights and hand equality.

raddevus27-Jan-20 5:07

27-Jan-20 5:07

ZurdoDev wrote:
just post some articles or questions and show your code and there will be plenty of people pointing out what you did wrong.

So true!
But, that's my normal way of learning. Trying something new. Big Grin | :-D

Mark_Wallace27-Jan-20 10:31

Mark_Wallace

27-Jan-20 10:31

There are, in reality, no stupid questions.

Only rude answers to honest questions.

I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!

Member 1202393728-Jan-20 14:13

Member 12023937

28-Jan-20 14:13

You haven't heard some of my questions.

Member 916705727-Jan-20 21:05

Member 9167057

27-Jan-20 21:05

Self-taught myself, I learned a lot from reading Joel Spolsky and Raymond Chen. They don't care all too much about theory of algorithms, but highlight the essentially same topics from a practical, pragmatical perspective which I personally find way easier to learn.

Steve Naidamast28-Jan-20 4:10

Steve Naidamast

28-Jan-20 4:10

Same here...

I am completely self-taught as a software engineer.

However, the best technical manual I have ever read was Wrox's "Learning C#", by Simon back in the early 2000s. Never found a better manual since for easy reading and great learning outlines...

Steve Naidamast
Sr. Software Engineer
Black Falcon Software, Inc.
blackfalconsoftware@outlook.com

DT Bullock27-Jan-20 22:21

DT Bullock

27-Jan-20 22:21

I found The Algorithm Design manual to be a really useful survey of all sorts of algorithms and 'war stories' about how they apply to real-life situations. The intent is to equip you, the programmer-in-the-field, to think about your high-n data problems in terms of complexity and adapt and apply algorithms to them. (As opposed to, say, solving abstract puzzles by inventing and implementing algorithms).

The Algorithm Design Manual[^].

Be sure to follow the links through to the 'Algorithm Repository' and even what seems to be the complete videos and slides of Prof Skiena's introductory algorithms class if you're interested in that rabbit hole. But the lovely hardback book will never be out of reach for ideas and inspiration.

raddevus28-Jan-20 1:43

28-Jan-20 1:43

Great stuff, thanks for the additional resource. I will check it out.

BillWoodruff28-Jan-20 0:35

BillWoodruff

28-Jan-20 0:35

thanks for another useful review !

«One day it will have to be officially admitted that what we have christened reality is an even greater illusion than the world of dreams.» Salvador Dali

Member 785663928-Jan-20 3:19

Member 7856639

28-Jan-20 3:19

I started off programming self taught, then went to college to study computer science and continued self-learning. It seems that computer science has become the embodiment of Super Tramp's "The Logical" song. Programming is supposed to be creative and artistic... Yet they want to teach you to do things a certain way, document your code, etc. "Zen and the Art of Programming" had a passage where the pupils asks the Master when he will know he has become a Master... The Master answered you will know when you no longer need to ask that question.

Learn techniques but don't let the crush your soul...

raddevus28-Jan-20 3:35

28-Jan-20 3:35

Member 7856639 wrote:
Super Tramp's "The Logical" song

I hadn't thought about that song in a long time. Thumbs Up | :thumbsup:

Now I'm looking at the lyrics.

Member 7856639 wrote:
Programming is supposed to be creative and artistic... Yet they want to teach you to do things a certain way,

Yeah, programming really is a balance of science and art, logic and feel for what is right.
But then sometimes it is just straight logic!

Great points.

Member 844862228-Jan-20 3:52

Member 8448622

28-Jan-20 3:52

This may be a bit dated as I got my Computer Science degree way back in 1983, but as far as I am concerned, Knuth's "The Art of Computer Programming" series of books are Computer Science's bible.

- Dan Best
It's a hard life, but somebody's got to live it if only to act as an inspiration to others.

raddevus28-Jan-20 4:00

28-Jan-20 4:00

Member 8448622 wrote:
This may be a bit dated as I got my Computer Science degree way back in 1983, but as far as I am concerned, Knuth's "The Art of Computer Programming" series of books are Computer Science's bible.

Those books are amazing tomes.
I have seen those since I started back in '93 or so.
Each year or two I pick up Volume 1 Fundamental Algorithms and read the first half page and get maybe two pages in and then I give up again. Roll eyes | :rolleyes:

Maybe after I complete this other book I'll go back and see if I can get thru 4 or 5 pages now. Laugh | :laugh:

kalberts28-Jan-20 5:21

kalberts

28-Jan-20 5:21

I hold an academic M.Comp.Sci. degree, yet I have no problem recognizing your situation.

I've got another "Holy Scriptures" book: The Anatomy of Lisp. Procuced with an early pre-release version (1978) of the first TeX/Metafont typesetting system. Maybe the text content is good, but I have tried again and again to focus on thoose Metafont characters; it is impossible. I cannot keep my eyes fixed on the text for as much as a single line. I have made so many attempts, over many years, to read this book that now I have given up. Also, I have given up Lisp. Maybe, if the book had been reprinted in a readable typeface, I would have been a Lisp fan now (I did a little Lisp in the 1990s), but it was just too hard to learn its anatomy.

raddevus28-Jan-20 5:30

28-Jan-20 5:30

Member 7989122 wrote:
I hold an academic M.Comp.Sci. degree, yet I have no problem recognizing your situation.

Great post, thanks for chiming in. There are some books that are made to not be read. Roll eyes | :rolleyes:

Kirk 1038982128-Jan-20 6:34

Kirk 10389821

28-Jan-20 6:34

Before University, I found myself reading this... Still not knowing this Wirth fella.
Algorithms + Data Structures = Programs (Prentice-Hall Series in Automatic Computation): Niklaus Wirth: 9780130224187: Amazon.com: Books

And I read much of Knuth while sitting inside of a Borders b/c I could not afford the books! LOL

Later, in University, I can honestly say on more than ONE occasion, when the professor announced the book for the class, I laughed because I had already read it on my own!

Any book by Sedgewick on Algorithms is great as well. I really learned about balancing trees!

raddevus28-Jan-20 7:31

28-Jan-20 7:31

Kirk 10389821 wrote:
Algorithms + Data Structures = Programs (Prentice-Hall Series in Automatic Computation): Niklaus Wirth: 9780130224187: Amazon.com: Books

I actually own that book. Bought it at half-price books for $2.99 in the past year. It's very well written. Did you know that Petzold named his book in homage to that book : Applications = Code + Markup: A Guide to the Microsoft Windows Presentation Foundation (Developer Reference): Charles Petzold: 9780735619579: Amazon.com: Books[^]

Very cool that you read the Knuth.

Also, I've seen (and slightly perused) the Sedgewick book over the years but never settled down on it. I will give it a go after this current one.
I also want to go thru :
Algorithms in a Nutshell: A Practical Guide 2nd Edition[^]

I've read a chapter or so of the first edition but never completed.

Kirk 1038982128-Jan-20 8:47

Kirk 10389821

28-Jan-20 8:47

I did not know that about Petzold. Cool.

I truly enjoyed Programming Pearls by Jon Bently (I believe).

Great for wrapping your brain around complex problems and unique solutions...
(The dictionary/Anagram problem was one of my favorites)...

Enjoy and thanks for sharing!