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richk449
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 Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2011 9:45 pm Post subject: |
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| dmitchell wrote: | | richk449 wrote: | | I didn't say you should skip it. I just said that Wilde was overrated. |
You didn't say, "As a writer of dialogue, Wilde was top notch. All the more reason to skip Dorian Grey?" I thought that was you.  |
There is no way you can prove it.
| Quote: | | I can't decide if that is an overly deep interpretation or an overly shallow one. Maybe it's just a very good horror story. Then your reading seems too deep. Or maybe it's about the idea that you can't escape consequences, and you are what you do. Then your reading seems too shallow, since the book hits on a universal theme. I'll let you know when I finish it what I think it is about. |
You don't have to wait. I am sure my reading of it is too shallow. |
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dmitchell
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| Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2011 10:52 pm Post subject: |
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Another possibility is that you are spot on and it is my interpretation that is seriously flawed.
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notageek
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| Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2011 4:16 am Post subject: |
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Currently I'm reading the following:
1. Steve Jobs -- Walter Isaacson
2. Programming Python -- Mark Lutz
Maybe by today I'll also have Programming Android
For a brief period (while ordering these books online) I did consider ordering Ayn Rand's two of the popular novels.
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pjp
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| Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2011 9:57 pm Post subject: |
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| notageek wrote: | | 2. Programming Python -- Mark Lutz |
Is that one any good?
I think it was the Learning (or Beginning) Python book which got slammed. Unfortunately I bought it before discovering that info.
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notageek
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| Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2011 3:55 am Post subject: |
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I bought it after reading reviews on Amazon and they were good. Some may have even claimed it is the book to buy. I've only started reading it and so far so good.
It is a huge book, comes in hardcover.
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Last edited by notageek on Sun Nov 06, 2011 4:52 am; edited 1 time in total |
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pjp
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| Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2011 4:04 am Post subject: |
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Yeah, the Learning / Beginning book is huge too.
I'll try and keep that one in mind for when I return to python, but no idea when that will be.
Which reminds me, I've also been going through Head First PHP & MySQL.
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charly
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| Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2011 4:08 am Post subject: |
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Once Were Warriors - Alan Duff
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notageek
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| Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2011 4:12 am Post subject: |
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Head First books are bad.
As far as books on PHP are concerned, I haven't found any good ones. Although I have Programming PHP. Not great but ok.
For MySQL you don't need to buy a book, go to their website and download the reference manual. It is a good book.
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pjp
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| Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2011 4:19 am Post subject: |
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What's bad about them? So far I think it is much better than other books I've seen (not specifically PHP, as its the first book I've looked at on the subject). Most seem to be so dry they're painful to go through (a point HF books happen to make in the "intro").
I find most books poor for actually teaching programming. They may cover the language syntax, but the difference is huge. But that digresses into a topic I've brought up several times, so I'll leave it at that.
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notageek
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| Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2011 4:24 am Post subject: |
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For learning programming there is only one book.
The C Programming Language -- Kernighan and Ritchie. And yes it is relevant because all the other languages borrows from C.
Basically you don't have to buy a HF book to get the info you want. You could get that by reading from various sources online. If you want something for breaking in, then you'd do a much better job looking at say www.php.net or associated php websites.
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notageek
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| Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2011 4:40 am Post subject: |
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And as a rule, I generally buy books of authors who've actually designed the language.
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pjp
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| Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2011 8:10 pm Post subject: |
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| notageek wrote: | For learning programming there is only one book.
The C Programming Language -- Kernighan and Ritchie. And yes it is relevant because all the other languages borrows from C. |
A shame you think that. I have that book and it does not TEACH programming. In fact, unassisted, I think it is an awful book for learning.
For example... I've known some basic C for a very long time. I knew some BASIC, and had a co-worker who was willing to answer some questions when I got stuck with C. The syntax of basic C was not difficult to learn. In the last 5 or so years, I bought the K&R C book. I started going through it pretending I didn't know any C, so as not to rely on any potential bad habits. Within the first 2 chapters, they offer assignments, which IMO, required skills not presented to the reader within the first two chapters. Uhm, hello?!? That isn't a good book for teaching (perhaps in a class it would be).
| notageek wrote: | | Basically you don't have to buy a HF book to get the info you want. You could get that by reading from various sources online. |
I've found trying to find decent online sources to be like winning the lottery. It could happen. Most barely go beyond 'hello world.'
And I've yet to find the text (online or in print) which covers the next stages of learning. How to take the syntax and create programs. OK, so I can write C syntax. That doesn't help me penetrate filesystem code, or X, etc.
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notageek
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| Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2011 8:16 pm Post subject: |
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| pjp wrote: | | A shame you think that. I have that book and it does not TEACH programming. In fact, unassisted, I think it is an awful book for learning. |
Try the exercises in that book.
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pjp
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| Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2011 8:23 pm Post subject: |
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lol, if only you'd actually read the post.
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Old School
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| Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2011 8:48 pm Post subject: |
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Going through The Wheel Of Time again, waiting for the epic conclusion. Currently, just started A Crown Of Swords.
Also read (again) a fine book I would highly recommend (if this is of any interest) by Paul S. Dull (a deceased Oregon History Prof) A Battle History Of The Imperial Japanese Navy
Currently engrossed in the rule book for my all time favorite board game, Star Fleet Battles
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notageek
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| Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2011 4:29 am Post subject: |
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| pjp wrote: | | For example... I've known some basic C for a very long time. I knew some BASIC, and had a co-worker who was willing to answer some questions when I got stuck with C. The syntax of basic C was not difficult to learn. In the last 5 or so years, I bought the K&R C book. I started going through it pretending I didn't know any C, so as not to rely on any potential bad habits. Within the first 2 chapters, they offer assignments, which IMO, required skills not presented to the reader within the first two chapters. Uhm, hello?!? That isn't a good book for teaching (perhaps in a class it would be). |
Maybe you're right. There is also an accompanying solutions book that you might want to look and see if the solutions make sense. Also, you could finish the book once then try the examples from the beginning. Which is what I did. There are also some of the popular C books, but they're Indian authors. So, I'm not sure you'd find them readable.
| pjp wrote: | | And I've yet to find the text (online or in print) which covers the next stages of learning. How to take the syntax and create programs. OK, so I can write C syntax. That doesn't help me penetrate filesystem code, or X, etc. |
Things like filesystem and X are way too advanced. It wouldn't be of any help to look at them at this point of time.
Dabbling with gtk (i.e trying to write programs) could give you some idea too. Books about X Windows programming are available, for instance I read this. Not sure if you'd like it.
And this is something I found right now: http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/X_Window_Programming
I haven't read it.
And if you're trying to build GUI components quickly, you might want to look at Tcl/Tk tutorials, Python tutorials or Perl/Gtk Tutorials. Maybe they'll help.
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pjp
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| Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2011 4:15 pm Post subject: |
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| notageek wrote: | | Also, you could finish the book once then try the examples from the beginning. Which is what I did. |
That I might try. Making notes in previous chapters of what skills I think are required to complete the exercises. Thanks for the suggestion. Now I just need to get through php & mysql, then java (I don't really have anything I currently want to achieve with C).
There are also some of the popular C books, but they're Indi
| notageek wrote: | | Things like filesystem and X are way too advanced. It wouldn't be of any help to look at them at this point of time. |
That's fine, but that was my point with the "missing" resources (missing or I don't know what to look for).
X was just an example. Once upon a time I wanted to work on developing a WM then hopefully work on an existing one to improve it, etc. For now that isn't my focus.
But as for the filesystem code, I wouldn't mind being able to help with btrfs. It'll probably never happen, but the missing piece is what is required to get from syntax to fs code. I don't expect it to be the next step.
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pjp
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| Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2011 4:38 am Post subject: |
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| pjp wrote: | | Just started The Tomb, F. Paul Wilson. |
Overall pretty good. Not quite what I was expecting (mainly the supernatural thing). Will go looking for the others sometime soon.
Almost half way through Marque and Reprisal.
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richk449
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BoneKracker
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| Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2011 5:03 am Post subject: |
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Looks like some interesting history. I wonder if he talks about Able Archer 83.
I guess none of this matters now. Obama has given the Russians nuclear superiority, after Hillary went over there with a big red plastic button that said "Overload" instead "Reset" in Russian.
I'm still picking away at The Discoverers (great non-fiction book). Currently I'm learning about the history of clocks (which was serendipitous as you mentioned the 10,000-year clock the other day).
Also reading 2,000 Miles Below for bedtime reading at the moment (classic sci-fi).
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dmitchell
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| Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2011 5:15 am Post subject: |
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Somebody tell me how to put The Brothers Karamazov on my Nexus S (Google Books). I'm going to finish Dorian Grey very soon.
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drizek
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| Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2011 5:17 am Post subject: |
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Did you finish AK?
I hit 50% and started running out of steam. I like it, it's just hard to keep reading about this one topic forever.
I think I need to pair it with a book that has no romance in it whatsoever. I was thinking Lord of the Rings, total sausagefest. Your new book seems like it would fit the bill as well, lol.
I'm getting two more Kindles tomorrow, so I'll definitely be doing some reading. Did you ever make up your mind? Early reviews of the Kindle Fire aren't that great. I'm leaning more and more towards the Touch.
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drizek
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richk449
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| Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2011 5:33 am Post subject: |
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| drizek wrote: |
Did you finish AK? |
Eventually.
| Quote: | | I hit 50% and started running out of steam. I like it, it's just hard to keep reading about this one topic forever. |
It actually got really slow in the second half. The end is good, but I before that, I had lost interest.
| Quote: | | I'm getting two more Kindles tomorrow, so I'll definitely be doing some reading. Did you ever make up your mind? Early reviews of the Kindle Fire aren't that great. I'm leaning more and more towards the Touch. |
No, I can't decide. I think the best solution is to buy an ereader just for reading (eInk), and eventually buy a tablet for other stuff. Trying to find one device to do both (and being cheap) means I can't find anything I am happy with. |
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richk449
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| Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2011 5:34 am Post subject: |
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| dmitchell wrote: | | Somebody tell me how to put The Brothers Karamazov on my Nexus S (Google Books). I'm going to finish Dorian Grey very soon. |
And ... |
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