Are there any good educational books on programming conventions/techniques in general? I’ve been looking into ‘Code Complete 2’, but it seems kinda drawn-out.
I recommend:
- The Necronomicon
- Malleus Maleficarum
I find these works most helpful when trying to understand a new API.
I keep finding Malleus Maleficarum in top 10s, I’m considering on buying it soon. I’ve always wondered about witch hunting, but I couldn’t find the right book for it.
LOL for ags1’s recommendations!
I’m finding “Clean Code” by Robert C. Hunter helpful. Definitely the newer things I’ve written that follow his suggestions have proven to be easier to read and modify, and less buggy, than other code I’ve written.
I’d supplement his approach with learning more about functional programming techniques, but I don’t know exactly what to recommend for that. A lot of the FP writing seems to take things to extremes, at least to my spotty programming knowledge and experience.
Learn the java 8 stuff related to FP. Relevant to the language (more so than anything else), and not taken to extremes because it’s still imperative with a bit of functional.
If you want to improve general programming convention/technique, learn Haskell (presuming you have not). Try the book http://learnyouahaskell.com/. The online version is free. This approach is way more fruitful than reading Code Complete or the like.
Not so sure about that one. Obviously Haskell is good at forcing you to obey proper rules and such, but that’s quite different than just improving your technique.
Not to mention if all you’ve ever done is OOP/imperative, you’ll need a life preserver or three because that’s right off the deep end.
He already thinks Code Complete (a good book IMO) is drawn out, groking Haskell would take much longer I expect.
My advice would be to get one of the good algo. books:
http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Algorithms-Edition-Thomas-Cormen/dp/0262033844/ref=pd_sim_b_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=1GC9QWAA09CCHX67Y79F
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/032157351X/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=algs4-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=032157351X
or better yet the complete set of “The Art of computer programming”. http://www.amazon.com/Computer-Programming-Volumes-1-4A-Boxed/dp/0321751043/ref=la_B000AQ6O7M_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1408998067&sr=1-1
[quote=“Roquen,post:8,topic:50630”]
did you read it ? :persecutioncomplex:
Yeah, and thats anouther thing. I know absolutly the basics of math, like gr. 9 and earlier. I don’t really want to get into math-specific books until I know a bit more. Any advice on learning algebra/trig/math fundamentals, and how they’re applied?
You thinking: TAOCP is a book that is almost exclusively loved by those who haven’t read it".
I’ve not read it like a novel. I’ve probably read most of it multiple times spanned over many years. (except vol. 4, which I’ve never have) TAOCP has a ton of mileage in it.
thanks 
… i think i’ll grab a copy.
These and the Cormen algo book are about the only ones I ever grab to look something up…for pure CS. Well and my numerical anal book…but I wouldn’t recommend it…there are sure to be better one avail.