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a thing · Sep 21st, 2006, 7:58 PM

Is it silly to read a deadtree programming book away from a computer?

DaWei · Sep 21st, 2006, 8:34 PM

What does it matter where you read it? You don't have to read a book on flying in front of an airplane. Personally, despite the poor trees, I prefer physical books. Of course, I'm just an old fogey who likes to read and who has somewhat more trust in the reliability of a published book than in the plethora of unreliable crap published on the internet. Not that it's 100% reliable, but it's higher than the alternatives.

bivhitscar · Sep 21st, 2006, 9:10 PM

I don't think so. Reading while away from the computer lets your mind think about the concept, rather than the actual implementation.

Jimbo · Sep 21st, 2006, 9:43 PM

I prefer physical books as well. I don't need a computer to read them, and I can reference them while having code up on the screen without having to go between multiple windows. As for reading them away from the computer, I do it every now and then (especially if its for a language/concept I'm not familiar with).

a thing · Sep 21st, 2006, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bivhitscar

I don't think so. Reading while away from the computer lets your mind think about the concept, rather than the actual implementation.

Good point.

DaWei, I find it the other way around. How can I trust a book to be the best it can be if it can't be modified once it's printed? Although the book I'm getting is also available on the Web at http://gigamonkeys.com/book/

bl00dninja · Sep 22nd, 2006, 2:09 AM

honestly, my best algorithm development is done off the computer screen. draw pictures, use your imagination (no, not like THAT!). :p

thinking about the problem can be a lot more helpful with a pen and paper than staring at an empty function definition.

DaWei · Sep 22nd, 2006, 7:05 AM

A book is like anything else -- you have to get it from a reliable source. If you do, it's been subjected to a lot more review than most material on the screen. Sure, nothing's perfect, your odds just get better. Reference our forum's very own tutorial section. If you can't stand typos and bad grammar and spelling, you wouldn't be here, anyway.

peace_of_mind · Sep 22nd, 2006, 1:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by a thing

DaWei, I find it the other way around. How can I trust a book to be the best it can be if it can't be modified once it's printed?

The problem with that rationale is you're assuming it will be modified and kept up to date, rather than the author finding something better to do. As DaWei mentioned, a published book has been edited and proof-read and really picked apart before it was ever put on a shelf. The chances of a book from a bookstore being more accurate than a tutorial on a website is exponentially greater. It's not always a given, but meticulously written and updated tutorials/ebooks are the exception rather than the rule.

Infinite Recursion · Sep 22nd, 2006, 1:52 PM

For the record, I have more money invested in books than I have in computers... and I have more than 10+ computers.

I started making an inventory of my books a while back, but after about 50 of them I started losing motivation. Oddly enough, I have probably only read a handful of them front to back...

DaWei · Sep 22nd, 2006, 2:17 PM

I'm guessing the best ten have paid off more than the price of 10 computers....

Sep 21st, 2006, 7:58 PM	#1
a thing Unverified User Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: none Posts: 146 Rep Power: 0	deadtrees on programming Is it silly to read a deadtree programming book away from a computer? __________________ Warning: My posts may change (dramatically) within the first 15 minutes they're posted. Got 'Nux?�GNU/Linux and other free software support. It's GNU/Linux, not just Linux.

Sep 21st, 2006, 8:34 PM	#2
DaWei Resident Grouch Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 6,453 Rep Power: 10	What does it matter where you read it? You don't have to read a book on flying in front of an airplane. Personally, despite the poor trees, I prefer physical books. Of course, I'm just an old fogey who likes to read and who has somewhat more trust in the reliability of a published book than in the plethora of unreliable crap published on the internet. Not that it's 100% reliable, but it's higher than the alternatives. __________________ Abstraction doesn't make it impossible to write bad code; it makes it possible to write superior code. Contributor's Corner: Grumpy on C++ Exceptions DaWei on Pointers

Sep 21st, 2006, 9:10 PM	#3
bivhitscar Hobbyist Programmer Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 126 Rep Power: 3	I don't think so. Reading while away from the computer lets your mind think about the concept, rather than the actual implementation. __________________ it's ironic considerate rarity patron of love higher knowledge engulfs me...

Sep 21st, 2006, 9:43 PM	#4
Jimbo Battle Programmer Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Bellevue, WA, USA Posts: 763 Rep Power: 3	I prefer physical books as well. I don't need a computer to read them, and I can reference them while having code up on the screen without having to go between multiple windows. As for reading them away from the computer, I do it every now and then (especially if its for a language/concept I'm not familiar with). __________________ <insert disclaimer here> <insert shameless plug for Visual Studio here>

Sep 22nd, 2006, 2:09 AM	#6
bl00dninja Programming Guru Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: namespace std Posts: 1,246 Rep Power: 5	honestly, my best algorithm development is done off the computer screen. draw pictures, use your imagination (no, not like THAT!). :p thinking about the problem can be a lot more helpful with a pen and paper than staring at an empty function definition. __________________ i put on my robe and wizard hat... Have you ever heard of Plato, Aristotle, Socrates?...Morons.

Sep 22nd, 2006, 7:05 AM	#7
DaWei Resident Grouch Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 6,453 Rep Power: 10	A book is like anything else -- you have to get it from a reliable source. If you do, it's been subjected to a lot more review than most material on the screen. Sure, nothing's perfect, your odds just get better. Reference our forum's very own tutorial section. If you can't stand typos and bad grammar and spelling, you wouldn't be here, anyway. __________________ Abstraction doesn't make it impossible to write bad code; it makes it possible to write superior code. Contributor's Corner: Grumpy on C++ Exceptions DaWei on Pointers

Sep 22nd, 2006, 1:52 PM	#9
Infinite Recursion Programming Guru Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: United States Posts: 3,467 Rep Power: 8	For the record, I have more money invested in books than I have in computers... and I have more than 10+ computers. I started making an inventory of my books a while back, but after about 50 of them I started losing motivation. Oddly enough, I have probably only read a handful of them front to back... __________________ http://jasonpowers.net "There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root."

Sep 22nd, 2006, 2:17 PM	#10
DaWei Resident Grouch Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 6,453 Rep Power: 10	I'm guessing the best ten have paid off more than the price of 10 computers.... __________________ Abstraction doesn't make it impossible to write bad code; it makes it possible to write superior code. Contributor's Corner: Grumpy on C++ Exceptions DaWei on Pointers

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