What's on your book-shelf?

Heya,

I've been gone from the forum for a while, as I've been relocating to Iceland and started a job. But now that things are starting to calm down, I wanna start reading books again, as I've finally got time!

So here's me wondering what books I should acquire and read over the next period of time. What's on your bookshelf, that you haven't regretted reading?

- Chadk

Dune

Messiah of Dune

Children of Dune

vesuvius said:

I wish they'd bring out those MCPD books a bit sooner after a new version of the Framework comes out. I think the 4.0 foundation book isn't coming out until november, and the entire track may take until well into 2011. I'm kind of wondering if just the upgrade exam covers all the differences between the 2.0/3.0/3.5 certification and the 4.0 certification well enough.

Anyway, that foundation training kit is on my shelf as well, as is the ASP.NET 3.5 one. Apart from that, I still regularly dig out Code Complete and WPF Unleashed.

If you mean non-programming books, that's too long a list.

Bas said:

vesuvius said:

*snip*

I wish they'd bring out those MCPD books a bit sooner after a new version of the Framework comes out. I think the 4.0 foundation book isn't coming out until november, and the entire track may take until well into 2011. I'm kind of wondering if just the upgrade exam covers all the differences between the 2.0/3.0/3.5 certification and the 4.0 certification well enough.

 

Anyway, that foundation training kit is on my shelf as well, as is the ASP.NET 3.5 one. Apart from that, I still regularly dig out Code Complete and WPF Unleashed.

 

If you mean non-programming books, that's too long a list.

When I moved, I didn't bring my whole book-shelf. But I made damn sure to bring my copy of Code Complete. Best book, ever!

I take it that the foundation training kit is good? I'm already well-versed with C# and .NET, but I guess it covers just about everything, judging from the size?

vesuvius said:

Effective C# I didn't think was worth it (I mean the time spent). Of the 50 items, about 5 meet the dual criteria of being both important advice and being things developers are likely to not know already. While Effective C++ remains vital reading for anyone writing C++ code, Effective C# is of little interest, especially if you're already into the details of the language.

Of books that are mainly about the language rather than framework technologies, Jon Skeet's C# In Depth is the best book I've read by far.

Chadk said:

Bas said:

*snip*

When I moved, I didn't bring my whole book-shelf. But I made damn sure to bring my copy of Code Complete. Best book, ever!

 

I take it that the foundation training kit is good? I'm already well-versed with C# and .NET, but I guess it covers just about everything, judging from the size?

It doesn't cover a lot of the basic stuff, but seeing how it's a training kit for the exam you should (and already do) know that stuff. It goes into a lot of not-very-obvious stuff like application domains, services, installers, CAS, COM interop, reflection, globalization and such. In that regard, it's pretty interesting in terms of that it's covering a lot of stuff that isn't in 'regular' .NET books. It often glosses over some subjects in my opinion, but as training for the exam it's great.

Chadk said:

Nice veuvius!

 

I've already read the first edition of Effective C#. It was OK. And I have the first edition of The C# Programming Language as well.

 

What the T-SQL and .NET Application Development training kit like? Worth the money?

The second edition contains quite a lot from the first (borrowed a copy from a former boss - yes I returned it), it just new new stuff like dynamic in .NET 4.0 and generics. Not so much a book to study but it is good to read on your lunch break or on a train.

The T-SQL one is good if you are working with data (I am heavily at present) as using stored procedures ties in nicely to OLAP and reporting. Linq to SQL is not the best tool for the job in this specific scenario.

I think I could take the .NET, Winforms, WPF and WCF exams and do well, but it is a question of finding the time to finish or the 30% of the books that I did not use. Most of these books have been purchased out of necessity rather than choice e.g. I was given ownership of web services in the not too distant past, and the WCF training book got me up to speed in no time.

Bas said:

vesuvius said:

*snip*

I wish they'd bring out those MCPD books a bit sooner after a new version of the Framework comes out. I think the 4.0 foundation book isn't coming out until november, and the entire track may take until well into 2011. I'm kind of wondering if just the upgrade exam covers all the differences between the 2.0/3.0/3.5 certification and the 4.0 certification well enough.

 

Anyway, that foundation training kit is on my shelf as well, as is the ASP.NET 3.5 one. Apart from that, I still regularly dig out Code Complete and WPF Unleashed.

 

If you mean non-programming books, that's too long a list.

I actually got an origianl copy of code complete and was surprised to find Jeff Atwood's Coding Horror logo.

Not wanting to appear a complete newbie, here are some more (I have still not unpacked all my books). I have a huge non programming collection, but I guess these are also on my bookshelf, and have been read at some point earlier on

Bas said:

Chadk said:

*snip*

It doesn't cover a lot of the basic stuff, but seeing how it's a training kit for the exam you should (and already do) know that stuff. It goes into a lot of not-very-obvious stuff like application domains, services, installers, CAS, COM interop, reflection, globalization and such. In that regard, it's pretty interesting in terms of that it's covering a lot of stuff that isn't in 'regular' .NET books. It often glosses over some subjects in my opinion, but as training for the exam it's great.

You took the words right out of my mouth

blowdart said:

No-one has my book? I hate you all

 

 

I am quite embarrased now that I have no ASP.NET material, but I have tended to work on rich client applications and am looking to move to ASP.NET again. I may well get this book.

Am I the only one who doesn't read programming books for leisure?

Bass said:

Am I the only one who doesn't read programming books for leisure?

Time is the problem. I used to read a lot, and have an extensive collection of literature. Unfortunately, I am unable to get a healthy work life balance at present, as everything is technology related. I only got around to watching Avatar a week or so ago, that's just some indication of how hectic things have been.

I agree, it is important to have a broad mixture of reading material.

blowdart said:

No-one has my book? I hate you all

 

 

It's published by Wrox isn't it? Wrox = not on Safari = might as well not exist.

Computer books or regular books? I recently read The Road by Cormac McCarthy and enjoyed it. Much better than the movie. I also read Replay by Ken Grimwood and enjoyed it.

Computer books, "Working Effectively with Legacy Code" by Michael Feathers.

Bass said:

Am I the only one who doesn't read programming books for leisure?

Who says this is for leisure?