Reading Tips | The Coffeehouse

ben2004uk

Afternoon all,

I am just about to begin reading some pretty big books including Code Complete 2nd Edition, Writing Secure Code 2nd Edition and Beginning Visual C++ 2005 (all around the 1000 page mark)

I was just wondering if anyone had any tips of how to manage this amount of information so I can actually understand and take it onboard.

So I make notes as I am reading??

Do all the tutorials / work over the code examples?

Some advice would be great as I don't really want to read them and not have actually took any of it in...

Thanks

Ben

Pace
In The Mix...

Hey Ben...

IMO whats really important is to do it piece by piece, I wouldnt attempt it all... I would start with C++ before the others... any particular reason you want to learn C++? Its really hardcore... if your new you might want to check out C# instead.

Second thing to do is actually do what its saying... so as its giving you code examples actually write it and run it yourself. Dont take it as gospel. Its not rare for code you see in a book actually not work.

Third thing for me is to practice... so take what you learnt and change the situation and make sure you get it working. For example, in the book after you have done the examples etc, pratice everything you learned from scratch. So sit there and make an app you just leart... example; if it says your making an application for storing information on houses that you can search for as you read it, after it do something where you would be searching for cars or something, just change the subject slightly, after you have done two eventually you might have to make one on books, or medical records etc.

Fourth, if you dont understand something underline the word and look it up later... write it in the back if it helps...

Most important, if its not fun then Stop, take a break, take easy, have fun!

Dr Herbie
Horses for courses

If you own the books (as opposed to borring them from somewhere) then just remember to keep them around for future reference.

I read a lot of these types of books (I have only recently learned to visit Amazon and not buy something every time, one-click ordering nearly bankrupted me).

My technique is just to memorise what topics each book covers, so I can return and get the details at any time.
Just try to learn the main lessons -- very few people can suck up all that information and actually remember it all.
As you refer back to the books again and again when you write real code (as opposed to practice code) you will remember more and more.
I still read the book completely and properly -- I don't skim -- but I don't worry too much about what I should memorise.
If you read something that strikes you as important, you'll probably remember it.

Herbie

ben2004uk

Hey thanks for your reply.

Reason I want to learn C++ is because of it's history and reputation, I feel like I ‘should’ know it, or at least have a good understanding and plus (more importantly) it will come up at University next year, finally I already know C# to a good level.

Nice idea about changing the subject slightly and trying it for yourself – better than just copying out the book…

I think I do need to remember that when I start drifting off, I need to stop and take a break instead of trying to force myself.

Thanks for your reply. Very helpful.

Ben

leeappdalecom
.nettter

I love reading and I love buying books for some wierd reason I got so many indoors that I havnt read its unreal.

I find best way is to read though the book, then go away and try to do a project with the technologies you learned, you will find you have forgot alot and refer back to the books for guidance thus going over stuff you havnt taken in.

I think it's finding an hour alone with no distractions which is the hardest part

ben2004uk

You should see the pile of books I have next to me....maybe i'll post a picture later. Lot I purchased and thought yeah thats cool and never got around to it (Head First Design Patterns and Cocoa Programming being the main ones).

Pleased you both said that I shouldn't expect to take it all in (less pressure), however I do think I should maybe start doing more from the book and practicing writing software more instread of just reading about how to write software.

The one problem I have is that the only space I have is either in front of my TV / Sky or infront of my PC. Do you guys listen to music / TV while reading?? Or are you in complete slience.....I usually have the TV on while reading which sometimes causes a distraction, but i don't enjoy slience.

Thanks again!

KevinB

I have to have silence when I am reading, well, not have to, but definitely prefer it.

When I am programming, sometimes I like quiet and sometimes I like music but never TV or anything that I have to really think about/listen to.

Kevin

UnoriginalGuy

I am not an avid reader myself... I prefer to pick up bits and pieces here and there, so find internet articles on various arcane topics useful to that end. Books aren't even useful for reference anymore since google is far faster.

I enjoyed Exceptional C++: 47 Engineering Puzzles, Programming Problems, and Solutions because it doesn't offer you material, but instead a series of problems (and common traps) with solutions at the end. There was also a book like it that focused on the C++ Standard Library, which is a great way to learn it if you know it or not. When solving these kinds of problems I don't consider it "cheating" to research the solution (e.g. MSDN) because either way you learn something about the topic at hand... If you try and solve them without any research then all you are really doing is showing how good your memory is.

But my method is pretty slow... If you want to speed-learn something then set yourself a task and a deadline and complete it... For example "I'm going to write a MS SQL, ASP.Net based Internet Forum by next Tuesday using C#." Regardless of if you know any of the technologies; regardless of if you have any chance of completing said project on time, you will still learn something. It is win win, fail or succeed.

Pace
In The Mix...

ben2004uk wrote:
Lot I purchased and thought yeah thats cool and never got around to it (Head First Design Patterns)...

What a book Cool