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From: janc@uofm-cv.UUCP (Jan Wolter)
Newsgroups: net.books
Subject: Computer Science Books
Message-ID: <461@uofm-cv.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 16-Jan-84 00:03:12 EST
Article-I.D.: uofm-cv.461
Posted: Mon Jan 16 00:03:12 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 18-Jan-84 01:14:16 EST
Lines: 44

What are your favorite books on computer science?  The sort of books that
you feel any computer scientist should own?  I can name three, but would
like to hear the opinions of others.

   (1)  Knuth.  The Art of Computer Programming.  Addison Wesley.
	Multitudinous fundamental algorithms thoroughly analized.
	A book any hacker can curl up with and enjoy.  Too well
	known to discuss in detail.

   (2)  Brooks.  The Mythical Man-Month.  Addison Wesley.  The
  	man who was project manager on OS/360 discusses software
	engineering.  Brooks Law (adding manpower to a late soft-
	ware project makes it later) is a cornerstone of this book.
	A thought provoking examination of the realitys of the
	programming "art".  Hackers will be less comfortable with
	this one.

   (3)  Dijkstra. Selected Writings on Computing: A Personal
	Perspective.  Spring-Verlag.  This is a large collection
	of short monographs by the man best known for igniting
	the goto-less programming debate.  This is a mixed bag
	of techical texts and informal commentaries. A few 
	typical quotations to wet the taste:

	  Programming is one of the most difficult branches of
	  applied mathematics.

	  Besides a mathematical inclination, an exceptionally
	  good mastery of one's native tongue is the most vital
	  asset of a competent programmer.

	  By claiming that they can contribute to software
	  engineering, the soft scientist make themselves
	  even more ridiculous.

	The informal commentaries are delightful, but the reader
	should take the time to study the techical pieces too.
	They are beautiful in themselves, and do much to back up
	Dijkstra's criticisms of the work of others.  No hacker
	could survive reading this book.

Comments on these and other computer science books are invited.

			Jan Wolter -- University of Michigan