books tagged “computing”

English

Alan Turing: The Enigma
by Andrew Hodges

ISBN 0671528092 (0-671-52809-2)
Softcover, Simon & Schuster

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Book summary:
Alan Turing died in 1954, but the themes of his life epitomize the turn of the millennium. A pure mathematician from a tradition that prided itself on its impracticality, Turing laid the foundations for modern computer science, writes Andrew Hodges:

Alan had proved that there was no "miraculous machine" that could solve all mathematical problems, but in the process he had discovered something almost equally miraculous, the idea of a universal machine that could take over the work of any machine.
During World War II, Turing was the intellectual star of Bletchley Park, the secret British cryptography unit. His work cracking the German's Enigma machine code was, in many ways, the first triumph of computer science. And Turing died because his identity as a homosexual was incompatible with cold-war ideas of security, implemented with machines and remorseless logic: "It was his own invention, and it killed the goose that laid the golden eggs."
Andrew Hodges's remarkable insight weaves Turing's mathematical and computer work with his personal life to produce one of the best biographies of our time, and the basis of the Derek Jacobi movie Breaking the Code. Hodges has the mathematical knowledge to explain the intellectual significance of Turing's work, while never losing sight of the human and social picture:

In this sense his life belied his work, for it could not be contained by the discrete state machine. At every stage his life raised questions about the connection (or lack of it) between the mind and the body, thought and action, intelligence and operations, science and society, the individual and history.
And Hodges admits what all biographers know, but few admit, about their subjects: "his inner code remains unbroken." Alan Turing is still an enigma. --Mary Ellen Curtin [via]
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Applied Cryptography: Protocols, Algorithms, and Source Code in C
by Bruce Schneier

ISBN 0471117099 (0-471-11709-9)
Softcover, John Wiley & Sons Inc

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Book summary:
After a brief account of the history of cryptography, the latest data on encryption protocols and techniques are explained. Describes present-day applications ranging from electronic cash to anonymous messaging and current security concerns. The second section assumes fairly sophisticated knowledge of the C programming language and features numerous source code fragments. Practical implementations of the code are listed throughout the book's second half. [via]
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The Art of Computer Programming: Fundamental Algorithms
by Donald E. Knuth

ISBN 0201896834 (0-201-89683-4)
Hardcover, Addison-Wesley

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Book summary:
This magnificent tour de force presents a comprehensive overview of a wide variety of algorithms and the analysis of them. Now in its third edition, The Art of Computer Programming, Volume I: Fundamental Algorithms contains substantial revisions by the author and includes numerous new exercises.
Although this book was conceived several decades ago, it is still a timeless classic. One of the book's greatest strengths is the wonderful collection of problems that accompany each chapter. The author has chosen problems carefully and indexed them according to difficulty. Solving a substantial number of these problems will help you gain a solid understanding of the issues surrounding the given topic. Furthermore, the exercises feature a variety of classic problems.
Fundamental Algorithms begins with mathematical preliminaries. The first section offers a good grounding in a variety of useful mathematical tools: proof techniques, combinatorics, and elementary number theory. Knuth then details the MIX processor, a virtual machine architecture that serves as the programming target for subsequent discussions. This wonderful section comprehensively covers the principles of simple machine architecture, beginning with a register-level discussion of the instruction set. A later discussion of a simulator for this machine includes an excellent description of the principles underlying the implementation of subroutines and co-routines. Implementing such a simulator is an excellent introduction to computer design.
In the second section, Knuth covers data structures--stacks, queues, lists, arrays, and trees--and presents implementations (in MIX assembly) along with techniques for manipulating these structures. Knuth follows many of the algorithms with careful time and space analysis. In the section on tree structures, the discussion includes a series of interesting problems concerning the combinatorics of trees (counting distinct trees of a particular form, for example) and some particularly interesting applications. Also featured is a discussion of Huffmann encoding and, in the section on lists, an excellent introduction to garbage collection algorithms and the difficult challenges associated with such a task. The book closes with a discussion of dynamic allocation algorithms.
The clear writing in Fundamental Algorithms is enhanced by Knuth's dry humor and the historical discussions that accompany the technical matter. Overall, this text is one of the great classics of computer programming literature--it's not an easy book to grasp, but one that any true programmer will study with pleasure. [via]
More editions of The Art of Computer Programming: Fundamental Algorithms:
- The Art of Computer Programming: Fundamental Algorithms: ISBN 0201038099 (0-201-03809-9)
  Hardcover, Addison-Wesley
- The Art of Computer Programming: Fundamental Algorithms: ISBN 0201896834 (0-201-89683-4)
  Hardcover, Addison-Wesley
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C Programming Language
by Brian W. Kernighan, Dennis M. Ritchie

ISBN 0131101633 (0-13-110163-3)
Hardcover, Prentice-Hall

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Book summary:
An indisputably classic computing text, Kernighan and Ritchie's The C Programming Language, 2nd Edition, is the standard reference for learning and using ANSI C. Written by the co-inventors of C, this concise tutorial has a well-deserved reputation for clarity and precision as it defines one of the most successful programming languages of all time. It's an essential reference, which will be useful for beginners and experienced programmers alike.
This masterful tour of C features concentrates on essential programming constructs, from the basics--such as data types, variables, operators and flow control--to more advanced topics. Short, effective programming samples are the rule here. (Many samples work with strings and text files). Along the way, the authors don't shy away from the thornier C topics. For example, when discussing pointers, they look at pointers to pointers and even pointers to functions. Later in the book, they offer useful code for a flexible memory allocation scheme and a binary tree. The text concludes with the formal specification for C and a compact listing of the functions in the C standard header files.
C is still a great first programming language, and its influence is felt in Java and C++, both of which support many programming constructs based on C, while adding support for objects. The C Programming Language is still an excellent reference to one of our most successful and efficient programming languages. It's a book that deserves a place on the bookshelf of any C/C++ developer, regardless of your experience with the language. --Richard Dragan, Amazon.com
Topics covered:
- overview of ANSI C
- introductory language tutorial
- data types
- variables
- arrays
- operators and operator precedence
- flow control
- functions
- header files
- recursion
- macros and the C pre-processor
- pointers and arrays
- advanced pointer types (pointers to pointers, pointers to functions)
- multidimensional arrays
- structures and unions
- dynamic memory allocation
- console and file I/O
- UNIX file functions
- Formal description of the standard C language
- Reference to C standard library header files and functions
[via]
More editions of C Programming Language:
- C Programming Language: ISBN 0131103709 (0-13-110370-9)
  Hardcover, Prentice Hall
- C Programming Language: ISBN 0131101633 (0-13-110163-3)
  Hardcover, Prentice-Hall
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The C Programming Language: ANSI C Version
by Brian W. Kernighan

ISBN 0131103628 (0-13-110362-8)
Softcover, Prentice Hall

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Book summary:
An indisputably classic computing text, Kernighan and Ritchie's The C Programming Language, 2nd Edition, is the standard reference for learning and using ANSI C. Written by the co-inventors of C, this concise tutorial has a well-deserved reputation for clarity and precision as it defines one of the most successful programming languages of all time. It's an essential reference, which will be useful for beginners and experienced programmers alike.
This masterful tour of C features concentrates on essential programming constructs, from the basics--such as data types, variables, operators and flow control--to more advanced topics. Short, effective programming samples are the rule here. (Many samples work with strings and text files). Along the way, the authors don't shy away from the thornier C topics. For example, when discussing pointers, they look at pointers to pointers and even pointers to functions. Later in the book, they offer useful code for a flexible memory allocation scheme and a binary tree. The text concludes with the formal specification for C and a compact listing of the functions in the C standard header files.
C is still a great first programming language, and its influence is felt in Java and C++, both of which support many programming constructs based on C, while adding support for objects. The C Programming Language is still an excellent reference to one of our most successful and efficient programming languages. It's a book that deserves a place on the bookshelf of any C/C++ developer, regardless of your experience with the language. --Richard Dragan, Amazon.com
Topics covered:
- overview of ANSI C
- introductory language tutorial
- data types
- variables
- arrays
- operators and operator precedence
- flow control
- functions
- header files
- recursion
- macros and the C pre-processor
- pointers and arrays
- advanced pointer types (pointers to pointers, pointers to functions)
- multidimensional arrays
- structures and unions
- dynamic memory allocation
- console and file I/O
- UNIX file functions
- Formal description of the standard C language
- Reference to C standard library header files and functions
[via]
More editions of The C Programming Language: ANSI C Version:
- The C Programming Language: ANSI C Version: ISBN 0131103628 (0-13-110362-8)
  Softcover, Prentice Hall
The C++ Programming Language
by Bjarne Stroustrup

ISBN 0201889544 (0-201-88954-4)
Softcover, Addison-Wesley

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Book summary:
More than three-quarters of a million programmers have benefited from this book in all of its editions Written by Bjarne Stroustrup, the creator of C++, this is the world's most trusted and widely read book on C++. For this special hardcover edition, two new appendixes on locales and standard library exception safety (also available at www.research.att.com/~bs/) have been added. The result is complete, authoritative coverage of the C++ language, its standard library, and key design techniques. Based on the ANSI/ISO C++ standard, The C++ Programming Language provides current and comprehensive coverage of all C++ language features and standard library components. For example: abstract classes as interfaces class hierarchies for object-oriented programming templates as the basis for type-safe generic software exceptions for regular error handling namespaces for modularity in large-scale software run-time type identification for loosely coupled systems the C subset of C++ for C compatibility and system-level work standard containers and algorithms standard strings, I/O streams, and numerics C compatibility, internationalization, and exception safety Bjarne Stroustrup makes C++ even more accessible to those new to the language, while adding advanced information and techniques that even expert C++ programmers will find invaluable. [via]
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Code Complete
by Steve McConnell

ISBN 0735619670 (0-7356-1967-0)
Softcover, Microsoft Pr

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Book summary:
Widely considered one of the best practical guides to programming, Steve McConnell's original CODE COMPLETE has been helping developers write better software for more than a decade. Now this classic book has been fully updated and revised with leading-edge practices-and hundreds of new code samples-illustrating the art and science of software construction. Capturing the body of knowledge available from research, academia, and everyday commercial practice, McConnell synthesizes the most effective techniques and must-know principles into clear, pragmatic guidance. No matter what your experience level, development environment, or project size, this book will inform and stimulate your thinking-and help you build the highest quality code.
Discover the timeless techniques and strategies that help you:
- Design for minimum complexity and maximum creativity
- Reap the benefits of collaborative development
- Apply defensive programming techniques to reduce and flush out errors
- Exploit opportunities to refactor-or evolve-code, and do it safely
- Use construction practices that are right-weight for your project
- Debug problems quickly and effectively
- Resolve critical construction issues early and correctly
- Build quality into the beginning, middle, and end of your project
[via]
More editions of Code Complete:
- Code Complete: ISBN 0735619670 (0-7356-1967-0)
  Softcover, Microsoft Pr
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Code Complete: A Practical Handbook of Software Construction
by Steve McConnell

ISBN 1556154844 (1-55615-484-4)
Softcover, Microsoft Pr

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Book summary:
Believed by many of our customers to be the best practical guide to writing commercial software, and Highly Recommended. [via]
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- Code Complete: A Practical Handbook of Software Construction: ISBN 1556154844 (1-55615-484-4)
  Softcover, Microsoft Pr
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Compilers : Principles, Techniques, and Tools
by Alfred V. Aho, Monica S. Lam, Ravi Sethi, Jeffrey D. Ullman

ISBN 0321486811 (0-321-48681-1)
Hardcover, Pearson Education Canada

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Book summary:
Compilers: principles, techniques and tools, known to professors, students, and developers worldwide as the "dragon book," is available in a new edition. every chapter has been completely revised to reflect developments in software engineering, programming languages, and computer architecture that have occurred since 1986, when the last edition published. the authors, recognizing that few readers will ever go on to construct a compiler, retain their focus on the broader set of problems faced in software design and software development [via]
More editions of Compilers : Principles, Techniques, and Tools:
- Compilers : Principles, Techniques, and Tools: ISBN 0321486811 (0-321-48681-1)
  Hardcover, Pearson Education Canada
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Cuckoo's Egg
by Clifford Stoll

ISBN 1416507787 (1-4165-0778-7)
Softcover, Pocket Books

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Book summary:
A sentimental favorite, The Cuckoo's Egg seems to have inspired a whole category of books exploring the quest to capture computer criminals. Still, even several years after its initial publication and after much imitation, the book remains a good read with an engaging story line and a critical outlook, as Clifford Stoll becomes, almost unwillingly, a one-man security force trying to track down faceless criminals who've invaded the university computer lab he stewards. What first appears as a 75-cent accounting error in a computer log is eventually revealed to be a ring of industrial espionage, primarily thanks to Stoll's persistence and intellectual tenacity. [via]
More editions of Cuckoo's Egg:
- Cuckoo's Egg: ISBN 0743411463 (0-7434-1146-3)
  Softcover, Pocket Books
- Cuckoo's Egg: ISBN 1416507787 (1-4165-0778-7)
  Softcover, Pocket Books
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The Cuckoo's Egg: Inside the World of Computer Espionage
by Clifford Stoll, Julie Rubenstein

ISBN 0671726889 (0-671-72688-9)
Softcover, Simon & Schuster

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Book summary:
A sentimental favorite, The Cuckoo's Egg seems to have inspired a whole category of books exploring the quest to capture computer criminals. Still, even several years after its initial publication and after much imitation, the book remains a good read with an engaging story line and a critical outlook, as Clifford Stoll becomes, almost unwillingly, a one-man security force trying to track down faceless criminals who've invaded the university computer lab he stewards. What first appears as a 75-cent accounting error in a computer log is eventually revealed to be a ring of industrial espionage, primarily thanks to Stoll's persistence and intellectual tenacity. [via]
More editions of The Cuckoo's Egg: Inside the World of Computer Espionage:
- The Cuckoo's Egg: Inside the World of Computer Espionage: ISBN 0385249462 (0-385-24946-2)
  Hardcover, Doubleday Publishing
- The Cuckoo's Egg: Inside the World of Computer Espionage: ISBN 0671726889 (0-671-72688-9)
  Softcover, Simon & Schuster
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Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software
by Ralph Johnson, Erich Gamma, John Vlissides, Richard Helm

ISBN 0201633612 (0-201-63361-2)
Hardcover, Addison-Wesley

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Book summary:
Published in 1995, design patterns: elements of reusable object-oriented software has elicited a great deal of praise from the press and readers. The 23 patterns contained in the book have become an essential resource for anyone developing reusable software designs. In response to a great number of requests from readers of the book and from the object-oriented community as a whole, these designs patterns, along with the entire text of the book, are being made available on cd. This electronic version will enable students to install the patterns directly onto a computer and create an architecture for using and building reusable components. Produced in html format, the cd is heavily cross-referenced with numerous links to the online text [via]
More editions of Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software:
- Design Patterns Cd: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software: ISBN 0201634988 (0-201-63498-8)
  Hardcover, Addison-Wesley
- Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software: ISBN 0201633612 (0-201-63361-2)
  Hardcover, Addison-Wesley
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The Emperor's New Mind: Concerning Computers, Minds, and the Laws of Physics
by Roger Penrose, Martin Gardner

ISBN 0192861980 (0-19-286198-0)
Softcover, Oxford Univ Pr

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Book summary:
Some love it, some hate it, but The Emperor's New Mind, physicist Roger Penrose's 1989 treatise attacking the foundations of strong artificial intelligence, is crucial for anyone interested in the history of thinking about AI and consciousness. Part survey of modern physics, part exploration of the philosophy of mind, the book is not for casual readers--though it's not overly technical, it rarely pauses to let the reader catch a breath. The overview of relativity and quantum theory, written by a master, is priceless and uncontroversial. The exploration of consciousness and AI, though, is generally considered as resting on shakier ground.
Penrose claims that there is an intimate, perhaps unknowable relation between quantum effects and our thinking, and ultimately derives his anti-AI stance from his proposition that some, if not all, of our thinking is non-algorithmic. Of course, these days we believe that there are other avenues to AI than traditional algorithmic programming; while he has been accused of setting up straw robots to knock down, this accusation is unfair. Little was then known about the power of neural networks and behavior-based robotics to simulate (and, some would say, produce) intelligent problem-solving behavior. Whether these tools will lead to strong AI is ultimately a question of belief, not proof, and The Emperor's New Mind offers powerful arguments useful to believer and nonbeliever alike. --Rob Lightner [via]
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Enigma
by Alan Turing

ISBN 3211826270 (3-211-82627-0)
Hardcover, Springer

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Book summary:
Alan Turing, Enigma ist die Biographie des legendären britischen Mathematikers, Logikers, Kryptoanalytikers und Computerkonstrukteurs Alan Mathison Turing (1912-1954). Turing war einer der bedeutendsten Mathematiker dieses Jahrhunderts und eine höchst exzentrische Persönlichkeit. Er gilt seit seiner 1937 erschienenen Arbeit "On Computable Numbers", in der er das Prinzip des abstrakten Universalrechners entwickelte, als der Erfinder des Computers. Er legte auch die Grundlagen für das heute "Künstliche Intelligenz" genannte Forschungsgebiet. Turings zentrale Frage "Kann eine Maschine denken?" war das Motiv seiner Arbeit und wird die Schlüsselfrage des Umgangs mit dem Computer werden. Die bis 1975 geheimgehaltene Tätigkeit Turings für den britischen Geheimdienst, die zur Entschlüsselung des deutschen Funkverkehrs führte, trug entscheidend zum Verlauf und Ausgang des Zweiten Weltkriegs bei. [via]
More editions of Enigma:
- Enigma: ISBN 3211826270 (3-211-82627-0)
  Hardcover, Springer
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Essential System Administration
by Aeleen Frisch

ISBN 1565921275 (1-56592-127-5)
Softcover, Oreilly & Associates Inc

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Book summary:
Essential System Administration,3rd Edition is the definitive guide for Unix system administration, covering all the fundamental and essential tasks required to run such divergent Unix systems as AIX, FreeBSD, HP-UX, Linux, Solaris, Tru64 and more. Essential System Administration provides a clear, concise, practical guide to the real-world issues that anyone responsible for a Unix system faces daily.
The new edition of this indispensable reference has been fully updated for all the latest operating systems. Even more importantly, it has been extensively revised and expanded to consider the current system administrative topics that administrators need most. Essential System Administration,3rd Edition covers: DHCP, USB devices, the latest automation tools, SNMP and network management, LDAP, PAM, and recent security tools and techniques.
Essential System Administration is comprehensive. But what has made this book the guide system administrators turn to over and over again is not just the sheer volume of valuable information it provides, but the clear, useful way the information is presented. It discusses the underlying higher-level concepts, but it also provides the details of the procedures needed to carry them out. It is not organized around the features of the Unix operating system, but around the various facets of a system administrator's job. It describes all the usual administrative tools that Unix provides, but it also shows how to use them intelligently and efficiently.
Whether you use a standalone Unix system, routinely provide administrative support for a larger shared system, or just want an understanding of basic administrative functions, Essential System Administration is for you. This comprehensive and invaluable book combines the author's years of practical experience with technical expertise to help you manage Unix systems as productively and painlessly as possible.
[via]
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Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid
by Douglas R. Hofstadter

ISBN 0465026567 (0-465-02656-7)
Softcover, Basic Books

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Book summary:
As stated in the Scientific American, "Every few decades an unknown author brings out a boof of such depth, clarity range, wit beauty and originality that it is recognized at once as a major literary event - this is such a work." [via]
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The Hacker Crackdown
by Bruce Sterling

ISBN 1404306404 (1-4043-0640-4)
Hardcover, Indypublish.Com

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- The Hacker Crackdown: ISBN 1404306404 (1-4043-0640-4)
  Hardcover, Indypublish.Com
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The Hacker Crackdown: Law and Disorder on the Electronic Frontier
by Bruce Sterling

ISBN 1404306412 (1-4043-0641-2)
Softcover, Indypublish.Com

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Book summary:
Bruce Sterling's classic work highlights the 1990 assault on hackers, when law-enforcement officials successfully arrested scores of suspected illicit hackers and other computer-based law-breakers. These raids became symbolic of the debate between fighting serious computer crime and protecting civil liberties. However, The Hacker Crackdown is about far more than a series of police sting operations. It's a lively tour of three cyberspace subcultures--the hacker underworld, the realm of the cybercops, and the idealistic culture of the cybercivil libertarians.
Sterling begins his story at the birth of cyberspace: the invention of the telephone. We meet the first hackers--teenage boys hired as telephone operators--who used their technical mastery, low threshold for boredom, and love of pranks to wreak havoc across the phone lines. From phone-related hi-jinks, Sterling takes us into the broader world of hacking and introduces many of the culprits--some who are fighting for a cause, some who are in it for kicks, and some who are traditional criminals after a fast buck. Sterling then details the triumphs and frustrations of the people forced to deal with the illicit hackers and tells how they developed their own subculture as cybercops. Sterling raises the ethical and legal issues of online law enforcement by questioning what rights are given to suspects and to those who have private e-mail stored on suspects' computers. Additionally, Sterling shows how the online civil liberties movement rose from seemingly unlikely places, such as the counterculture surrounding the Grateful Dead. The Hacker Crackdown informs you of the issues surrounding computer crime and the people on all sides of those issues. [via]
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Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution
by Steven Levy

ISBN 0141000511 (0-14-100051-1)
Softcover, Penguin Group USA

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Book summary:
Steven Levy's classic book explains why the misuse of the word "hackers" to describe computer criminals does a terrible disservice to many important shapers of the digital revolution. Levy follows members of an MIT model railroad club--a group of brilliant budding electrical engineers and computer innovators--from the late 1950s to the mid-1980s. These eccentric characters used the term "hack" to describe a clever way of improving the electronic system that ran their massive railroad. And as they started designing clever ways to improve computer systems, "hack" moved over with them. These maverick characters were often fanatics who did not always restrict themselves to the letter of the law and who devoted themselves to what became known as "The Hacker Ethic." The book traces the history of hackers, from finagling access to clunky computer-card-punching machines to uncovering the inner secrets of what would become the Internet. This story of brilliant, eccentric, flawed, and often funny people devoted to their dream of a better world will appeal to a wide audience. [via]
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In the Beginning...Was the Command Line
by Neal Stephenson

ISBN 0380815931 (0-380-81593-1)
Softcover, Harpercollins

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Book summary:
Neal Stephenson, author of the sprawling and engaging Cryptonomicon, has written a manifesto that could be spoken by a character from that brilliant book. Primarily, In the Beginning ... Was the Command Line discusses the past and future of personal computer operating systems. "It is the fate of manufactured goods to slowly and gently depreciate as they get old," he writes, "but it is the fate of operating systems to become free." While others in the computer industry express similarly dogmatic statements, Stephenson charms the reader into his way of thinking, providing anecdotes and examples that turn the pages for you.
Stephenson is a techie, and he's writing for an audience of coders and hackers in Command Line. The idea for this essay began online, when a shortened version of it was posted on Slashdot.org. The book still holds some marks of an e-mail flame gone awry, and some tangents should have been edited to hone his formidable arguments. But unlike similar writers who also discuss technical topics, he doesn't write to exclude; readers who appreciate computing history (like Dealers of Lightning or Fire in the Valley) can easily step into this book.
Stephenson tackles many myths about industry giants in this volume, specifically Apple and Microsoft. By now, every newspaper reader has heard of Microsoft's overbearing business practices, but Stephenson cuts to the heart of new issues for the software giant with a finely sharpened steel blade. Apple fares only a little better as Stephenson (a former Mac user himself) highlights the early steps the company took to prepare for a monopoly within the computer market--and its surprise when this didn't materialize. Linux culture gets a thorough--but fair--skewering, and the strengths of BeOS are touted (although no operating system is nearly close enough to perfection in Stephenson's eyes).
As for the rest of us, who have gladly traded free will and an intellectual understanding of computers for a clutter-free, graphically pleasing interface, Stephenson has thoughts to offer as well. He fully understands the limits nonprogrammers feel in the face of technology (an example being the "blinking 12" problem when your VCR resets itself). Even so, within Command Line he convincingly encourages us as a society to examine the metaphors of technology--simplifications that aren't really much simpler--that we greedily accept. --Jennifer Buckendorff [via]
More editions of In the Beginning...Was the Command Line:
- In the Beginning...Was the Command Line: ISBN 0380815931 (0-380-81593-1)
  Softcover, Harpercollins
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Introduction to Algorithms
by Thomas H. Cormen, Charles E. Leiserson

ISBN 0262531968 (0-262-53196-8)
Softcover, Mit Pr

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Book summary:
Aimed at any serious programmer or computer science student, the new second edition of Introduction to Algorithms builds on the tradition of the original with a truly magisterial guide to the world of algorithms. Clearly presented, mathematically rigorous, and yet approachable even for the math-averse, this title sets a high standard for a textbook and reference to the best algorithms for solving a wide range of computing problems.
With sample problems and mathematical proofs demonstrating the correctness of each algorithm, this book is ideal as a textbook for classroom study, but its reach doesn't end there. The authors do a fine job of explaining each algorithm. (Reference sections on basic mathematical notation will help readers bridge the gap, but it will help to have some math background to appreciate the full achievement of this handsome hardcover volume.) Every algorithm is presented in pseudo-code, which can be implemented in any computer language, including C/C++ and Java. This ecumenical approach is one of the book's strengths. When it comes to sorting and common data structures, from basic linked lists to trees (including binary trees, red-black, and B-trees), this title really shines, with clear diagrams that show algorithms in operation. Even if you just glance over the mathematical notation here, you can definitely benefit from this text in other ways.
The book moves forward with more advanced algorithms that implement strategies for solving more complicated problems (including dynamic programming techniques, greedy algorithms, and amortized analysis). Algorithms for graphing problems (used in such real-world business problems as optimizing flight schedules or flow through pipelines) come next. In each case, the authors provide the best from current research in each topic, along with sample solutions.
This text closes with a grab bag of useful algorithms including matrix operations and linear programming, evaluating polynomials, and the well-known Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT) (useful in signal processing and engineering). Final sections on "NP-complete" problems, like the well-known traveling salesman problem, show off that while not all problems have a demonstrably final and best answer, algorithms that generate acceptable approximate solutions can still be used to generate useful, real-world answers.
Throughout this text, the authors anchor their discussion of algorithms with current examples drawn from molecular biology (like the Human Genome Project), business, and engineering. Each section ends with short discussions of related historical material, often discussing original research in each area of algorithms. On the whole, they argue successfully that algorithms are a "technology" just like hardware and software that can be used to write better software that does more, with better performance. Along with classic books on algorithms (like Donald Knuth's three-volume set, The Art of Computer Programming), this title sets a new standard for compiling the best research in algorithms. For any experienced developer, regardless of their chosen language, this text deserves a close look for extending the range and performance of real-world software. --Richard Dragan
Topics covered: Overview of algorithms (including algorithms as a technology); designing and analyzing algorithms; asymptotic notation; recurrences and recursion; probabilistic analysis and randomized algorithms; heapsort algorithms; priority queues; quicksort algorithms; linear time sorting (including radix and bucket sort); medians and order statistics (including minimum and maximum); introduction to data structures (stacks, queues, linked lists, and rooted trees); hash tables (including hash functions); binary search trees; red-black trees; augmenting data structures for custom applications; dynamic programming explained (including assembly-line scheduling, matrix-chain multiplication, and optimal binary search trees); greedy algorithms (including Huffman codes and task-scheduling problems); amortized analysis (the accounting and potential methods); advanced data structures (including B-trees, binomial and Fibonacci heaps, representing disjoint sets in data structures); graph algorithms (representing graphs, minimum spanning trees, single-source shortest paths, all-pairs shortest paths, and maximum flow algorithms); sorting networks; matrix operations; linear programming (standard and slack forms); polynomials and the Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT); number theoretic algorithms (including greatest common divisor, modular arithmetic, the Chinese remainder theorem, RSA public-key encryption, primality testing, integer factorization); string matching; computational geometry (including finding the convex hull); NP-completeness (including sample real-world NP-complete problems and their insolvability); approximation algorithms for NP-complete problems (including the traveling salesman problem); reference sections for summations and other mathematical notation, sets, relations, functions, graphs and trees, as well as counting and probability backgrounder (plus geometric and binomial distributions). [via]
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Java In A Nutshell

ISBN 0596007736 (0-596-00773-6)
Softcover, Oreilly & Associates Inc

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Book summary:
'Java in a Nutshell', fifth edition, covers all the extensive changes implicit in 5.0, the latest and greatest version of Java yet. Among the improvements: more discussion on tools and frameworks, and new code examples to illustrate the working of APIs. [via]
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Java in a Nutshell
by David Flanagan

ISBN 1600330029 (1-60033-002-9)
Softcover, Oreilly & Associates Inc

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Book summary:
With more than 700,000 copies sold to date, "Java in
a Nutshell
from O'Reilly is clearly the favorite resource amongst the legion of
developers and programmers using Java technology. And now, with the
release of the 5.0 version of Java, O'Reilly has given the book that
defined the "in a Nutshell" category another impressive tune-up.
In this latest revision, readers will find "Java in a
Nutshell,
5th Edition does more than just cover the extensive changes implicit in
5.0, the newest version of Java. It's undergone a complete makeover--in
scope, size, and type of coverage--in order to more closely meet the
needs of the modern Java programmer.
To wit, "Java in a Nutshell, 5th Edition
now places less emphasis on coming to
Java from C and C++, and adds more discussion on tools and frameworks.
It also offers new code examples to illustrate the working of APIs,
and, of course, extensive coverage of Java 5.0. But faithful readers
take comfort: it still hasn't lost any of its core elements that made
it such a classic to begin with.
This handy reference gets right to the
heart of the program with an accelerated introduction to the Java
programming language and its key APIs--ideal for developers wishing to
start writing code right away. And, as was the case in previous
editions, Java in a Nutshell, 5th Edition is once again chock-full of
poignant tips, techniques, examples, and practical advice. For as long
as Java has existed, "Java in a Nutshell has helped
developers maximize the capabilities of the program's newest versions.
And this latest edition is no different. [via]
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- Java in a Nutshell: ISBN 1600330029 (1-60033-002-9)
  Softcover, Oreilly & Associates Inc
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Java in a Nutshell: A Desktop Quick Reference
by David Flanagan

ISBN 156592262X (1-56592-262-X)
Softcover, Oreilly & Associates Inc

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Book summary:
The 3rd edition of the well-known reference, Java in a Nutshell, covers the essential APIs of Java 1.2, including networking, security, input and output, and basic language and utility classes. Due to the size of the Java 1.2 API, graphics and graphical user interface classes are now examined in a volume called Java Foundation Classes in a Nutshell, and server-side and enterprise programming are detailed in Java Enterprise in a Nutshell.
Though primarily a reference, the book starts off with a thorough, fast-paced introduction to Java, exploring all the key topics, including syntax, object-oriented programming, security, beans, and tools. These discussions are brief and very information-dense, and if you are buying this book to learn the language, you will probably be overwhelmed by the speed of this initiation.
This book intends to document quite a bit of Java, and it easily succeeds with broad coverage of Java programming in Part I, and API cataloging broken down by package in Part II. For example, discussions in Part I explain Types, Reflection, and Dynamic Loading. The handling of these topics takes a little over a page, but the book gives a useful overview with code examples that clearly illustrate the points made. It is one of the clearest and most concise treatments of these three topics available.
The chapters in Part II include an introduction, diagrams, and sections for each class in the package. The sections for each class can be very informative, as in the discussion of the Socket class in the java.net chapter, which includes how to instantiate a Socket object, getting I/O streams from the object you instantiated, and how to alter the behavior of sockets. This discussion, like most in this book, is brief, clear, and to the point.
If you are looking for a Java reference, this is a solid volume that will provide lasting value. --John Keogh
Topics covered: Part I, "Introducing Java," provides broad coverage of Java programming topics, including data types, syntax, classes, and objects; Java file structure; inner classes; interfaces; packages; creating and initializing objects; destroying and finalizing objects; input/output; cryptography; networking; security; threads; JavaBeans; JavaDoc; and tools that come with Java 1.2 SDK.
Part II, "The Java API Quick Reference," includes chapters on the following Java packages: java.beans, java.beans.beancontext, java.io, java.lang, java.lang.ref, java.lang.reflect, java.math, java.net, java.security, java.security.acl, java.security.cert, java.security.interfaces, java.security.spec, java.text, java.util, java.util.jar, java.util.zip, javax.crypto, javax.crypto.interfaces, javax.crypto.spec, and a final chapter, which provides an index for classes, methods, and fields. [via]
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Java in a Nutshell: A Desktop Quick Reference for Java Programmers
by David Flanagan

ISBN 1565921836 (1-56592-183-6)
Softcover, Oreilly & Associates Inc

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Book summary:
Java in a Nutshell is a complete quick-reference guide to Java, the hot new programming language from Sun Microsystems. This comprehensive volume contains descriptions of all of the classes in the Java 1.0 API, with a definitive listing of all methods and variables. It also contains an accelerated introduction to Java for C and C++ programmers who want to learn the language fast.
Java in a Nutshell introduces the Java programming language and contains many practical examples that show programmers how to write Java applications and applets. It is also an indispensable quick reference designed to wait faithfully by the side of every Java programmer's keyboard. It puts all the information Java programmers need right at their fingertips.
Contents include:
An advanced introduction to Java. The first three chapters will teach C and C++ programmers everything they need to know to start programming with Java right away.

Practical, real-world examples that show programmers how to write applets; implement smooth animation; create graphical user interfaces; write client and server programs that communicate over the network; use threads; and more

A compact reference to the 211 classes, 1828 methods and 235 variables in the Java 1.0 API

Descriptions of each class

A Java keyword and concept glossary

Quick-reference tables of operators, primitives, escape characters, visibility modifiers, doc comment syntax, events, keysyms, fonts, colors, cursors, system properties, Unicode and Java-related HTML syntax

Documentation for the Java compiler, interpreter, and other tools in the Java Developer's Kit
[via]
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Learning Perl
by Randal L. Schwartz

ISBN 1565920422 (1-56592-042-2)
Softcover, Oreilly & Associates Inc

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Book summary:
In this update of a bestseller, two leading Perl trainers teach you to use the most universal scripting language in the age of the World Wide Web. With a foreword by Larry Wall, the creator of Perl, this smooth, carefully paced book is the "official" guide for both formal (classroom) and informal learning. It is now current for Perl version 5.004. Learning Perl is a hands-on tutorial designed to get you writing useful Perl scripts as quickly as possible. Exercises (with complete solutions) accompany each chapter. A lengthy new chapter in this edition introduces you to CGI programming, while touching also on the use of library modules, references, and Perl's object-oriented constructs. Perl is a language for easily manipulating text, files, and processes. It comes standard on most UNIX platforms and is available free of charge on all other important operating systems. Perl technical support is informally available -- often within minutes -- from a pool of experts who monitor a USENET newsgroup (comp.lang.perl.misc) with tens of thousands of readers. Contents include: A quick tutorial stroll through Perl basics Systematic, topic-by-topic coverage of Perl's broad capabilities Lots of brief code examples Programming exercises for each topic, with fully worked-out answers How to execute system commands from your Perl program How to manage DBM databases using Perl An introduction to CGI programming for the Web [via]
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Learning Perl : Making Easy Things Easy and Hard Things Possible
by Randal L. Schwartz, Tom Phoenix

ISBN 0596001320 (0-596-00132-0)
Softcover, O'Reilly Media, Incorporated

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Book summary:
If you ask Perl programmers today what book they relied on most when they were learning Perl, you'll find that an overwhelming majority will name Learning Perl--also known affectionately as "the Llama." The first edition of Learning Perl appeared in 1993 and has been a bestseller ever since. Written by two of the most prominent and active members of the Perl community, this book is the quintessential tutorial for the Perl programming language.
Perl began as a tool for Unix system administrators, used for countless small tasks throughout the workday. It has since blossomed into a full-featured programming language on practically every computing platform, and is used for web programming, database manipulation, XML processing, and (of course) system administration--all this while still remaining the perfect tool for the small daily tasks it was designed for. Perl is quick, fun, and eminently useful. Many people start using Perl because they need it, but they continue to use Perl because they love it.
The third edition of Learning Perl has not only been updated for Perl 5.6, but has also been rewritten from the ground up to reflect the needs of programmers learning Perl today. Informed by their years of success at teaching Perl as consultants, the authors have re-engineered the book to better match the pace and scope appropriate for readers trying to get started with Perl, while retaining the detailed discussion, thorough examples, and eclectic wit for which the book is famous.
This edition of the Llama includes an expanded and more gently-paced introduction to regular expressions, new exercises and solutions designed so readers can practice what they've learned while it's still fresh in their minds, and an overall reworking to bring Learning Perl into the new millennium.
Perl is a language for getting your job done. Other books may teach you to program in Perl, but this book will turn you into a Perl programmer.
[via]
More editions of Learning Perl : Making Easy Things Easy and Hard Things Possible:
- Learning Perl : Making Easy Things Easy and Hard Things Possible: ISBN 0596001320 (0-596-00132-0)
  Softcover, O'Reilly Media, Incorporated
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Mastering Regular Expressions
by Jeffrey E. Friedl

ISBN 0596528124 (0-596-52812-4)
Softcover, Oreilly & Associates Inc

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Book summary:
Regular expressions are a central element of UNIX utilities like egrep and programming languages such as Perl. But whether you're a UNIX user or not, you can benefit from a better understanding of regular expressions since they work with applications ranging from validating data-entry fields to manipulating information in multimegabyte text files. Mastering Regular Expressions quickly covers the basics of regular-expression syntax, then delves into the mechanics of expression-processing, common pitfalls, performance issues, and implementation-specific differences. Written in an engaging style and sprinkled with solutions to complex real-world problems, Mastering Regular Expressions offers a wealth information that you can put to immediate use. [via]
More editions of Mastering Regular Expressions:
- Mastering Regular Expressions: ISBN 0596528124 (0-596-52812-4)
  Softcover, Oreilly & Associates Inc
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Mastering Regular Expressions: Powerful Techniques for Perl and Other Tools
by Friedl, Jeffrey, E. F.

ISBN 1565922573 (1-56592-257-3)
Softcover, Oreilly & Associates Inc

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Book summary:
Regular expressions are a central element of UNIX utilities like egrep and programming languages such as Perl. But whether you're a UNIX user or not, you can benefit from a better understanding of regular expressions since they work with applications ranging from validating data-entry fields to manipulating information in multimegabyte text files. Mastering Regular Expressions quickly covers the basics of regular-expression syntax, then delves into the mechanics of expression-processing, common pitfalls, performance issues, and implementation-specific differences. Written in an engaging style and sprinkled with solutions to complex real-world problems, Mastering Regular Expressions offers a wealth information that you can put to immediate use. [via]
More editions of Mastering Regular Expressions: Powerful Techniques for Perl and Other Tools:
- Mastering Regular Expressions: Powerful Techniques for Perl and Other Tools: ISBN 0596002890 (0-596-00289-0)
  Softcover, Oreilly & Associates Inc
- Mastering Regular Expressions: Powerful Techniques for Perl and Other Tools: ISBN 1565922573 (1-56592-257-3)
  Softcover, Oreilly & Associates Inc
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Microserfs
by Douglas Coupland

ISBN 0060987049 (0-06-098704-9)
Softcover, Harpercollins

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Book summary:
Microserfs is not about Microsoft--it's about programmers who are searching for lives. A hilarious but frighteningly real look at geek life in the '90's, Coupland's book manifests a peculiar sense of how technology affects the human race and how it will continue to affect all of us. Microserfs is the hilarious journal of Dan, an ex-Microsoft programmer who, with his coder comrades, is on a quest to find purpose in life. This isn't just fodder for techies. The thoughts and fears of the not-so-stereotypical characters are easy for any of us to relate to, and their witty conversations and quirky view of the world make this a surprisingly thought-provoking book.
" ... just think about the way high-tech cultures purposefully protract out the adolescence of their employees well into their late 20s, if not their early 30s," muses one programmer. "I mean, all those Nerf toys and free beverages! And the way tech firms won't even call work 'the office,' but instead, 'the campus.' It's sick and evil." [via]
More editions of Microserfs:
- Microserfs: ISBN 0060391480 (0-06-039148-0)
  Hardcover, Harpercollins
- Microserfs: ISBN 0060987049 (0-06-098704-9)
  Softcover, Harpercollins
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The Mythical Man-Month: Essays on Software Engineering
by Frederick Phillips Brooks

ISBN 0201835959 (0-201-83595-9)
Softcover, Addison-Wesley

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Book summary:
Classic book on the human elements of software engineering. [via]
More editions of The Mythical Man-Month: Essays on Software Engineering:
- The Mythical Man-Month: Essays on Software Engineering: ISBN 0201006502 (0-201-00650-2)
  Softcover, Addison-Wesley
- The Mythical Man-Month: Essays on Software Engineering: ISBN 0201835959 (0-201-83595-9)
  Softcover, Addison-Wesley
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The New Hacker's Dictionary
by Eric S. Raymond

ISBN 0262680920 (0-262-68092-0)
Softcover, Mit Pr

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Book summary:
This third edition of the tremendously popular Hacker's Dictionary adds 100 new entries and updates 200 entries. In case you aren't familiar with it, this is no snoozer dictionary of technical terms, although you'll certainly find accurate definitions for most techie jargon. It's the slang and secret language among computer jocks that offers the most fun. Don't know what the Infinite-Monkey Theorem is? Or the meaning of "rat dance?" It's all here. Most people don't sit down to read dictionaries for entertainment, but this is surely an exception. [via]
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The New Hacker's Dictionary
by Guy L. Steele, Eric S. Raymond

ISBN 0262680696 (0-262-68069-6)
Softcover, MIT Press

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Book summary:
This third edition of the tremendously popular Hacker's Dictionary adds 100 new entries and updates 200 entries. In case you aren't familiar with it, this is no snoozer dictionary of technical terms, although you'll certainly find accurate definitions for most techie jargon. It's the slang and secret language among computer jocks that offers the most fun. Don't know what the Infinite-Monkey Theorem is? Or the meaning of "rat dance?" It's all here. Most people don't sit down to read dictionaries for entertainment, but this is surely an exception. [via]
More editions of The New Hacker's Dictionary:
- The New Hacker's Dictionary: ISBN 0262181452 (0-262-18145-2)
  Hardcover, MIT Press
- The New Hacker's Dictionary: ISBN 0262680696 (0-262-68069-6)
  Softcover, MIT Press
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Programming Perl
by Larry Wall, Tom Christiansen, Jon Orwant

ISBN 0596000278 (0-596-00027-8)
Softcover, Oreilly & Associates Inc

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Book summary:
This is the authoritative guide to the hottest new UNIX utility in years, coauthored by its creator, Larry Wall. Perl is a language for easily manipulating text, files, and processes. Perl provides a more concise and readable way to do many jobs that were formerly accomplished (with difficulty) by programming in the C language or one of the shells. Even though Perl is not yet a standard part of UNIX, it is likely to be available wherever you choose to work. And if it isn't, you can get it and install it easily and free of charge. Contents include: An introduction to Perl Common tasks with Perl Real Perl programs; includes database manipulation, programming aids, system administration, text and filename manipulation, interprocess communication, and more Perl syntax Perl functions Other oddments; invocation options, debugging, efficiency, the Perl library, linking in C subroutines, etc. Also includes a pull-out quick-reference card (designed and created by Johan Vromans). [via]
More editions of Programming Perl:
- Programming Perl: ISBN 0937175641 (0-937175-64-1)
  Softcover, Oreilly & Associates Inc
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Programming Perl
by Stephen Potter, Larry Wall, Randal L. Schwartz, Tom Christiansen

ISBN 1565921496 (1-56592-149-6)
Softcover, Oreilly & Associates Inc

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Book summary:
The second edition of the Camel Book is more than 600 pages long and full of excellent instruction and sound advice. Topics include all the good stuff from the first edition plus Perl 5 features such as nested data structures (ever made a hash of arrays of hashes?), modules, and objects. From "Howdy World" to making your own modules, this book has it all. [via]
More editions of Programming Perl:
- Programming Perl: ISBN 1565921496 (1-56592-149-6)
  Softcover, Oreilly & Associates Inc
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Rebel Code: Linux and the Open Source Revolution
by Glyn Moody

ISBN 0713995203 (0-7139-9520-3)
Hardcover, Allen Lane

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Book summary:
Everyone in computing has heard of Linux--hundreds of millions use it every day. Every Net user accesses Linux systems dozens of times during any Net session. Yet, because people associate products with companies, Linux--with its thousands of largely anonymous volunteer developers and free availability--is a difficult fit with our world view.
Rebel Code puts Linux into historical and social contexts. Based largely on interviews with the main players and precise historical data (Linux kernel releases are dated to the second), it traces "free software" from its early '80s origin--with Robert Stallman's founding of the GNU Project--and takes it as far as the end of 2000--with GNU/Linux becoming a worldwide phenomenon that runs handheld PDAs, PCs and Macs, IBM mainframes, and the world's biggest supercomputers.
Glyn Moody charts every milestone in the development of the Linux kernel, from Linus Torvalds's first installation of Minix. As importantly, he follows the progress of major "free software" projects (essential to the success of GNU/Linux) from Emacs and GCC to Sendmail and XFree 86, and finishes with KDE and Gnome.
The end result is a curiously exciting and compulsively readable tale that compares with Tracy Kidder's book, The Soul of a New Machine. It's endlessly fascinating, and you'll be up reading well past your bedtime. --Steve Patient, Amazon.co.uk [via]
More editions of Rebel Code: Linux and the Open Source Revolution:
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  Hardcover, Allen Lane
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Rebel Code: (The Inside Story of Linux and the Open Source Revolution)
by Glyn Moody

ISBN 0738206709 (0-7382-0670-9)
Softcover, Perseus Books Group

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Book summary:
Everyone in computing has heard of Linux--hundreds of millions use it every day. Every Net user accesses Linux systems dozens of times during any Net session. Yet, because people associate products with companies, Linux--with its thousands of largely anonymous volunteer developers and free availability--is a difficult fit with our world view.
Rebel Code puts Linux into historical and social contexts. Based largely on interviews with the main players and precise historical data (Linux kernel releases are dated to the second), it traces "free software" from its early '80s origin--with Robert Stallman's founding of the GNU Project--and takes it as far as the end of 2000--with GNU/Linux becoming a worldwide phenomenon that runs handheld PDAs, PCs and Macs, IBM mainframes, and the world's biggest supercomputers.
Glyn Moody charts every milestone in the development of the Linux kernel, from Linus Torvalds's first installation of Minix. As importantly, he follows the progress of major "free software" projects (essential to the success of GNU/Linux) from Emacs and GCC to Sendmail and XFree 86, and finishes with KDE and Gnome.
The end result is a curiously exciting and compulsively readable tale that compares with Tracy Kidder's book, The Soul of a New Machine. It's endlessly fascinating, and you'll be up reading well past your bedtime. --Steve Patient, Amazon.co.uk [via]
More editions of Rebel Code: (The Inside Story of Linux and the Open Source Revolution):
- Rebel Code: (The Inside Story of Linux and the Open Source Revolution): ISBN 0738203335 (0-7382-0333-5)
  Hardcover, Perseus Books Group
- Rebel Code: (The Inside Story of Linux and the Open Source Revolution): ISBN 0738206709 (0-7382-0670-9)
  Softcover, Perseus Books Group
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Running Linux
by Lar Kaufman, Matt Welsh

ISBN 1565921003 (1-56592-100-3)
Softcover, Oreilly & Associates Inc

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Book summary:
One of the best books on Linux, the UNIX-compatible operating system for personal computers. In the tradition of all O'Reilly books, Running Linux features clear, step-by-step instructions that always seem to provide just the right amount of information: covers everything you need in order to understand, install, and use the Linux operating system, including X Windows, TCP/IP, Perl, Tcl/TK, the gcc C and C++ compilers, and most Internet services such as email, SLIP, and WWW. For intermediate to advanced users. [via]
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Running Linux
by Matt Welsh, Lar Kaufman, Matthias Kalle Dalheimer, Terry Dawon

ISBN 0596002726 (0-596-00272-6)
Softcover, Oreilly & Associates Inc

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Book summary:
You may be contemplating your first Linux installation. Or you may have been using Linux for years and need to know more about adding a network printer or setting up an FTP server. Running Linux, now in its fifth edition, is the book you'll want on hand in either case. Widely recognized in the Linux community as the ultimate getting-started and problem-solving book, it answers the questions and tackles the configuration issues that frequently plague users, but are seldom addressed in other books. This fifth edition of Running Linux is greatly expanded, reflecting the maturity of the operating system and the teeming wealth of software available for it. Hot consumer topics such as audio and video playback applications, groupware functionality, and spam filtering are covered, along with the basics in configuration and management that always have made the book popular. Running Linux covers basic communications such as mail, web surfing, and instant messaging, but also delves into the subtleties of network configuration--including dial-up, ADSL, and cable modems--in case you need to set up your network manually. The book can make you proficient on office suites and personal productivity applications--and also tells you what programming tools are available if you're interested in contributing to these applications. Other new topics in the fifth edition include encrypted email and filesystems, advanced shell techniques, and remote login applications. Classic discussions on booting, package management, kernel recompilation, and X configuration have also been updated. The authors of Running Linux have anticipated problem areas, selected stable and popular solutions, and provided clear instructions to ensure that you'll have a satisfying experience using Linux. The discussion is direct and complete enough to guide novice users, while still providing the additional information experienced users will need to progress in their mastery of Linux. Whether you're using Linux o [via]
More editions of Running Linux:
- Running Linux: ISBN 0596007604 (0-596-00760-4)
  Softcover, Oreilly & Associates Inc
- Running Linux: ISBN 0596002726 (0-596-00272-6)
  Softcover, Oreilly & Associates Inc
Silicon Snake Oil
by Clifford Stoll

ISBN 0385419945 (0-385-41994-5)
Softcover, Random House Inc

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Book summary:
In Silicon Snake Oil, Clifford Stoll, the best-selling author of The Cuckoo's Egg and one of the pioneers of the Internet, turns his attention to the much-heralded information highway, revealing that it is not all it's cracked up to be. Yes, the Internet provides access to plenty of services, but useful information is virtually impossible to find and difficult to access. Is being on-line truly useful? "Few aspects of daily life require computers...They're irrelevant to cooking, driving, visiting, negotiating, eating, hiking, dancing, speaking, and gossiping. You don't need a computer to...recite a poem or say a prayer." Computers can't, Stoll claims, provide a richer or better life. A cautionary tale about today's media darling, Silicon Snake Oil has sparked intense debate across the country about the merits--and foibles--of what's been touted as the entranceway to our future. From the Trade Paperback edition. [via]
More editions of Silicon Snake Oil:
- Silicon Snake Oil : Second Thoughts on the Information Highway: ISBN 0385419937 (0-385-41993-7)
  Hardcover, Doubleday Publishing
- Silicon Snake Oil: ISBN 0385419945 (0-385-41994-5)
  Softcover, Random House Inc
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The Soul of a New Machine
by Tracy Kidder

ISBN 0316491977 (0-316-49197-7)
Softcover, Little Brown & Co

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Book summary:
The computer revolution brought with it new methods of getting work done--just look at today's news for reports of hard-driven, highly-motivated young software and online commerce developers who sacrifice evenings and weekends to meet impossible deadlines. Tracy Kidder got a preview of this world in the late 1970s when he observed the engineers of Data General design and build a new 32-bit minicomputer in just one year. His thoughtful, prescient book, The Soul of a New Machine, tells stories of 35-year-old "veteran" engineers hiring recent college graduates and encouraging them to work harder and faster on complex and difficult projects, exploiting the youngsters' ignorance of normal scheduling processes while engendering a new kind of work ethic.
These days, we are used to the "total commitment" philosophy of managing technical creation, but Kidder was surprised and even a little alarmed at the obsessions and compulsions he found. From in-house political struggles to workers being permitted to tease management to marathon 24-hour work sessions, The Soul of a New Machine explores concepts that already seem familiar, even old-hat, less than 20 years later. Kidder plainly admires his subjects; while he admits to hopeless confusion about their work, he finds their dedication heroic. The reader wonders, though, what will become of it all, now and in the future. --Rob Lightner [via]
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Structured Computer Organization
by Andrew S. Tanenbaum, James R. Goodman

ISBN 0130959901 (0-13-095990-1)
Hardcover, Prentice Hall

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Book summary:
Completely updated, this book explains how computer designers can follow the structured model to develop efficient hardware and software systems. New information has been included on UNIX, OS/2, INTEL 8088/80286/80386, Motorola 68000/68020/68030 and RISC machine. The operation of a typical IBM PC clone is now described in detail at the chip level. [via]
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Where Wizards Stay Up Late
by Katie Hafner, Matthew Lyon

ISBN 0684832674 (0-684-83267-4)
Softcover, Simon & Schuster

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Book summary:
Considering that the history of the Internet is perhaps better documented internally than any other technological construct, it is remarkable how shadowy its origins have been to most people, including die-hard Net-denizens!
At last, Hafner and Lyon have written a well-researched story of the origins of the Internet substantiated by extensive interviews with its creators who delve into many interesting details such as the controversy surrounding the adoption of our now beloved "@" sign as the separator of usernames and machine addresses. Essential reading for anyone interested in the past -- and the future -- of the Net specifically, and telecommunications generally. [via]
More editions of Where Wizards Stay Up Late:
- Where Wizards Stay Up Late: ISBN 0613181530 (0-613-18153-0)
  Hardcover, Bt Bound
- Where Wizards Stay Up Late: ISBN 0684832674 (0-684-83267-4)
  Softcover, Simon & Schuster
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Where Wizards Stay up Late : The Story Behind the Creation of the Internet
by Katie Hafner, Matthew Lyon

ISBN 0684812010 (0-684-81201-0)
Hardcover, Simon & Schuster

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Book summary:
Considering that the history of the Internet is perhaps better documented internally than any other technological construct, it is remarkable how shadowy its origins have been to most people, including die-hard Net-denizens!
At last, Hafner and Lyon have written a well-researched story of the origins of the Internet substantiated by extensive interviews with its creators who delve into many interesting details such as the controversy surrounding the adoption of our now beloved "@" sign as the separator of usernames and machine addresses. Essential reading for anyone interested in the past -- and the future -- of the Net specifically, and telecommunications generally. [via]
More editions of Where Wizards Stay up Late : The Story Behind the Creation of the Internet:
- Where Wizards Stay up Late : The Story Behind the Creation of the Internet: ISBN 0684812010 (0-684-81201-0)
  Hardcover, Simon & Schuster

Spanish

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Gdel, Escher, Bach
by D.R. Hofstadter

ISBN 8472234592 (84-7223-459-2)
Softcover, Tusquets Editor

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Book summary:
¿Puede un sistema comprenderse a sí mismo ? Si esta pregunta se refiere a la mente humana, entonces nos encontramos ante una cuestión clave del pensamiento científico. Y de la filosofía. Y del arte. Investigar este misterio es una aventura que recorre la matemática, la física, la biología, la psicología y, muy especialmente, el lenguaje. Douglas R. Hofstadter, joven y ya célebre científico, nos abre la puerta del enigma con la belleza y la alegría creadora de su estilo. Sorprendentes paralelismos ocultos entre los grabados de Escher y la música de Bach nos remiten a las paradojas clásicas de los antiguos griegos y a un teorema de la lógica matemática moderna que ha estremecido el pensamiento del siglo XX : el de Kurt Gödel. Todo lenguaje, todo sistema formal, todo programa de ordenador, todo proceso de pensamiento, llegan, tarde o temprano, a la situación límite de la autorreferencia : de querer expresarse sobre sí mismos. Surge entonces la emoción del infinito, como dos espejos enfrentados y obligados a reflejarse mutua e indefinidamente. Gödel, Escher, Bach: un Eterno y Grácil Bucle, es una obra de arte escrita por un sabio. Versa sobre los misterios del pensamiento e incluye, ella misma, sus propios misterios. / Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, this book applies Godel's seminal contribution to modern Twenty years after it topped the bestseller charts, Douglas R. Hofstadter's Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid is still something of a marvel. Besides being a profound and entertaining meditation on human thought and creativity, this book looks at the surprising points of contact between the music of Bach, the artwork of Escher, and the mathematics of Gödel.mathematics to the study of the human mind and the development of artificial intelligence. [via]
More editions of Gdel, Escher, Bach:
- Gdel, Escher, Bach: ISBN 8472234592 (84-7223-459-2)
  Softcover, Tusquets Editor

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