Aaron Francis, an avid reader of programming books, joins Matt on YAGNI to discuss the value and importance of programming books in today's technology landscape. They explore topics such as retaining knowledge, recognizing relevant information, and the benefits of reading programming books. They also discuss the evolution of programming resources, the rise of edutainment, and the challenges of consuming and producing content in the remix culture.
Programming books provide a comprehensive overview and a foundation for understanding future information in programming.
Foundational programming books from the early 2000s continue to hold value and remain relevant as they focus on architecture, patterns, and fundamental principles.
Deep dives
Programming books provide a foundation of knowledge
Programming books serve as a solid foundation for acquiring knowledge in the field. While some believe that most books should be condensed into blog posts, programming books serve a different purpose. They provide an overview of what is available, what is possible, and what exists in programming. Though language reference books may not be as useful due to continually updated online resources, programming books offer a universal overview and allow readers to retain and categorize future information. By skimming these books, readers gain a framework that helps them understand and absorb more specific information they encounter in articles, blog posts, or tweets.
Distinguishing programming books from other types of books
Programming books differ from business books in that they often span a range of characteristics. Some focus on language references, while others provide opinion-based guidance. With the advent of continually updated online resources, language reference books may have become less useful due to version updates. However, programming books that offer opinion-based guidance and reference material can still serve as valuable resources. Their value lies in providing a comprehensive overview of a topic and serving as a foundation for understanding future information encountered in articles, tweets, or blog posts.
The benefits of reading programming books
Reading programming books provides several benefits. While they may not necessarily be referred to frequently for specific problems or examples, programming books offer a valuable universal overview of a topic. They help readers understand what is available, what is possible, and provide a framework for slotting and retaining future information. By skimming through these books, readers gain a general understanding that allows them to recognize and absorb more in-depth information when encountering it later. While experience and hands-on practice are crucial for learning, having a foundation from programming books helps individuals catch more nuanced details and concepts.
The significance of foundational programming books
Foundational programming books from the early 2000s continue to be highly regarded due to their focus on architecture, patterns, principles, and thought processes rather than specific tools. These books established fundamental principles that have endured and have not been significantly changed in the programming landscape. Programming knowledge has not undergone a major shift that would necessitate new foundational truths. While there have been shifts and opinions in the field, the basic truths conveyed in seminal books from that period continue to hold value and remain relevant.
Matt and Aaron talk about programming books and try to answer the question "do we need them?"
This season of YAGNI was made possible by our friends at Flipper Cloud - Are big launches stressing you out? Then you need feature flags! Flipper Cloud helps your team deploy the code now and then roll out features when you’re good and ready. Get started for free at flippercloud.io