CSC-SY

How to be a Programmer

 Robert L. Read

This long essay attempts to summarize the non-technical things that the author wishes that he knew at the beginning of his career as a professional programmer. It is primarily concerned with social situations and team relationships that occur in typical software development. The author tries to cover what he considers the essential, often non-techncial, skills of the beginner, intermediate and advanced programmer. The essay gives the author's opinions only; its value lies in that the material is so subjective that it is generally not taught in school directly or emphasized enough in publications. It begins with a table of contents that will allow the reader to judge their interest in the material. To the beginner, it may be a peek into the culture of the software engineer; to the advanced programmer, it is an opinionated review that is hoped to provoke thought due to its comprehensiveness.

How to Become a Hacker

Eric Steven Raymond

A humorous exposition by the author of the Jargon File. It introduces the reader to the hacker culture and gives a glimpse into the vivid world of hackers. As the author puts it, it is specifcally aimed at the enthusiastic network newbie wondering how to become a wizardly hacker. The article also points out other relevant resources and winds up with a list of frequently asked questions. (You shouldn't trust all that Raymond has to say, while he knows a lot about computers, he's mainly talking here about culture, and when it comes to that anyone's judegement is as good as his (or better), consider that he supports bush and the war on iraq.)

The Jargon File

A comprehensive compendium of hacker slang illuminating many aspects of hackish tradition, folklore, and humor.