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All your kind words are literally bringing tears to my eyes--thank you! My current plan is to keep writing freely-available guides for as long as I can reach t

by beej71 6y ago

All your kind words are literally bringing tears to my eyes--thank you! My current plan is to keep writing freely-available guides for as long as I can reach the keyboard. And maybe even longer with what will undoubtedly be awesome futuristic speech recognition--or mind-reading! That's not scary at all! I'm leaning on bash/zsh scripting one I finish the utterly gigantic C guide I'm on now... hopefully later this year. But I'm always open to suggestion for topics... :)

Issaclabs 6y ago
You have touched so many people and have created real value with your work
daotoad 6y ago
This guide was instrumental in letting me understand sockets and network programming. I've probably recommended it to at least a hundred other people over the years. You have made a huge positive impact. Thank you.
aynsof 6y ago
Your guide single-handedly got me through network programming in C at university. This was back in the early 2000s. Thank you! And I'm so happy to see your guide still getting updated.
- int_10h 6y ago
  How funny - it got me through the same course but barely 2-3 years ago.
  - snake42 6y ago
    It just got me through my first project in a class this semester! I suspect it will be assisting students for quite some time to come.
runetech 6y ago
Your original document was the quintessential resource for me in the 90s. Heartfelt thank you for putting me on track back then. Highly appreciated!
bretpiatt 6y ago
I've pointed so many folks over the years to your guide. Keep up the great work. P.S. Each time I do refer folks over or see a thread like this gives me fond memories of the O'Connell labs and the opportunities we had to enjoy networking in the early days. The fun of the HP bug of the week and running a unix farm with shell accounts for all of us students.
paraboul 6y ago
Your page was what bring me into "magical" programming as a teen 20 years ago. Being able to communicate with a remote program on a free shell and actually understand how it works was the best feeling. This indirectly shaped my life in many ways. Thank you!
ilikedthatone 6y ago
you are the definition of hacker for me, thank you for your time, efforts, sense of humour, empathy, existence.
ColinWright 6y ago
When was the first edition? I feel like I remember using it in the early 90s ... maybe 1991? The mods have put the dates "1994-2020" in the title, but I feel like I remember it from earlier than that. Edit: OK, on 2003/07/06 15:11:16 the wayback machine captured Version 1.5.5 (13-Jan-1999). At the end it says: Copyright © 1995, 1996 Hmm.
morty_s 6y ago
Echoing a similar sentiment here, Thank You!!!
UseStrict 6y ago
Amazing! This guide got me into network programming back when I was still on rural dial-up. It helped me through various programming courses in high school and university, and I still occasionally refer to it from time to time. Thanks for your contributions, they really improved my quality of life!
tetrahedr0n 6y ago
For the brief amount of time I was your student at Lambda, you made a huge impression. Beyond this tutorial, you're a gifted teacher and inspirational person. Much respect and love! I'll read your future-brainwave-transmission tutorials, anytime, even if they run the risk of causing minor insanity!
chipx86 6y ago
When I was first learning about network programming, I used to pour over your guide (hosted locally on a Chico State account at the time, if I remember correctly), absorbing every detail I could fit into my young mind. That was... more years ago than I want to think about, but I'm glad to see the guide continuing to get updates! And I'm also glad for the opportunity to directly thank you for the work you've put into this over the years :)
argvargc 6y ago
I discovered your guide for the first time today after decades of programming. Light bulbs going off constantly - thank you, not only for clearly elucidating the vital points, but also for the great humour which keeps me firmly grounded in the marvel and insanity of what's been built to connect us all together. Such topics aren't dry and boring, they're fascinating and inspiring, and it's so valuable that you are able to present them that way. (Would love to see your take on shell scripting!)
- PostThisTooFast 6y ago
  Amen! The shell-scripting one is a great next target. It's such a morass that I don't even bother trying to learn it, and wind up doing things manually.
axaxs 6y ago
I'll add another big thank you. Your guide was the sole reason I know anything about network programming, and was very valuable even in Python where documentation was(maybe still is) sparse. Thanks!
Jeaye 6y ago
You're Beej?! I learned all about socket programming from your guide, back in high school. In college, during a group project, none of us had taken a networking class yet, but I was armed with your guide and I pushed us to make a networked game. It was a great experience, the game worked well, and the networking teacher was brought in to take a look (he was impressed!). Thank you so much for your time. I hope you realize how useful it's been.
cloudedcordial 6y ago
I feel so nostalgic when I read this Beej's Guide. It's a resource that my computer science professor highly recommended back in the early 2000s. The writing is so clear and concise that it's a pleasure to read (as opposed to some dry and technical materials). It's more useful than some textbook that cost hundreds of dollars. It saved me so much time and sleepless nights to figure out how to complete my network programming assignment. Let me give you a virtual elbow bump! You really made an impact in my academic and professional career!
64bittechie 6y ago
I just came to say thank you, Beej! Your guide helped me learn networking and network programming. I love learning by example. Your guide was instrumental in my learning.
vkaku 6y ago
Thank you Beej. I hope you eventually update your guide for epoll/kqueue etc. on how to check for data async.
ambrood 6y ago
your guide literally helped me hack through a networking class i took in college a decade ago. dont work anywhere close to that stack but this brought back memories.
isubasinghe 6y ago
Thank you so much, your guide was so helpful to me back in high school, undergrad and im certain I will be going back to it in the future.
saagarjha 6y ago
Your guide was what everyone else recommended when I was stumbling around learning networking a couple years back (reversing and reimplementing an iOS framework that used the BSD sockets API–not really the best environment for someone who couldn't tell connect(2) from accept(2)). With your help I was able to get through that and the understanding carried me through college, in some networking classes that were decidably less educational or useful than your writing. Not bad for a document bearing a copyright from years before I was born!
waynesonfire 6y ago
Thank you! It's ever more important to make these core, key, concepts accessible.
tvaughan 6y ago
We were both at Chico State in comp sci together. I remember you although we didn't know each other. Dude, you do great work! Every time I see your guide mentioned somewhere it always makes remember that time, and puts a smile on my face.
Shared404 6y ago
> I'm leaning on bash/zsh scripting one I finish the utterly gigantic C guide I'm on now... hopefully later this year. But I'm always open to suggestion for topics... :) That would be amazing, I'd love to read a guide over scripting. The only request I would have is a section over sh as well if you do write such a guide.
jbirer 6y ago
Sorry for offering to suggest a Romanian translation, and then disappearing on you, I was 16 at that time. Your book was what got me deeper into programming and networks in general back then, I have a full time job around this now. Thank you!
obynio 6y ago
That brings back some good memories, I learned socket programming thanks to your guide back in high school. Ended up working in infrastructure so eh, you kinda paved the way for me :)
throwawnetwork 6y ago
Hi, thank you for the great resource, I love the clarity and simplicity without the useless "filler" material to artificially increase a book's number of pages. I looked up the section on classful networking and CIDR and would like to make one addition that is often overlooked: in classful networking, not only are the network sizes fixed, but also where they reside in the IP address room. E.g., class A networks used 0.0.0.0 – 127.255.255.255 whereas class C networks used 192.0.0.0 – 223.255.255.255. With CIDR notation, not only can you have networks of different size, but they can start at arbitrary addresses. If people talk about a class C network today, they often falsely relate to a network with 256 addresses - but which is located in the address room of original class A/B/D/E networks, for example.

by beej71 6y ago

Issaclabs 6y ago

You have touched so many people and have created real value with your work

daotoad 6y ago

This guide was instrumental in letting me understand sockets and network programming. I've probably recommended it to at least a hundred other people over the years. You have made a huge positive impact. Thank you.

aynsof 6y ago

Your guide single-handedly got me through network programming in C at university. This was back in the early 2000s. Thank you! And I'm so happy to see your guide still getting updated.

int_10h 6y ago
How funny - it got me through the same course but barely 2-3 years ago.
- snake42 6y ago
  It just got me through my first project in a class this semester! I suspect it will be assisting students for quite some time to come.

runetech 6y ago

Your original document was the quintessential resource for me in the 90s. Heartfelt thank you for putting me on track back then. Highly appreciated!

bretpiatt 6y ago

I've pointed so many folks over the years to your guide. Keep up the great work. P.S. Each time I do refer folks over or see a thread like this gives me fond memories of the O'Connell labs and the opportunities we had to enjoy networking in the early days. The fun of the HP bug of the week and running a unix farm with shell accounts for all of us students.

paraboul 6y ago

Your page was what bring me into "magical" programming as a teen 20 years ago. Being able to communicate with a remote program on a free shell and actually understand how it works was the best feeling. This indirectly shaped my life in many ways. Thank you!

ilikedthatone 6y ago

you are the definition of hacker for me, thank you for your time, efforts, sense of humour, empathy, existence.

ColinWright 6y ago

When was the first edition? I feel like I remember using it in the early 90s ... maybe 1991? The mods have put the dates "1994-2020" in the title, but I feel like I remember it from earlier than that. Edit: OK, on 2003/07/06 15:11:16 the wayback machine captured Version 1.5.5 (13-Jan-1999). At the end it says: Copyright © 1995, 1996 Hmm.

morty_s 6y ago

Echoing a similar sentiment here, Thank You!!!

UseStrict 6y ago

Amazing! This guide got me into network programming back when I was still on rural dial-up. It helped me through various programming courses in high school and university, and I still occasionally refer to it from time to time. Thanks for your contributions, they really improved my quality of life!

tetrahedr0n 6y ago

For the brief amount of time I was your student at Lambda, you made a huge impression. Beyond this tutorial, you're a gifted teacher and inspirational person. Much respect and love! I'll read your future-brainwave-transmission tutorials, anytime, even if they run the risk of causing minor insanity!

chipx86 6y ago

When I was first learning about network programming, I used to pour over your guide (hosted locally on a Chico State account at the time, if I remember correctly), absorbing every detail I could fit into my young mind. That was... more years ago than I want to think about, but I'm glad to see the guide continuing to get updates! And I'm also glad for the opportunity to directly thank you for the work you've put into this over the years :)

argvargc 6y ago

I discovered your guide for the first time today after decades of programming. Light bulbs going off constantly - thank you, not only for clearly elucidating the vital points, but also for the great humour which keeps me firmly grounded in the marvel and insanity of what's been built to connect us all together. Such topics aren't dry and boring, they're fascinating and inspiring, and it's so valuable that you are able to present them that way. (Would love to see your take on shell scripting!)

PostThisTooFast 6y ago
Amen! The shell-scripting one is a great next target. It's such a morass that I don't even bother trying to learn it, and wind up doing things manually.

axaxs 6y ago

I'll add another big thank you. Your guide was the sole reason I know anything about network programming, and was very valuable even in Python where documentation was(maybe still is) sparse. Thanks!

Jeaye 6y ago

You're Beej?! I learned all about socket programming from your guide, back in high school. In college, during a group project, none of us had taken a networking class yet, but I was armed with your guide and I pushed us to make a networked game. It was a great experience, the game worked well, and the networking teacher was brought in to take a look (he was impressed!). Thank you so much for your time. I hope you realize how useful it's been.

cloudedcordial 6y ago

I feel so nostalgic when I read this Beej's Guide. It's a resource that my computer science professor highly recommended back in the early 2000s. The writing is so clear and concise that it's a pleasure to read (as opposed to some dry and technical materials). It's more useful than some textbook that cost hundreds of dollars. It saved me so much time and sleepless nights to figure out how to complete my network programming assignment. Let me give you a virtual elbow bump! You really made an impact in my academic and professional career!

64bittechie 6y ago

I just came to say thank you, Beej! Your guide helped me learn networking and network programming. I love learning by example. Your guide was instrumental in my learning.

vkaku 6y ago

Thank you Beej. I hope you eventually update your guide for epoll/kqueue etc. on how to check for data async.

ambrood 6y ago

your guide literally helped me hack through a networking class i took in college a decade ago. dont work anywhere close to that stack but this brought back memories.

isubasinghe 6y ago

Thank you so much, your guide was so helpful to me back in high school, undergrad and im certain I will be going back to it in the future.

saagarjha 6y ago

Your guide was what everyone else recommended when I was stumbling around learning networking a couple years back (reversing and reimplementing an iOS framework that used the BSD sockets API–not really the best environment for someone who couldn't tell connect(2) from accept(2)). With your help I was able to get through that and the understanding carried me through college, in some networking classes that were decidably less educational or useful than your writing. Not bad for a document bearing a copyright from years before I was born!

waynesonfire 6y ago

Thank you! It's ever more important to make these core, key, concepts accessible.

tvaughan 6y ago

We were both at Chico State in comp sci together. I remember you although we didn't know each other. Dude, you do great work! Every time I see your guide mentioned somewhere it always makes remember that time, and puts a smile on my face.

Shared404 6y ago

> I'm leaning on bash/zsh scripting one I finish the utterly gigantic C guide I'm on now... hopefully later this year. But I'm always open to suggestion for topics... :) That would be amazing, I'd love to read a guide over scripting. The only request I would have is a section over sh as well if you do write such a guide.

jbirer 6y ago

Sorry for offering to suggest a Romanian translation, and then disappearing on you, I was 16 at that time. Your book was what got me deeper into programming and networks in general back then, I have a full time job around this now. Thank you!

obynio 6y ago

That brings back some good memories, I learned socket programming thanks to your guide back in high school. Ended up working in infrastructure so eh, you kinda paved the way for me :)

throwawnetwork 6y ago

Hi, thank you for the great resource, I love the clarity and simplicity without the useless "filler" material to artificially increase a book's number of pages. I looked up the section on classful networking and CIDR and would like to make one addition that is often overlooked: in classful networking, not only are the network sizes fixed, but also where they reside in the IP address room. E.g., class A networks used 0.0.0.0 – 127.255.255.255 whereas class C networks used 192.0.0.0 – 223.255.255.255. With CIDR notation, not only can you have networks of different size, but they can start at arbitrary addresses. If people talk about a class C network today, they often falsely relate to a network with 256 addresses - but which is located in the address room of original class A/B/D/E networks, for example.