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> * Learn on demand. Never read books from cover to cover. As a blanket advice, I really don't agree. It depends on what books, it depends what they're trying

> * Learn on demand. Never read books from cover to cover. As a blanket advice, I really don't agree. It depends on what books, it depends what they're trying to teach you. Huge difference between a reference book and... pretty much any other kind of books. Many times you don't want to know something, you just want to know something exists/is possible/has already been done. Skimming through books cover to cover is one way to do it.

ashishmax31 6y ago
Couldn't agree more.. Reading CLRS cover to cover and reading SICP cover to cover are two different things.
- SyzygistSix 6y ago
  CLRS? SICP? What are these?
  - phone8675309 6y ago
    Classic Comp Sci books, specifically: CLRS - Introduction to Algorithms (after the authors - Thomas H. Cormen, Charles E. Leiserson, Ronald L. Rivest, Clifford Stein) SICP - The Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs by Hal Abelson, Jerry Sussman, and Julie Sussman
    - faeyanpiraat 6y ago
      Which one is the more “cover to cover”-y?
      - bekantan 6y ago
        SICP
dredmorbius 6y ago
"Don't feel compelled to read books cover-to-cover" would be a more useful guide. Many people do, and feel guilt over setting down books. That serves you poorly. Approach books as an inquiry or conversation. See Mortimer Adler's How to Read a Book (frequently mentioned on HN). Read with a purpose or goal. (Entertainment and distraction may be goals or purposes.) Some books reward a close comprehensive read. They are rare.
- commandlinefan 6y ago
  > Don't feel compelled to read books cover-to-cover I more often find myself compelled, by managers (who believe without any real evidence besides wanting it to be true), NOT to read a book cover to cover even when the subject matter demands it. I’ve never, not once in 30 years of software development, seen a coworker reading a book. Reading for true comprehension is frowned upon as a “waste of time”.

ashishmax31 6y ago

Couldn't agree more.. Reading CLRS cover to cover and reading SICP cover to cover are two different things.

SyzygistSix 6y ago
CLRS? SICP? What are these?
- phone8675309 6y ago
  Classic Comp Sci books, specifically: CLRS - Introduction to Algorithms (after the authors - Thomas H. Cormen, Charles E. Leiserson, Ronald L. Rivest, Clifford Stein) SICP - The Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs by Hal Abelson, Jerry Sussman, and Julie Sussman
  - faeyanpiraat 6y ago
    Which one is the more “cover to cover”-y?
    - bekantan 6y ago
      SICP

dredmorbius 6y ago

"Don't feel compelled to read books cover-to-cover" would be a more useful guide. Many people do, and feel guilt over setting down books. That serves you poorly. Approach books as an inquiry or conversation. See Mortimer Adler's How to Read a Book (frequently mentioned on HN). Read with a purpose or goal. (Entertainment and distraction may be goals or purposes.) Some books reward a close comprehensive read. They are rare.

commandlinefan 6y ago
> Don't feel compelled to read books cover-to-cover I more often find myself compelled, by managers (who believe without any real evidence besides wanting it to be true), NOT to read a book cover to cover even when the subject matter demands it. I’ve never, not once in 30 years of software development, seen a coworker reading a book. Reading for true comprehension is frowned upon as a “waste of time”.