4 ms·
The most valuable part of TAOCP, for me, is its writing. I've never read anything that is more precise or intuitive. TAOCP is also pleasant to read. It's the
by bigcat12345678 4y ago
The most valuable part of TAOCP, for me, is its writing.
I've never read anything that is more precise or intuitive.
TAOCP is also pleasant to read.
It's the book that I go back to once a while after being bothered by the sloppiness in the documents and papers and many other written materials consumed everyday. Reading it gives a sense of enlightenment that regardless of all those poor writing, there is hope to reach the clarity that I have the deepest desire for.
- orlp 4y agoMy only gripe with TAOCP is its usage of MMIX.
- DeathArrow 4y agoYep, at least he could use an OOP language, and some niceties like builders, decorators, factories, 15 layers of abstraction and indirection so everybody knows it's pro grade stuff. :)
- laichzeit0 4y agoIf I where to ask “So what should he have used instead?” it would quickly derail this thread. There would be no consensus. Knuth probably foresaw this exact problem and more.
- DeathArrow 4y agoHalf of people would say Javascript and the other half Python. :) Yes, I know those languages didn't exist at the time Knuth was forging his books.
- disgruntledphd2 4y agoYeah, if you read the intro to Volume 1, he specifically calls this out as an issue. I personally think he's taking a subtle dig at Numerical Recipes here, which did take the "modern" language approach.
- StillLrning123 4y agoListening to interviews and reading Donald Knuth has profound effect on my mental state. It's like diving into another dimension which have concerns that are orthogonal to my daily business. It's an immense pleasure for me to rediscover this mental state from time to time. And this is to me Donald Knuth greatest achievement: To let us look into his thinking process and putting words to guide us through it.