4 ms·

The greatest tech books of all time

1 points by alraj 3y ago

eimrine 3y ago
None of these 10 books are GOAT. Inmates running the asylum should be here if we are talking about tech books for girls. SICP and TAoCP should be here if we are talking about tech textbooks.
- eesmith 3y ago
  You must surely realize "tech books for girls" comes across as sexist, yes? This isn't about tech textbooks, but books about tech. ("So we set out with the audacious goal to define the best books about tech out there.") For me, I've only read 2 of these books. Many of them look good. I would also like to read "The Friendly Orange Glow: The untold story of the PLATO System and the dawn of cyberculture". I think the restriction to "books still in print" makes things complicated as it biases the selection to newer books. Is "Inmates" (from 2004) still in print? How many of these books will still be in print after 20 years?
  - eimrine 3y ago
    I haven't noticed "still in print" restriction, sorry. I skimmed quickly through names, because I do not expect such a restriction from "greatest of all times" statement. Who cares about that when you are going to a book shelf in order to read some great books? I will stop being a sexist in context of what book to read for this and that human if I see at least one female philosophist.
- jonjacky 3y ago
  Calling The Inmates are Running the Asylum a book 'for girls' is just weird. I suppose it is sexist, but mostly it is ... bizarre. What can he mean? By the way, it's a good book, well worth reading if you are involved in software development.
  - eimrine 3y ago
    I mean that most of tech books are not readable for females. I will stop being a sexist if I see at least one female philosophist.
    - eesmith 3y ago
      Not surprising as most tech books are not readable for males either! I do not think you are using the word "philosophist" correctly. It generally refers to "a would-be philosopher" (see https://archive.org/details/centurydictionar06whit_0/page/4446/mode/2up?q=philosophist https://archive.org/details/centurydictionar06whit_0/page/44... ) or "An adherent or practitioner of what is held to be erroneous speculation or philosophy" (see https://web.archive.org/web/20220412002840/https://www.lexico.com/definition/philosophist https://web.archive.org/web/20220412002840/https://www.lexic... ). It would be odd if you meant it that way, rather like saying you'll stop being sexist if you see at least one female phrenologist. If you haven't met a female philosopher, well, that's your fault for being so isolated, isn't it? I mean, I've only ever met one astronaut, a woman, but that doesn't I'll be sexist against male astronauts until I meet one. If you live in the back-country with little contact with others, or live a monastery which prohibits women from entering, or live in a sexist country which discriminates against hiring women as philosophers, then that would explain your odd and insistent sexist beliefs.
jonjacky 3y ago
These aren't what most people call 'technical books' - that would be SICP, TAoCP etc. as another commenter said. Instead, these are mostly reporting and memoir about the tech scene and the social effects of tech from a critical point of view. That's a valid category, and these books are okay, some are quite good. BUT they are almost all from the last few years - I would expect 'greatest of all time' to include some true classics. My own candidate for greatest of all time in this category is Computer Power and Human Reason by Joseph Weizenbaum (1976). He wrote Eliza, the very first AI chat program, almost sixty years ago. I reread this book recently and it is still very pertinent, especially his discussion of AI. Other classics in this category: Tools for Conviviality Ivan Illich (1973) The Technological Society Jacques Ellul (1954, English translation 1964) The Human Use of Human Beings Norbert Wiener (1950) Technics and Civilization Lewis Mumford (1934) I admit I have only read brief excerpts from these -- but they have all been influential. [edit: I see I overlooked the 'still in print' restriction. BUT if you want 'the greatest of all time' you have to relax that.]

1 points by alraj 3y ago

None of these 10 books are GOAT. Inmates running the asylum should be here if we are talking about tech books for girls. SICP and TAoCP should be here if we are talking about tech textbooks.

eesmith 3y ago
You must surely realize "tech books for girls" comes across as sexist, yes? This isn't about tech textbooks, but books about tech. ("So we set out with the audacious goal to define the best books about tech out there.") For me, I've only read 2 of these books. Many of them look good. I would also like to read "The Friendly Orange Glow: The untold story of the PLATO System and the dawn of cyberculture". I think the restriction to "books still in print" makes things complicated as it biases the selection to newer books. Is "Inmates" (from 2004) still in print? How many of these books will still be in print after 20 years?
- eimrine 3y ago
  I haven't noticed "still in print" restriction, sorry. I skimmed quickly through names, because I do not expect such a restriction from "greatest of all times" statement. Who cares about that when you are going to a book shelf in order to read some great books? I will stop being a sexist in context of what book to read for this and that human if I see at least one female philosophist.
jonjacky 3y ago
Calling The Inmates are Running the Asylum a book 'for girls' is just weird. I suppose it is sexist, but mostly it is ... bizarre. What can he mean? By the way, it's a good book, well worth reading if you are involved in software development.
- eimrine 3y ago
  I mean that most of tech books are not readable for females. I will stop being a sexist if I see at least one female philosophist.
  - eesmith 3y ago
    Not surprising as most tech books are not readable for males either! I do not think you are using the word "philosophist" correctly. It generally refers to "a would-be philosopher" (see https://archive.org/details/centurydictionar06whit_0/page/4446/mode/2up?q=philosophist https://archive.org/details/centurydictionar06whit_0/page/44... ) or "An adherent or practitioner of what is held to be erroneous speculation or philosophy" (see https://web.archive.org/web/20220412002840/https://www.lexico.com/definition/philosophist https://web.archive.org/web/20220412002840/https://www.lexic... ). It would be odd if you meant it that way, rather like saying you'll stop being sexist if you see at least one female phrenologist. If you haven't met a female philosopher, well, that's your fault for being so isolated, isn't it? I mean, I've only ever met one astronaut, a woman, but that doesn't I'll be sexist against male astronauts until I meet one. If you live in the back-country with little contact with others, or live a monastery which prohibits women from entering, or live in a sexist country which discriminates against hiring women as philosophers, then that would explain your odd and insistent sexist beliefs.

jonjacky 3y ago

These aren't what most people call 'technical books' - that would be SICP, TAoCP etc. as another commenter said. Instead, these are mostly reporting and memoir about the tech scene and the social effects of tech from a critical point of view. That's a valid category, and these books are okay, some are quite good. BUT they are almost all from the last few years - I would expect 'greatest of all time' to include some true classics. My own candidate for greatest of all time in this category is Computer Power and Human Reason by Joseph Weizenbaum (1976). He wrote Eliza, the very first AI chat program, almost sixty years ago. I reread this book recently and it is still very pertinent, especially his discussion of AI. Other classics in this category: Tools for Conviviality Ivan Illich (1973) The Technological Society Jacques Ellul (1954, English translation 1964) The Human Use of Human Beings Norbert Wiener (1950) Technics and Civilization Lewis Mumford (1934) I admit I have only read brief excerpts from these -- but they have all been influential. [edit: I see I overlooked the 'still in print' restriction. BUT if you want 'the greatest of all time' you have to relax that.]