6 ms·

How to Think Like a Computer Scientist: Interactive Edition

184 points by l8rlump 2y ago

netdevnet 2y ago
Totally unrelated but did anyone check the author's CV? He has had multiple intern dev roles even though he had at least 5 years of previous dev experience
- Jtsummers 2y ago
  Per his CV he was getting a masters and a PhD at the time. Graduate students often take internships, it's a way of getting funding, extra experience, or just to earn some money while not committing to a full-time position. Also, I don't think he's the author of this, his name is not in the list of authors. This seems to be a mirror, perhaps with some customization for his class. Probably from his time teaching the intro to Python course (also on his CV) at UCSC.
chuckadams 2y ago
Based on a really old edition before it was renamed "Think Python" eons ago. The "interactivity" is pretty much quiz questions that test that you read the chapter at all. Looks like it has some pythontutor integration too, but not much. Layout feels like they gave up on the CSS halfway through. You're better off going here instead, interactive or no: https://allendowney.github.io/ThinkPython/ https://allendowney.github.io/ThinkPython/
- Jtsummers 2y ago
  The third edition (at your link) is interactive, each chapter is available as a Jupyter notebook. Though to run it on Google Colab (where it is available by default, but you can download it) you do have to log into a Google account.
pnut 2y ago
The table of contents makes me feel like the book title should be "How to use a computer like a scientist" - computer science already has a meaning which is quite different.
- azangru 2y ago
  > The table of contents makes me feel like the book title should be "How to use a computer like a scientist" I can understand the reluctance about computer science; but what about the table of contents made you think scientists?
- netdevnet 2y ago
  And science also has a meaning which has nothing to do with programming. What makes you think that most scientists use computers in this way?
  - helpfulContrib 2y ago
    [dead]
- yencabulator 2y ago
  More like "Introduction to Python Programming".
asicsp 2y ago
Seems like just copied from runestone site: https://runestone.academy/ns/books/published/thinkcspy/index.html https://runestone.academy/ns/books/published/thinkcspy/index... See also: https://allendowney.github.io/ThinkPython/ https://allendowney.github.io/ThinkPython/
- emayljames 2y ago
  "About this Project This interactive book is a product of the Runestone Interactive Project at Luther College, led by Brad Miller and David Ranum. There have been many contributors to the project"
v3ss0n 2y ago
Very old and outdate, and plagiarize
- mstkllah 2y ago
  What is it plagiarized from?
Brosper 2y ago
What is this? I think people just upvote it because it looks old and must be something good.
le-mark 2y ago
Slightly off topic, but does anyone have experience using the book this is based on to teach or learn programming? If so what was your experience like? What was good or bad about it for example?
- kingkongjaffa 2y ago
  Its really more of an entry level Python book than really teaching you how to think like a computer scientist imo.
  - wk_end 2y ago
    It doesn't really teach CS or anything, but I'd say it does teach "how to think about programming like a computer scientist". Few entry-level "practical programming" textbooks are going to address - even at a cursory level - formal languages, recursion, mutability and immutability, issues surrounding aliasing, HtDP-esque design recipes, composition, and so on. Even if it's not the best (to paraphrase Churchill: let the clever ones have SICP as an honour and HtDP as a treat), it's probably how I'd introduce the "average" student to CS.
    - qludes 2y ago
      I'd recommend them something readable like Programming Languages: Principles and Paradigms (https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-34144-1 https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-34144-1) that covers more ground and paints the larger picture while citing many original papers.
- davidthewatson 2y ago
  Yes. I have read the book in at least two programming languages. I'm a huge fan of Downey for lowering the entry bar to solid logic and reason around computer science, particularly when introducing Python to novice learners outside traditional collegiate computer science programs. For this reason, I've recommended the book to friends who teach or have kids. What's great about Downey is that he brings together concise and clear writing with unimpeachable correctness, a quality that was missing from my computer science education, where the curriculum was set in stone and was decades old and written by someone without Downey's gifts. The fact that this jupyter stack runs on a five year old android phone without issue is a bonus!
javier_e06 2y ago
The site: levjj.github.io is trying to scan open ports in system. (Blocked by Port Authority add-on in Firefox) That is not thinking like a Computer Scientist.
- pkage 2y ago
  Looks like it's trying to use Runestone[0] (a textbook authoring tool) to get the number of online students but the server url is improperly configured to point at localhost (hence the port scan trigger). [0] https://runestoneserverascholer.readthedocs.io/en/latest/index.html https://runestoneserverascholer.readthedocs.io/en/latest/ind...
- novaleaf 2y ago
  Took a look at Port Authority... it's permissions require access to all data on all websites. Trading one risk for another (bigger) one? It's understandable why such access is needed, but really too bad for privacy.
  - DaSHacka 2y ago
    Port Authority is open source https://github.com/ACK-J/Port_Authority https://github.com/ACK-J/Port_Authority
    - hiccuphippo 2y ago
      Can UBlockOrigin do the same as port authority if I add blocks for localhost and local ips?
      - rolandog 2y ago
        I think NoScript does that as well (it has a LAN checkbox).
huygens6363 2y ago
How to think like a programmer*
dang 2y ago
Related: Think Python, 3rd Edition - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39392881 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39392881 - Feb 2024 (125 comments) Think Python 2e - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35421096 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35421096 - April 2023 (30 comments) Intro to programming with Python – How to Think Like a Computer Scientist - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24932497 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24932497 - Oct 2020 (1 comment) How to Think Like a Computer Scientist: Interactive Edition - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12639320 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12639320 - Oct 2016 (17 comments) How to Think Like a Computer Scientist: Learning with Python 2nd Edition (2012) - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7887541 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7887541 - June 2014 (16 comments) How to Think Like a Computer Scientist - Interactive Edition 2.0 - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6175920 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6175920 - Aug 2013 (1 comment) How to Think Like a Computer Scientist - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1749646 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1749646 - Oct 2010 (6 comments) How To Think Like A Computer Scientist - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1624833 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1624833 - Aug 2010 (1 comment) Think Python: How to Think Like a Computer Scientist - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1586000 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1586000 - Aug 2010 (9 comments)

184 points by l8rlump 2y ago

Totally unrelated but did anyone check the author's CV? He has had multiple intern dev roles even though he had at least 5 years of previous dev experience

Jtsummers 2y ago
Per his CV he was getting a masters and a PhD at the time. Graduate students often take internships, it's a way of getting funding, extra experience, or just to earn some money while not committing to a full-time position. Also, I don't think he's the author of this, his name is not in the list of authors. This seems to be a mirror, perhaps with some customization for his class. Probably from his time teaching the intro to Python course (also on his CV) at UCSC.

chuckadams 2y ago

Based on a really old edition before it was renamed "Think Python" eons ago. The "interactivity" is pretty much quiz questions that test that you read the chapter at all. Looks like it has some pythontutor integration too, but not much. Layout feels like they gave up on the CSS halfway through. You're better off going here instead, interactive or no: https://allendowney.github.io/ThinkPython/ https://allendowney.github.io/ThinkPython/

Jtsummers 2y ago
The third edition (at your link) is interactive, each chapter is available as a Jupyter notebook. Though to run it on Google Colab (where it is available by default, but you can download it) you do have to log into a Google account.

pnut 2y ago

The table of contents makes me feel like the book title should be "How to use a computer like a scientist" - computer science already has a meaning which is quite different.

azangru 2y ago
> The table of contents makes me feel like the book title should be "How to use a computer like a scientist" I can understand the reluctance about computer science; but what about the table of contents made you think scientists?
netdevnet 2y ago
And science also has a meaning which has nothing to do with programming. What makes you think that most scientists use computers in this way?
- helpfulContrib 2y ago
  [dead]
yencabulator 2y ago
More like "Introduction to Python Programming".

asicsp 2y ago

Seems like just copied from runestone site: https://runestone.academy/ns/books/published/thinkcspy/index.html https://runestone.academy/ns/books/published/thinkcspy/index... See also: https://allendowney.github.io/ThinkPython/ https://allendowney.github.io/ThinkPython/

emayljames 2y ago
"About this Project This interactive book is a product of the Runestone Interactive Project at Luther College, led by Brad Miller and David Ranum. There have been many contributors to the project"

v3ss0n 2y ago

Very old and outdate, and plagiarize

mstkllah 2y ago
What is it plagiarized from?

Brosper 2y ago

What is this? I think people just upvote it because it looks old and must be something good.

le-mark 2y ago

Slightly off topic, but does anyone have experience using the book this is based on to teach or learn programming? If so what was your experience like? What was good or bad about it for example?

kingkongjaffa 2y ago
Its really more of an entry level Python book than really teaching you how to think like a computer scientist imo.
- wk_end 2y ago
  It doesn't really teach CS or anything, but I'd say it does teach "how to think about programming like a computer scientist". Few entry-level "practical programming" textbooks are going to address - even at a cursory level - formal languages, recursion, mutability and immutability, issues surrounding aliasing, HtDP-esque design recipes, composition, and so on. Even if it's not the best (to paraphrase Churchill: let the clever ones have SICP as an honour and HtDP as a treat), it's probably how I'd introduce the "average" student to CS.
  - qludes 2y ago
    I'd recommend them something readable like Programming Languages: Principles and Paradigms (https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-34144-1 https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-34144-1) that covers more ground and paints the larger picture while citing many original papers.
davidthewatson 2y ago
Yes. I have read the book in at least two programming languages. I'm a huge fan of Downey for lowering the entry bar to solid logic and reason around computer science, particularly when introducing Python to novice learners outside traditional collegiate computer science programs. For this reason, I've recommended the book to friends who teach or have kids. What's great about Downey is that he brings together concise and clear writing with unimpeachable correctness, a quality that was missing from my computer science education, where the curriculum was set in stone and was decades old and written by someone without Downey's gifts. The fact that this jupyter stack runs on a five year old android phone without issue is a bonus!

javier_e06 2y ago

The site: levjj.github.io is trying to scan open ports in system. (Blocked by Port Authority add-on in Firefox) That is not thinking like a Computer Scientist.

pkage 2y ago
Looks like it's trying to use Runestone[0] (a textbook authoring tool) to get the number of online students but the server url is improperly configured to point at localhost (hence the port scan trigger). [0] https://runestoneserverascholer.readthedocs.io/en/latest/index.html https://runestoneserverascholer.readthedocs.io/en/latest/ind...
novaleaf 2y ago
Took a look at Port Authority... it's permissions require access to all data on all websites. Trading one risk for another (bigger) one? It's understandable why such access is needed, but really too bad for privacy.
- DaSHacka 2y ago
  Port Authority is open source https://github.com/ACK-J/Port_Authority https://github.com/ACK-J/Port_Authority
  - hiccuphippo 2y ago
    Can UBlockOrigin do the same as port authority if I add blocks for localhost and local ips?
    - rolandog 2y ago
      I think NoScript does that as well (it has a LAN checkbox).

huygens6363 2y ago

How to think like a programmer*

dang 2y ago

Related: Think Python, 3rd Edition - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39392881 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39392881 - Feb 2024 (125 comments) Think Python 2e - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35421096 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35421096 - April 2023 (30 comments) Intro to programming with Python – How to Think Like a Computer Scientist - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24932497 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24932497 - Oct 2020 (1 comment) How to Think Like a Computer Scientist: Interactive Edition - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12639320 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12639320 - Oct 2016 (17 comments) How to Think Like a Computer Scientist: Learning with Python 2nd Edition (2012) - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7887541 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7887541 - June 2014 (16 comments) How to Think Like a Computer Scientist - Interactive Edition 2.0 - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6175920 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6175920 - Aug 2013 (1 comment) How to Think Like a Computer Scientist - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1749646 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1749646 - Oct 2010 (6 comments) How To Think Like A Computer Scientist - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1624833 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1624833 - Aug 2010 (1 comment) Think Python: How to Think Like a Computer Scientist - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1586000 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1586000 - Aug 2010 (9 comments)