5 ms·

I need books that I can’t buy, I drink beer that I can’t sip

39 points by kitallis 18y ago

staunch 18y ago
I'm not saying you can find almost any programming book on Scribd but someone could have said that and I wouldn't accuse them of lying.
- Anon84 18y ago
  s/Scribd/gigapedia/g
  - gojomo 18y ago
    Can you say more about Gigapedia? The site seems fishy: there's little info unless you register (which I have not yet), and registration requires a Google account.
    - CalmQuiet 18y ago
      Even if you don't use Gmail ... Google (apps & hacker resources included) offer so much that it's a shame not to have an account already!
      - gojomo 18y ago
        Of course I have a Google account; that's not the point. What is strange is that a site that may, from the context of the thread, be a source of unauthorized ebook copies: - hides its 'help'/'about' info from all-but-registered users - requires a Google account to register - runs Google ads Wouldn't it be a little odd if the Pirate Bay required a Google account to see its content, and ran Google ads?
        andreyf 18y ago
        Even stranger, it seems to have been black-listed from Google's index: http://www.google.com/search?q=gigapedia http://www.google.com/search?q=gigapedia
        gojomo 18y ago
        Well, I guess that's one datapoint for the independence of Google's index from its advertising operations. "Sorry, you're too sketchy to appear in our index. However, we'll still gladly partner with you to make a buck on advertising!"
        prakash 18y ago
        "Sorry, you're too sketchy to appear in our index. However, we'll still gladly partner with you to make a buck on advertising!" LOL! Well said!
        CalmQuiet 18y ago
        Black-list reprieve: This morning there seems to be "about 129,000" search results. I don't suppose this is the power of HN's disclosure?
seregine 18y ago
Sounds like a business opportunity.
tfincannon 18y ago
Safari (safaribooksonline.com) offers a good option for reading widely at relatively low cost. They have all the O'Reilly books, many Addison-Wesley and Microsoft Press books, and recently added some Apress titles. Alas, Safari has almost nothing on Lisp. You can download Practical Common Lisp and On Lisp elsewhere, courtesy of their authors.
- markbao 18y ago
  See if your local library has a subscription to Safari Books Online. For example, Boston Public Library's hidden gem is that anyone in Massachusetts can sign up for an E-Card for free. From there, you can use their electronic resources, which includes a huge number of databases, as well as Safari Online Computer & Business Books. It's brilliant. Though admittedly it's a pain in the ass to read on the computer.
  - kitallis 18y ago
    Hmm. That's a neat idea. Although I have an American Library in my city. It has a one or two unique titles but I couldn't find anything for LISP and neither for Python or Ruby. It did have Code Complete.
    - sangaya 18y ago
      Try asking one of the workers there for a specific book. I was at my local library today (in Chicago, IL, US) looking for a specific book on design patterns. They didn't have it but were able to order it for me. I should be able to pick it up in a week or so. After I finish with it it'll be available at the library to any future person that wants to read it.
altek 18y ago
Go to a better school.
- richcollins 18y ago
  Or don't go to school. School for CS is a complete waste of time unless you're looking for a pedigree.
- rw 18y ago
  For how many people on the planet is that not a feasible option?
richcollins 18y ago
He doesn't need books he can't buy. Information about Computers is ubiquitous online. > I have a growing interest in the LISP language and the only book I could find here was LISP Is he joking? Is Google banned where he lives? http://mitpress.mit.edu/sicp/full-text/book/book.html http://mitpress.mit.edu/sicp/full-text/book/book.html http://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/classes/6.001/abelson-sussman-lectures/ http://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/classes/6.001/abelson-sussma... http://www.gigamonkeys.com/book/ http://www.gigamonkeys.com/book/ http://www.paulgraham.com/onlisp.html http://www.paulgraham.com/onlisp.html
- kitallis 18y ago
  Here are a few questions. Have you ever read SICP (online)? Have you ever read The Practical Common LISP (online)? Have you ever read any e-book worth 400 pages completely? I guess not.
  - dimitar 18y ago
    If someone made a Firefox plugin that converts the volume of text which has a appeared at a users screen for more than 10 seconds to A4 pages, I am sure a typical Internet user reads more than 100 pages daily. For example the Wikipedia article for "Common Lisp" in print view will be printed to 19(!) pages. And it appears so short. You can make notes in notepad (the real thing) if you like to think about the problem outside - notes are great thing by themselves. You will have to do the exercises eventually and so there is no escape from the screen. I usually read a book about programming by executing the examples and solving the exercises while occasionally looking at the text for some guidance when I am stuck.. has anyone read a programming book which is ~100% executable (no cheating with excessive comments ;-))?
    - Retric 18y ago
      Yes, OSS such as LINUX are great textbooks.
    - Kaizyn 18y ago
      Does the Little Schemer count?
deleted 18y ago
[deleted]
nose 18y ago
Slightly off topic, but you can get the audiobook version of "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" for free right now: http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/17691/Free-Stephen-R--Coveys-The-7-Habits-of-Highly-Effective-People-Audiobook http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/17691/Free-Stephen-R--Coveys...
toodlestech 18y ago
He is posting on his blog and yet doesnt know how to use the internets or even amazon or ebay? Who buys books in a bookstore at full price anymore anyway?
- raheemm 18y ago
  Folks living in developing countries where "Free" shipping is not an option still buy in bookstores.
- kitallis 18y ago
  Sir, It's actually costlier to sometimes buy from Amazon and other online bookstores for countries like ours.
adnam 18y ago
I found a really good tech bookshop in Delhi - right on Radiv Chowk between radial 2 & 3 on Connaught place. The same books you might find in a european book store but at a fraction of the price.
rms 18y ago
http://www.ebookee.com/ http://www.ebookee.com/
hardik 18y ago
There is the Connaught Palace stretch in Delhi, the whole lane leading up to Churchgate in Mumbai, also friends tell me of similar places in Kolkatta and B'lore, where most of the popular tech books' pirated versions are available pretty cheap. Now, I am not endorsing privacy, but if you are actually so desperate.. Also, indiaplaza.in has some deal with some international book publishers, they take good 30 days to deliver such "international books" but they can be bought in India.

39 points by kitallis 18y ago

I'm not saying you can find almost any programming book on Scribd but someone could have said that and I wouldn't accuse them of lying.

Anon84 18y ago
s/Scribd/gigapedia/g
- gojomo 18y ago
  Can you say more about Gigapedia? The site seems fishy: there's little info unless you register (which I have not yet), and registration requires a Google account.
  - CalmQuiet 18y ago
    Even if you don't use Gmail ... Google (apps & hacker resources included) offer so much that it's a shame not to have an account already!
    - gojomo 18y ago
      Of course I have a Google account; that's not the point. What is strange is that a site that may, from the context of the thread, be a source of unauthorized ebook copies: - hides its 'help'/'about' info from all-but-registered users - requires a Google account to register - runs Google ads Wouldn't it be a little odd if the Pirate Bay required a Google account to see its content, and ran Google ads?
      - andreyf 18y ago
        Even stranger, it seems to have been black-listed from Google's index: http://www.google.com/search?q=gigapedia http://www.google.com/search?q=gigapedia
        gojomo 18y ago
        Well, I guess that's one datapoint for the independence of Google's index from its advertising operations. "Sorry, you're too sketchy to appear in our index. However, we'll still gladly partner with you to make a buck on advertising!"
        prakash 18y ago
        "Sorry, you're too sketchy to appear in our index. However, we'll still gladly partner with you to make a buck on advertising!" LOL! Well said!
        CalmQuiet 18y ago
        Black-list reprieve: This morning there seems to be "about 129,000" search results. I don't suppose this is the power of HN's disclosure?

seregine 18y ago

Sounds like a business opportunity.

tfincannon 18y ago

Safari (safaribooksonline.com) offers a good option for reading widely at relatively low cost. They have all the O'Reilly books, many Addison-Wesley and Microsoft Press books, and recently added some Apress titles. Alas, Safari has almost nothing on Lisp. You can download Practical Common Lisp and On Lisp elsewhere, courtesy of their authors.

markbao 18y ago
See if your local library has a subscription to Safari Books Online. For example, Boston Public Library's hidden gem is that anyone in Massachusetts can sign up for an E-Card for free. From there, you can use their electronic resources, which includes a huge number of databases, as well as Safari Online Computer & Business Books. It's brilliant. Though admittedly it's a pain in the ass to read on the computer.
- kitallis 18y ago
  Hmm. That's a neat idea. Although I have an American Library in my city. It has a one or two unique titles but I couldn't find anything for LISP and neither for Python or Ruby. It did have Code Complete.
  - sangaya 18y ago
    Try asking one of the workers there for a specific book. I was at my local library today (in Chicago, IL, US) looking for a specific book on design patterns. They didn't have it but were able to order it for me. I should be able to pick it up in a week or so. After I finish with it it'll be available at the library to any future person that wants to read it.

altek 18y ago

Go to a better school.

richcollins 18y ago
Or don't go to school. School for CS is a complete waste of time unless you're looking for a pedigree.
rw 18y ago
For how many people on the planet is that not a feasible option?

richcollins 18y ago

He doesn't need books he can't buy. Information about Computers is ubiquitous online. > I have a growing interest in the LISP language and the only book I could find here was LISP Is he joking? Is Google banned where he lives? http://mitpress.mit.edu/sicp/full-text/book/book.html http://mitpress.mit.edu/sicp/full-text/book/book.html http://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/classes/6.001/abelson-sussman-lectures/ http://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/classes/6.001/abelson-sussma... http://www.gigamonkeys.com/book/ http://www.gigamonkeys.com/book/ http://www.paulgraham.com/onlisp.html http://www.paulgraham.com/onlisp.html

kitallis 18y ago
Here are a few questions. Have you ever read SICP (online)? Have you ever read The Practical Common LISP (online)? Have you ever read any e-book worth 400 pages completely? I guess not.
- dimitar 18y ago
  If someone made a Firefox plugin that converts the volume of text which has a appeared at a users screen for more than 10 seconds to A4 pages, I am sure a typical Internet user reads more than 100 pages daily. For example the Wikipedia article for "Common Lisp" in print view will be printed to 19(!) pages. And it appears so short. You can make notes in notepad (the real thing) if you like to think about the problem outside - notes are great thing by themselves. You will have to do the exercises eventually and so there is no escape from the screen. I usually read a book about programming by executing the examples and solving the exercises while occasionally looking at the text for some guidance when I am stuck.. has anyone read a programming book which is ~100% executable (no cheating with excessive comments ;-))?
  - Retric 18y ago
    Yes, OSS such as LINUX are great textbooks.
  - Kaizyn 18y ago
    Does the Little Schemer count?

deleted 18y ago

[deleted]

nose 18y ago

Slightly off topic, but you can get the audiobook version of "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" for free right now: http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/17691/Free-Stephen-R--Coveys-The-7-Habits-of-Highly-Effective-People-Audiobook http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/17691/Free-Stephen-R--Coveys...

toodlestech 18y ago

He is posting on his blog and yet doesnt know how to use the internets or even amazon or ebay? Who buys books in a bookstore at full price anymore anyway?

raheemm 18y ago
Folks living in developing countries where "Free" shipping is not an option still buy in bookstores.
kitallis 18y ago
Sir, It's actually costlier to sometimes buy from Amazon and other online bookstores for countries like ours.

adnam 18y ago

I found a really good tech bookshop in Delhi - right on Radiv Chowk between radial 2 & 3 on Connaught place. The same books you might find in a european book store but at a fraction of the price.

rms 18y ago

http://www.ebookee.com/ http://www.ebookee.com/

hardik 18y ago

There is the Connaught Palace stretch in Delhi, the whole lane leading up to Churchgate in Mumbai, also friends tell me of similar places in Kolkatta and B'lore, where most of the popular tech books' pirated versions are available pretty cheap. Now, I am not endorsing privacy, but if you are actually so desperate.. Also, indiaplaza.in has some deal with some international book publishers, they take good 30 days to deliver such "international books" but they can be bought in India.