edelson@mhuxi.UUCP (edelson) (11/19/84)
Can anyone recommend a book for a teen-ager who has gotten interested in computers, but who is not the greatest student?
spector@acf4.UUCP (11/22/84)
Of general interest and fun, there is: Digital Deli Edited by Steve Ditlea Workman Publishing ~$12.95 ISBN:0-89480-591-6 ...and... HACKERS, Heros of the Computer Revolution By: Steven Levy Anchor Press - DoubleDay $17.95 ISBN:0-385-19195-2 Both are a lot of fun, and can really get you into more Computer Folklorica. I would recommend them both to anyone even thinking of getting into computers, just so they know the kind of company they will be keeping... David Spector NYU/acf Systems Group Spector@nyu-cmcl1.ARPA ...!allegra!cmcl2!cmcl1!spector
sahunt@ubu.UUCP (Stephen Hunt) (11/26/84)
[[[[ Foo for the line eater ]]]] -->Can anyone recommend a book for a teen-ager who has gotten interested in -->computers, but who is not the greatest student? Regrettably, no. After seeing 'n' of the beginner's books on offer, I have found that they fall into two categories:- 1. 'Learn Basic' type books. These invariably tackle the subject from the wrong angle, or with the wrong emphasis. One favourite mistake is spending scores of pages describing every possible detail of, say, the PRINT statement. This only serves to give the novice the impression that things like screen layout are much more important than they in fact are. These books never teach the student how to tackle a problem in a sensible way (top-down design, etc). 2. Books which claim to give a general introduction to computing, using a non-BASIC language for the examples. These usually take a better approach to the subject than the Basic ones do, and don't get bogged down in irrelvant details so much. But how many novices have access to a computer with a non-BASIC language? As I see it the market needs a good introduction to programming with the emphasis on how to approach problems in a sensible way. The books in category 1 leave you with the impression that programming means sitting down at the keyboard and lambing straight into the Gotos. Unfortunately, we seem to be stuck with Basic as a beginner's language, simply because all the home micros are supplied with it as standard; this situation doesn't need to be made worse by books stressing the wrong aspects of programming. If anyone wants to contradict all that, I too would be very pleased to know of a good introductory book. -- -- Steve Hunt ... mcvax!ukc!qtlon!flame!ubu!sahunt
donb@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Don Brotemarkle) (11/26/84)
From the November 19, 1984 edition of INFOWORLD:
Publishing / Q&A: John Brockman (p.54)
by Jim Bartimo
(excerpt)
Q: First there was a rash of how-to books, now there is a rash of
computer history books. How are these trends established, and what do
you think the next trend will be?
A: The trends are driven by market need. It's obvious why there was
a raft of introductory computer books. The history books stem from
consumer's need to have some meaning attached to their purchases. I
find that whenever a new technology is dropped into the society, there
is an aftermarket for books that users buy not necessarily to learn
about the technology but to confirm the validity of the money they
spent.
Don Brotemarkle
System Development Corporation
uucp: {ihnp4,akgua,allegra,hplabs}!sdcrdcf!donb
--
signed,
Don Brotemarkle
uucp: {ihnp4,akgua,allegra,hplabs}!sdcrdcf!donbsrm@nsc.UUCP (Richard Mateosian) (11/29/84)
In article <337@ubu.UUCP> sahunt@ubu.UUCP (Stephen Hunt) writes: >As I see it the market needs a good introduction to programming with the >emphasis on how to approach problems in a sensible way. >Unfortunately, we seem >to be stuck with Basic as a beginner's language, simply because all >the home micros are supplied with it as standard; this situation doesn't >need to be made worse by books stressing the wrong aspects of programming. May I modestly suggest "Inside BASIC Games" by Richard Mateosian (Sybex, 1981). This book is not about games but about how to program systematically in BASIC. Its principal technique is to write each program in a precise pseudocode called Free BASIC and then to translate by hand into BASIC. Progressively more difficult programs are attacked in this way, ending with several that are quite sophisticated. -- Richard Mateosian {cbosgd,decwrl,fortune,hplabs,ihnp4,seismo}!nsc!srm nsc!srm@decwrl.ARPA
arlan@inuxd.UUCP (A Andrews) (12/05/84)
[wee lines for the wee folk...] I might suggest four books published by Howard W. Sams Co., here in Indianapolis, and authored by my good friend, Joe Giarratano--INTRODUCTION TO BASIC, ADVANCED BASIC, FUNDAMENTALS OF COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY and (I forgot the other one!!!) Joe's books have had good reviews and fairly good sales--but some are being remaindered now that the entire computer book market is in a shake-out, so you might get them for a good price. (Mine were free, since I helped him with the editing...) --arlan andrews (co-author of the late lamented introductory games series, TIMELOST: A COMPUTER ADVENTURE, published by the un-late and unlamented *** corp., with Giarratano and Kris Andrews, 16)
werner@ut-ngp.UUCP (Werner Uhrig) (12/07/84)
[zap] The Cartoon Guide to COMPUTER SCIENCE - by Larry Gonick. $5.25 [ if lecture-notes were in this format, studying would be faster and less tidious. A picture saves a thousand words ..... ]