
Programming for Mere Mortals - shawndumas
http://stevenf.com/pages/book.html
======
rflrob
I'm skeptical that the topics listed in the sample are actually relevant to a
first-time programmer. While eventually I would want people to know that
numbers are stored in binary in the computer, for most purposes, a first timer
doesn't need to know that. Similarly, signed vs unsigned numbers aren't hugely
critical, and some languages (e.g. Python) don't even have unsigned.

It seems to me the core, universal concepts that beginners have trouble with
are more often ideas like iteration, control flow, and functions and
recursion.

~~~
scott_s
From my experience, the largest hurdle first time programmers have is being
able to execute programs in their head. It takes a cognitive leap to go from
the source code in front of them, and what happens at runtime. This disconnect
is not present in straight-line code, but it becomes a problem when loops are
introduced.

So, I agree with you. If the goal is to get beginners programming, then they
have to program. No amount of reading is a substitute for programming. This
book may be an excellent way to introduce people who have already done some
programming to important concepts, but I doubt it will get them closer to
being programmers.

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rads
I haven't read this book, so I don't know what it's actually like. I could be
completely wrong about this. However, if in my first days of programming I was
given a book on low level details such as signed vs. unsigned numbers, I
wouldn't have wanted to become a programmer right then.

My programming career started with Webmonkey's PHP tutorial[1], when it was
first published some years ago. It doesn't talk about floating point
operations or binary representations. Instead, you first learn how to print "I
am the CHICKEN MAN" in your browser. Shortly after, you're taught to use
forms, and by then you've created something that takes input and processes it.

You type your stuff in, click the button, and it shows up in the browser. The
code you wrote -- this strange language that seems like magic -- clearly
works. You've made the machine do something. Just to make sure, you type
something else in, click the button, and there it is. _That's_ what inspired
me to become a programmer. The ones and zeros came later.

[1] <http://www.webmonkey.com/2010/02/php_tutorial_for_beginners/> (I don't
recommend this tutorial to anyone learning to program. It was useful when it
was written, but it's not up to date, and some of the examples are broken. In
2011, there are lots of good beginner books.)

~~~
xanados
One under-appreciated fact regarding the acquisition of skills or the
attainment of goals, is that both are difficult or impossible if you can't
structure the activity itself so that it is enjoyable. Learning how to make
vocabulary fun will lead to success in language learning; learning to make
cooking fun will lead to success in dieting; learning to make sports fun will
lead to success in athleticism; and structuring your programming lessons to be
fun will drive people to continue to learn how to program.

------
wccrawford
The free preview on Amazon is HORRIBLE. The title page and the dedication
page? UGH.

I could never recommend this to anyone without actually seeing it, and I can't
imagine how far it'll get without recommendations.

Also, both un-DRMd formats are separate? Most publishers sell you the content
and then let you pick the format... Multiple times, if you want, in case you
change readers.

~~~
stephth
* HORRIBLE * * UGH * * Also, both un-DRMd formats are separate? *

I don't see what's wrong with the title page and the dedication page... It
does its job. I admit that the Kindle sample could use some actual meat, but
the samples on the website look good to me. I mean, you sound like it attacked
you with a knife. Also, it's a 3 dollar book. If you like it so much that
you'll want to re-read it in your next generation ebook, would $3 extra bucks
be that unacceptable?

I'm curious. Was there really nothing positive worth noting to you? And if so,
why bother commenting? Isn't it more beneficial to focus our energies on
things that we enjoy and are excited about?

~~~
scott_s
The title page and dedication page do _not_ give me a taste of the book -
which is what I want from a sample. I want the table of contents and a few
pages of one of the chapters to get a feel for what the book is like. That's
what I look at when I pick up a book in the store.

Note that only looking at positive comments is harmful. wccrawford's criticism
about the sample is important, and changing it should help sell more copies.

~~~
stephth
Your comment on the sample is constructive and I agree with it ( _"the Kindle
sample could use some actual meat"_ ), but I don't find " _The free preview on
Amazon is HORRIBLE. The title page and the dedication page? UGH._ " to be
conveying what you said or to be constructive.

~~~
scott_s
What I said and the sentence you quoted have the same content. Mine was just a
nicer way of saying it.

~~~
stephth
I suppose your own interpretation of it had the same content - maybe you're
familiar enough with wccrawford and can guess what he's thinking - but
objectively they don't. _HORRIBLE_ and _UGH_ were dropped without an actual
explanation, and you comment doesn't just sound nicer: you explained how to
improve the sample.

~~~
scott_s
Let me put it this way: I was able to read his comment and recognize that he
and I agreed, despite the fact that I don't know him.

~~~
stephth
Great, maybe then you can also enlighten me on what's so deeply wrong with the
title and dedication page? It can't be about it being the only content of the
sample, the main content in there is the introduction to the book.

~~~
scott_s
I missed that entirely - I saw the top of the dedication page and assumed it
was _all_ dedication page, like most books. I think most people will do the
same. That intro, though, is a _tell_ , not a _show_. I want to sample some
pages further into the book to see if the promises made in the intro are
fulfilled.

~~~
stephth
Looks like we were talking about two different things. wccrawford was talking
about the preview, while we were referring to the "sample"... <sigh>.

~~~
wccrawford
You're right. I didn't bother with the downloadable sample because I assumed
it would be the same as the 'look inside!' preview on Amazon.

~~~
scott_s
I have been talking about the "look inside" preview on Amazon.

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msisk6
I bought the PDF of this book this morning, printed it out, and read it during
lunch. I think it's actually very good and plan on giving it to my kids to
read.

The discussion on number bases and converting from binary, hex, and decimal
systems was nicely presented. And the part on endianness might not be
necessary at this basic level, but it's nicely done.

Heck, it's a pretty good deal for $3, IMHO.

------
m0nastic
This sounds like the first couple chapters of Petzold's "Code" (which I
finally got around to reading recently and thought was fantastic).

------
angrycoder
How not to get someone interested in programming, give them 70 pages of math.

Now this is interesting to me, but I'm already a programmer.

------
notjoeflynn
The title & subtitle of this is rather condescending to non-programmers. "Mere
mortals"? "How to count"?

~~~
duncanj
I like the title, and I think it's a good idea for a series. _DOS for Dummies_
had a good following and I think it is a much more condescending name. If I
came across a book called _Options Trading for Dummies_ , I would be
skeptical. Dummies should stay away from options trading. _Options Trading for
Mere Mortals_ would suggest that I can learn it without already being some
sort of god.

