

Ask HN: Should I buy "The Art of Computer Programming"? - jff

I'm a computer engineering grad student. Right now, it looks like I'll be working in OS and parallel computing research after school. With that in mind (i.e. I am not a startup type, nor do I write web pages), is TAOCP something I should buy?
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anamax
Yes.

Not because it's a research resource, although it is, but because knowing that
stuff is likely to be relevant to your success in said research.

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chipsy
Only if you are in the market for comprehensive reference. Reading through
TAOCP is a good project for the eager-to-learn beginner, but you probably
already know the essentials of the material from your coursework. It's a
compendium of the "proven useful" stuff, which tends to be older material.
Research papers will have more/newer information. TAOCP will have more
examples.

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varaon
If you're still a student, check it out from the library and see if it suits
you.

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jff
I just checked and all three volumes are checked out for at least a month.

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marshallp
No, it's more like a decoration piece then anything. Read research papers
online of the areas you're interested in.

