When we began to notice that there was not enough space for new desks, while fresh employees were appearing one by one, we realized: it was time to expand our habitat. And after that, a few months ago, we moved to another office. The new premises are much more spacious: not like the headquarters of large corporations, but a match for the expanding company.
And what a surprise, - the lounge area has also become roomy. The good old sofa, a PlayStation and a telly looked pretty lonely there. It was necessary to enrich the empty space with something else. There were several options, but without hesitation, we decided to buy a couple of shelves: primarily for books.
The lounge area is now not only an arena for couch tournaments in fighting games and a quiet spot for those who want to recharge the batteries but also a small office library.
But this was all a short background. In this post, I want to talk about some of the books that are already on our shelf. So far, there are not many of them (let's call this the demo version of the library). The reason for this is not only the recent move but also the lack of readers - the overwhelming majority of my colleagues are in no hurry to return to the office. On their part, this is a fairly reasonable decision and the guys can only be praised for such a responsible attitude to the health of others.
So today, let's take a closer look at two books.
“Our Robots, Ourselves: Robotics and the Myths of Autonomy”
The author of this book is David A. Mindell, a Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and Dibner Professor of the History of Engineering and Manufacturing at MIT - in other words, an extremely respected engineer whose opinion you can safely trust. The scientific interest of the author is extremely wide and extends from aviation and space flights to deep ocean robotics. In general, the writer has devoted more than 20 years to research in the field of robotics, and therefore he has a lot of amazing things to tell his readers.
The book itself is focused on robots, their types and stories about how these machines are used by people in extreme conditions and in everyday life. The author does not ignore the question of how robotics will develop in future and how dangerous such a neighbourhood with smart mechanisms may be for humans. (Spoiler alert: it is unlikely that a robot will take your workplace in the near future, and you definitely should not be afraid of the rise of the machines)
“Our Robots, Ourselves: Robotics and the Myths of Autonomy” will be of interest to people curious about technology. The book is written in a simple manner and it is not difficult to read it from cover to cover. If you know robots only from science fiction, then by all means pay attention to this book. Our high-tech future will probably be a little different from what you might imagine it to be.
“Code Complete: A Practical Handbook of Software Construction, Second Edition”
And here is the real bestseller, the legendary book and the most popular title in our office. Steve McConnell is the author of this great, programming guide. The writer also has solid experience in software development for gigantic companies such as Microsoft and Boeing.
On each page of this encyclopedia-like book (it’s about 1000 pages!!!), you will find many pragmatic tips for software engineering. For many developers, regardless of their level of competence, it is the book that has become the one they can't do without.
This handbook for programmers consists of 35 chapters and a subject index, but most importantly, it has references to all the sources mentioned, so that you could always check them on your own in case of need.
Truly, this is a book that you can open on any page and always learn something new. Despite the fact that the book is quite old-school, it is still an absolute must-have. What else could we say about the classics?
This is the first part of our bookshelf review. In the following parts, I will touch on other books on the bookshelf in our office.
What kind of literature is in your bookcases? Maybe you know some hidden gems?
Leave your comments under this post, I will gladly read them.
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P. S.
Probably some of you will have a question: guys, why do you need paper books? After all, digital copies are much more convenient and cheaper.
Our Answer: Printed books have their own charm, they are easier to share, they can be put on the shelf.
And the most important point: a paper book is a great excuse to take your eyes off the monitor.
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