Great overview book, if what you're looking for is an overview of half a dozen trendy new development processes. This one won't make you competent to Great overview book, if what you're looking for is an overview of half a dozen trendy new development processes. This one won't make you competent to actually *do* any of them, but it should make you able to contribute to a discussion about choosing one....more
This is one of the master-works of the Agile movement, Extreme Programming (XP) variant. XP (and therefore, this book) focuses particularly on the worThis is one of the master-works of the Agile movement, Extreme Programming (XP) variant. XP (and therefore, this book) focuses particularly on the workgroup dynamics, and leaves out discussion of some surrounding bits that are none the less necessary (like "release planning"), which is why the most popular Agile style is widely quoted as "XP plus Scrum." So, don't look here for questions like "how do we decide what to do?" or "how do we handle institutional stakeholders who won't adapt to the process?" But "how can we get the most and best software development done in the shortest amount of time, without killing anyone?" Yep ... it's in there!...more
It's kind of cliched to praise this ancient Chinese general as some sort of management guru. And it can play to a rather ugly corner of the manager's It's kind of cliched to praise this ancient Chinese general as some sort of management guru. And it can play to a rather ugly corner of the manager's self-image. But some of these catchy little aphorisms, after suitable translation into the language of business, really do contain wisdom worth pondering. And the work of considering each in turn, whether it can be translated into something meaningful for your situation, is a kind of meditation that can lead you to a wider understanding of who you really are, and what you're trying to achieve....more
I'm generally not so happy with the wrox "Professional" series. The editing is minimal, and the author styles are varied, and mostly awkward. They tenI'm generally not so happy with the wrox "Professional" series. The editing is minimal, and the author styles are varied, and mostly awkward. They tend (and this one's an extreme example) to read more like extended slash-dot posturing than wisdom or guidance....more
Although the illustrations are quite dated, this is still a great introduction to important ways of thinking about the relationships between program cAlthough the illustrations are quite dated, this is still a great introduction to important ways of thinking about the relationships between program components (these days, we would say "objects"). Considering the renewed interest in refactoring, brought on by the Agile processes, a little back-to-basics study on "what makes a good boundary definition" is eminently useful....more
Like all the O'Reilly Nutshell books, this is clear, helpful, and human. It's not a take-you-by-the-hand tutorial, but it's tutorial enough if you've Like all the O'Reilly Nutshell books, this is clear, helpful, and human. It's not a take-you-by-the-hand tutorial, but it's tutorial enough if you've already mastered a language or two, and it'll be well worth keeping on your shelf after you're trained and effective....more
The reference manual is clear and logical, as befits an ANSI standard Base Document (which this is). But the annotations, which were pruned from the sThe reference manual is clear and logical, as befits an ANSI standard Base Document (which this is). But the annotations, which were pruned from the standard, are worth at least half the cost of the book. Where the reference and standard tell you what to do, the annotations tell you why, and what not to do, and how to dig yourself out when you do do....more
Purely a reference work, and a bit clunky (though this fits the 70's feel of programming, so that's OK). Like the cover.Purely a reference work, and a bit clunky (though this fits the 70's feel of programming, so that's OK). Like the cover....more
Good treatment of a topic that, ideally, should be treated quickly yet well. Particularly handy as a basis for a team style standard ... "Vermeulen, bGood treatment of a topic that, ideally, should be treated quickly yet well. Particularly handy as a basis for a team style standard ... "Vermeulen, but with all open-braces on their own lines" or like that....more
This is a really crucial book for any Java developer. You may not realize you need it, but man oh man, you do![return][return]The Java culture and lanThis is a really crucial book for any Java developer. You may not realize you need it, but man oh man, you do![return][return]The Java culture and language development contain a trap: whereas it once was a commonplace that concurrent programming was too hard for "ordinary" developers, Java made it easy to do, and even in the beginning reasonably easy to do successfully.[return][return]Times have changed. Java programs used to run on uniprocessor machines (where "concurrency" is more an aspiration than a reality), and the Java virtual machine used to be relatively simple. Nowadays, even an inexpensive laptop has at least two cores, and can achieve real concurrency among half a dozen Java threads. The JVM has evolved aggressively to use this power, taking liberal advantage of feature always contained in the Java language specifications, but until now not necessary embodied in the JVM implementation. As a result, more and more, your programs do not mean what they appear to mean, and less and less are you free to presume they do.Fortunately, the principal and supporting authors here are the powerful minds behind the growth of the JVM's concurrency capabilities. And, a bit miraculously, these great minds, deeply embedded in this complex code, can and do explain its surprises and mastery in a way that should be accessible to any competent programmer. This is not "for Dummies" stuff, but it's also "not rocket science" (quite). You can handle this.[return][return]And, you must....more
Clear, readable, quick-moving yet substantive, this book combines a thorough introduction into the concept and uses of user stories, with insights intClear, readable, quick-moving yet substantive, this book combines a thorough introduction into the concept and uses of user stories, with insights into their strengths relative to similar or confusing tools like "use cases."...more
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