Well Read IT guy

I was looking for what is recommended as the must reads for an “IT Professional”. Below is the most recommended ones I came across, not in any particular order. If you know any other must read, do leave a comment.

1. Code Complete – Steve McConnell
2. The Pragmatic Programmer: From Journeyman to Master – Andrew Hunt, David Thomas
3. Refactoring: Improving the Design of Existing Code – Martin Fowler
4. Introduction to algorithms – Cormen, Leiserson, Rivest, Stein
5. Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs – Harold Abelson, Gerald Jay Sussman, Julie Sussman
6. Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software – Erich Gamma, Richard Helm, Ralph Johnson and John Vlissides (Gang of Four)
7. The Mythical Man-Month: Essays on Software Engineering – Fred Brooks
8. Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams – DeMarco and Lister
9. The design of everyday things – Donald Norman
10. The Timeless Way of Building – Christopher Alexander
11. Psychology of Computer of Programming – Gerald Weinberg
12. Making Things Happen : Mastering Project Management – Scott Berkun

I have read about 6 of above. Other than that, below are some of the books I read and I would recommend, even though some of it is not exactly related to IT as such:-

1. iWoz: From Computer Geek to Cult Icon: How I Invented the Personal Computer, Co-Founded Apple, and Had Fun Doing It – Steve Wozniak. Got to the book after listening to his talk through IT conversations. Inspiring.
2. Just for Fun: The Story of an Accidental Revolutionary – Linus Torvalds. Again in the list just to have read about one of the heroes.
3. Extreme Programming Explained – Kent Beck . Read this (or Test Driven Development) to atleast to know that there are other ways to do this.
4. Drive: Surprising Truth about what motivates us – Dan Pink. Just finished – will write a review later.
5. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance – Robert Pirsig . Might be recommended in any list.
6. Secrets of Consulting: A Guide to Giving and Getting Advice Successfully – Gerald Weinberg. It was a useful read, on working with customers.
7. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People – Stephen Covey
8. Dilbert and the way of the weasel: Scott Adams (or one of any other book by Scott Adams may be a must read – just to make sure we don’t slip into weasel behavior)
9. Outliers – Malcolm Galdwell. He tells good stories, even if it may project the points he wants to prove. Read this atleast to comfort ourselves that genius can be made with deliberate practice.
10. Innovation and Entrepreneurship – Peter Drucker. Even if you don’t start a new business, even to do innovation in smaller ways, this might be useful.
11. Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die – Dan and Chip Heath.
12. How to Win Friends & Influence People – Dale Carnegie. Including just because they may be others like me in this community who need some help..:)

Some other books recommended by different lists:- Working Effectively with Legacy Code, Godel/Esther/Bach, Sun Tzu, Practice of Programming (Kernighan and Pike), blogs/books like Paul Graham, Joel Spolsky, Seth Godin.

Also need to mention – Joel Spolsky’s list which I have used as reading list in past.

morning walk

I went for a walk/run today morning, after maybe 3 years break – was able to complete one round of a football field. Incidentally the field was in the same college where I had gone to collect application forms around 18 years back (time does fly). We need to cross this field to reach the office, it was deserted that day. I got robbed while returning after collecting the forms and being my first experience in a college campus, I didn’t know that one should keep the mouth shut – I said something sarcastically, the guy punched me hard in the stomach, I lost my breath and he kicked me for a good measure. That was it, I never set foot in that college afterwards and didn’t apply there as well. About a year ago we moved into a house right across that college, so now from the living room, my view is of this football field. It is now a morning walk destination for residents around the place, so today I decided to start. College had changed, but the field and the broken steps, overgrown bushes that cover the stands – all of it remains exactly the same.


Anyway the run felt really good. Planning to do it for 10 days at a stretch without any evaluation (my rule for making any habit). This quote comes to mind – "Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands, they just don’t." – From Legally Blonde, Elle’s reason for defending someone. I need some endorphins these days..:)

thinking about balance

Slow and steady wins the race. Being very fast wins it too.
You should be confident. But have humility and don’t be arrogant.
Be practical, but stick to principles.
Have rules, but not too many.
Be obedient, but nobody great was ever obedient.
Get a degree, but college education is a waste of time.
Earn money, but too much money means no life.
Have passion for the job, but being too passionate about your job could lead to being a workaholic.
Always move forward. Never look back and wonder. But history repeats itself and one should learn from the mistakes.
Be honest, but too much honesty could cost you.
Talk to enemies, but get your job done.
Satisfy the customer, but not at a cost.
Make a profit, but don’t be greedy.
Be transparent, except when it can hurt you or someone else.
Have a great career, but give time to family, don’t stress too much.
Be ambitious, but be ethical.
All we want is peace of mind and being comfortable, but don’t be in your comfort zone, push yourself.
Be a capitalist, except when it hurts people.
Don’t care for the rules, but I want that which the people who follow rules get also.
Be data oriented, but too much data is a problem.
You manage what you can measure, but learn to manage what you cannot measure also.
Be in control, but too much control is a problem.
Reconcile all view points, but don’t get paralyzed.
Be objective, but be subjective also.
Assertive, not pushy.
Take credit, but don’t gloat.
Time vs cost
Cost vs quality


Don’t choose "Neither Agree or Disagree". Find a balance, but don’t stand in the middle of the road where you can get hit by both sides.