Re: OT: Good Resources?

John Johnson
2005-02-22T17:58:17Z

On 21-Feb-2005, at 18:32, Joe Van Dyk wrote:

> This is where you respond with books, websites, magazines, forums, etc
> that you''ve found useful, informative, inspirational, or hilarious
in
> the process of developing web applications.  Please also provide a
> short sentence about why you included the particular resource.  Post
> even the resources that you think everyone already knows about, cuz
> I''m still finding new things every day that help me.
>
> Also, I''m a software developer by nature.  I can''t draw
or design
> well, and I''m horrible in Photoshop.  Anyone know of any resources
> that would help me improve?  I''m not interested so much in art or
> design theory as I am in practical advice on how to create good
> graphics / designs.
>
I''m afraid you''ve contradicted yourself :-)

----- Visual / Interaction Design ------

I''ve heard good things about this book:
The Non-Designer''s Design Book, second edition
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0321193857

Interesting stuff here on design
http://www.useit.com/

Also see Alan Cooper (the father of Visual Basic)
About Face 2.0: The Essentials of Interaction Design
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764526413
I have the first edition, and it was the first book I read that
questioned the age old design paradigms.

Apple Computer
http://www.apple.com
Perhaps the best school of design is to buy and use an Apple computer.
Mac programmers and users think differently. A typical scenario would
go something like this: You''re surfing the web and see a program you
would like to try. You click the download link, wait a little, and a
window opens with an icon for the program in it. At this point you can
double-click to run it. Like it? Drag the icon over to Applications and
drop it. It''s installed. Tired of it? Drag the icon from Applications
to the Trash. It''s uninstalled. It''s obvious when a program
for the Mac
(such as Canon''s scanner toolbox) is written by Windows people.
They''re
counter-intuitive (the programs, not the people :-).

------- Development --------

Hunt & Thomas: The Pragmatic Programmer
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/020161622X
THE absolute must have book on development. Most books on development
teach you how to write code. This book teaches you to write poetry.

Thomas, Hunt & Fowler: Programming Ruby
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0974514055
The essential reference for Ruby. The first edition is one of the books
I use most often. I''m looking forward to getting the second edition
too.

McConnell: Code Complete
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0735619670

Hunt and/or Thomas articles available on the web.
http://pragmaticprogrammer.com/articles/ and elsewhere.

----- Other -----

The Power of Now
Great book on living life, rather than having life live you.

High Income Consulting
A great introduction / reference for consultants.

Google
Great search engine.

Amazon
Great place to buy books.

Regards,
   JJ