[ale] OT Re: [ale] Microsoft now favors fair competition

[Geoffrey]

Charles Shapiro wrote:
> Oh now.  I hate to jump into this, but Microsoft Press has published
> some fine books on the practice of programming. I recommend Steve
> Maguire's _Writing_Solid_Code_ (ISBN: 1556155514) and
> Steve McConnell's _Code_Complete_ (ISBN: 1556154844) to anyone who
> writes code for others to use. They're both filled with real-world
> advice which really works, and they're inspiring to boot. They're also
> platform-neutral, although they're biased heavily toward C and C++. This
> is a product of the time they were written, rather than any particular
> evil Corporate Conspiracy.

One, I will not buy any Microsoft products when I can find a substitute. 
  So far, I'm doing pretty good.  I don't even look at anything 
published by them.  I'm sure there are other books that address the same 
issues these do, that don't put more money into fueling the monopoly.

I've actually read portions of Code Complete from a work library, and to 
be honest, it's pretty full of common sense, which many programmers seem 
to lack, but hardly the only place to find such jewels...

> 
> -- CHS (Linux zealot)

If you are, then before every purchase you should ask yourself a couple 
of questions:

1. Can I do without it?
2. Is there a (non-microsoft) substitute?



-- 
Until later: Geoffrey		esoteric at 3times25.net

I didn't have to buy my radio from a specific company to listen
to FM, why doesn't that apply to the Internet (anymore...)?


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