Donald E. Knuth in Python, cont'd

[Tim Daneliuk]

On 04/11/2012 03:20 PM, John Nagle wrote:
> On 4/11/2012 6:03 AM, Antti J Ylikoski wrote:
>>
>> I wrote about a straightforward way to program D. E. Knuth in Python,
>> and received an excellent communcation about programming Deterministic
>> Finite Automata (Finite State Machines) in Python.
>>
>> The following stems from my Knuth in Python programming exercises,
>> according to that very good communication. (By Roy Smith.)
>>
>> I'm in the process of delving carefully into Knuth's brilliant and
>> voluminous work The Art of Computer Programming, Parts 1--3 plus the
>> Fascicles in Part 4 -- the back cover of Part 1 reads:
>>
>> "If you think you're a really good programmer -- read [Knuth's] Art of
>> Computer Programming... You should definitely send me a résumé if you
>> can read the whole thing." -- Bill Gates.
>>
>> (Microsoft may in the future receive some e-mail from me.)
>
> You don't need those books as much as you used to.
> You don't have to write collections, hash tables, and sorts much
> any more. Those are solved problems and there are good libraries.
> Most of the basics are built into Python.
>
> Serious programmers should read those books, much as they should
> read von Neumann's "First Draft of a Report on the EDVAC", for
> background on how things work down at the bottom. But they're
> no longer essential desk references for most programmers.
>
> John Nagle

I strongly disagree with this.

There is a LOT of sloppy and incorrect code in the world because ill-taught
"programmers" do not understand the basics of algorithms, data structures,
and time/space complexity. One does not have to go to school to become so
educated, references like Knuth are timeless and still very much relevant
to the profession.

Yes, you can trust the libraries to do much, but have a mental model
for how things work with a deeper understanding of things like
the aforementioned makes a huge difference when working on your
own code.

P.S. Jon Bentley's "Programming Pearls" are also must reads for serious
programmers.

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Tim Daneliuk