[[http://f.javier.io/public/books/code-complete-2nd-edition-v413hav.pdf|Code complete, 2nd edition, Steve McConnel, 2004]]

  [*][*][*][*][*][*][*][*][*][ ] => [9] This is a generalist book about software development, but a good one!
  [*][*][*][*][*][*][ ][ ][ ][ ] => [6] Basic => Intermediate
  
====== Introduction ======

To be a good programmer, you need to keep uptodate with:

  * Programming books
  * Professional experience
  * Magazine articles
  * Technology references
  * Other software books

What's software development?

  [-] Problem definition
  [-] Requirements development
  [-] Construction planning
  [-] Software architecture
  [-] Detailed design
  [-] Coding and debugging
  [-] Unit testing
  [-] Integration testing
  [-] Integration
  [-] System testing
  [-] Corrective maintenance

Common software metaphors

  * Fred Brooks (1995) says writing software is like writing a letter
  * David Gries (1981) says writing software is a science
  * Donald Knuth (1998) says writing software is an art
  * Watts Humphrey (1989) says writing software is a process
  * P.J. Plauger (2000) says writing software is like driving a car
  * Alistar Cockburn (2002) says writing software is a game
  * Eric Raymond (200) says writing software is like a bazaar and a cathedral
  * Andy Hunt says writing software is like gardening
  * Paul Heckel (1994) says writing software is like filming Snow White and the 7 dwarfs

Key points:

  [-] Requirements changes cost 20-100 times as much in the stages following construction as they do earlier
  [-] Every programming language has strengths and weakness. Be aware of the specific strengths and weakness of the language you're using
  [-] The number 7 has been found to be a number of discrete items a person can remember while performing other tasks (Miller 1956)

====== Routines ======

  * A function like cosine() is perfectly cohesive because the whole routine does only one function.
  * A function like cosineandtan() has lower cohesion because it tries to do more than one thing.
  * The goal is to have each routine do one thing well and nothing else.

====== Performance ======

  * Performance is only one aspect of overall software quality, and it's usually not the most important.
  * Quantitative measurement is a key to maximizing performing. It's needed to find the areas in which performance improvements will really count.

====== Management ======

  * Programming work is essentially unsupervisable because no one ever really knows what you're working on. Your employer can't force you to be a good programmer, a lot of time your employer isn't event in a position to judge whether you are good. If you want to be good or great, you are responsible for making yourself great. It's a matter of your personal character.

====== References ======

===== Software requirements =====

  * Wiegers, Karl. Software Requirements, Microsoft Press.
    * Practical focused book that describes the nuts and bolts of requirements activities, including elicitation, analysis, specification, validation and management.
  * Robertson, Suzane, James Robertson, Mastering the requirements process
    * This is a good alternative to Wiegers' book for the more advanced requirements practitioner.
  * Gilb, Tom. Competitive Engineering Reading
    * This book describes Gilb's requirements language, known as "Planguage", the book covers gilb's specific apporach to requirements engineering, design, evaluation and evolutionary project management.

Other good alternatives are:

  * Lausaesen, Soren, Software Requirements: Styles and Techniques 2002
  * Kovitz, Benjamin L. Practical Software Requirements: A manual of content and Style.
  * Cockburn, Alistair. Writing Effective Use Cases
  * No Silver Bullets: Essence and Accidents of Software Engineering
  * Plauger P.J. Programming on Purpose: Essays on Software Design

===== Software design =====

  * Plauger, P.J. Programming on Purpose: Essays on Software design.
  * Jon Bentley, "A small matter of programming"

===== Performance =====

  * Bentley, Englewood Cliffs, Writing efficient programs

===== Management =====

  * Gilb, Tom. Principles of software engineering management.

===== Psychology =====

  * Dijkstra Edsger, "The Humble Programmer"
  * The Psychology of Computer Programming