On: Learn C The Hard Way

[zedshaw]

I'm glad you got so much about how my book is written from a few paragraphs in an unfinished manuscript for it.

[speckledjim → zedshaw]

You should stop thinking everyone is attacking you. I think you'd be happier.

Really though, there's no content here. The fact it's been voted to #1 on hackernews shows just how bad things are.

Items should be upvoted on their merit, rather than who did them. Someone writing another book about programming C isn't newsworthy.

[rfrey → speckledjim]

Someone writing another book about programming C isn't newsworthy

However, "someone who wrote a ground-breaking introductory book in xyz modern-popular-hip language is turning his attention to C, of all things" is newsworthy.

[speckledjim → rfrey]

I had to stop reading at "ground breaking". I'll assume you're being sarcastic and leave it at that :)

[thebooktocome → speckledjim]

I don't really understand your comment.

1. The post is about Zed's draft; is it really so far of a leap to interpret hp's remarks as a criticism of the book?

2. Is this a fair paraphrase? "Everyone here isn't attacking you, also, your draft sucks and shouldn't have been posted on HN."

[brown9-2 → thebooktocome]

I think hp is making more of a comment about the general state of C books rather than this one.

[baha_man → thebooktocome]

' Is this a fair paraphrase? "Everyone here isn't attacking you, also, your draft sucks and shouldn't have been posted on HN."'

No, it's not. speckledjim is complaining that someone writing another book on C is not news, he doesn't say anything about the draft sucking.

[thebooktocome → baha_man]

Implied by "Really though, there's no content here." Maybe they meant the comments, though.

[TWAndrews → thebooktocome]

I think he's referring to this topic, rather than the draft.

[speckledjim → thebooktocome]

1. I agree 2. He didn't post it someone else did, and no, I don't think it should have been posted.

[Goladus → speckledjim]

If you know a really good beginner-oriented C programming book that is not K&R I would love to see it.

[nonrecursive → Goladus]

I've really liked http://www.amazon.com/C-Programming-Modern-Approach-2nd/dp/0...

[there → Goladus]

"practical c programming" is not bad: http://amzn.to/m6SOB5

[hp → zedshaw]

I was just going off on a generic tangent, obviously I don't know what your book will be like. Just talking about C since it's 1am and vaguely on-topic.

[Confusion → zedshaw]

He is not criticising you; he's criticising what others that undertook this kind of project have done.

[brianmatter → zedshaw]

hey, you don't know me or shite, but you're a fucking cool guy. probably the most generous dude i've ever not met. cheers!

[bonch → zedshaw]

Hey, Zed, can you tell us all how much we're losers because we don't get as many blog post hits as you? The irony was a big hit last time.

[jnburham → bonch]

Reference: http://www.reddit.com/r/programming/comments/hhef3/in_which_...