Sebastopol, CA-- O'Reilly Media announced today the launch of a new website devoted to the provocative topics in its bestselling new book, Beautiful Code: Leading Programmers Explain How They Think ($44.99 US).
The new, easy-to-use site-- http://beautifulcode.oreillynet.com --gives the public the opportunity to discuss the book's projects and to contribute information about other projects that illustrate coding artistry. The site is designed to build community among new and experienced innovative programmers and designers who are inventing and creating elegant coding solutions now and in the future.
"We hope the book and website work together to promote novel and constructive attitudes toward the design and creation of computer programs," explained Andy Oram, co-editor of Beautiful Code. "We also hope programmers and designers worldwide will come and see what developers are saying about 'Beautiful Code,' and add their own insights."
In the popular new book, 38 legendary software engineers discuss their coding breakthroughs and masterpieces in a series of thought-provoking essays. The authors illuminate the creativity involved in coding, explain the tradeoffs made in application construction, and reveal when it's appropriate to break the rules. The writers' intent is to rouse and inspire a new generation of coders by sharing their secrets for creating elegantly crafted software.
The lead programmer for the Beautiful Code website is Michael Feathers, a popular author and expert in Agile Programming who contributed the chapter "Framework for Integrated Test: Beauty through Fragility."
In a recent post, Feathers writes: "When I was a younger programmer, I felt guilty about being a neat-freak. It was a selective obsession. There I was, sitting in my office with stacks of papers and books covering every available space, but I was oblivious to it. As long as my code looked great, I could shut out the chaos around me: the towering stacks of dead tree that could've toppled and crushed me if I had sneezed."
Feathers continues, "I don't know why I felt bad about being that way, but in retrospect, I think that I felt that I was wasting time caring about neatness in code. It took me a couple of years to figure out that the ergonomics of code matter, and that the time you spend decluttering your code can declutter your thoughts as well."
For coders looking to join an ongoing conversation about their craft, the Beautiful Code website provides a welcoming forum to discuss the real-world challenges they face on the path to proficiency and beauty. Get involved today by visiting, http://beautifulcode.oreillynet.com.
More information about the book, including table of contents, index,author bio, and samples
Beautiful Code: Leading Programmers Explain How They ThinkEdited by Andy Oram, Greg Wilson
ISBN : 0-596-51004-7, $44.99 USD
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