Understanding Software, Max KanatAlexander
Understanding Software, Max KanatAlexander
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Understanding Software
Max Kanat-Alexander on simplicity, coding, and how to suck less as a programmer

Author: Max Kanat-Alexander

Narrator: Steve Menasche

Unabridged: 6 hr 4 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Ascent Audio

Published: 06/28/2019


Synopsis

In Understanding Software, Max Kanat-Alexander, Technical Lead for Code Health at Google, shows you how to bring simplicity back to computer programming. Max explains to you why programmers suck, and how to suck less as a programmer. There's just too much complex stuff in the world. Complex stuff can't be used, and it breaks too easily. Complexity is stupid. Simplicity is smart.

Understanding Software covers many areas of programming, from how to write simple code to profound insights into programming, and then how to suck less at what you do! You'll discover the problems with software complexity, the root of its causes, and how to use simplicity to create great software. You'll examine debugging like you've never done before, and how to get a handle on being happy while working in teams.

Max brings a selection of carefully crafted essays, thoughts, and advice about working and succeeding in the software industry, from his legendary blog Code Simplicity. Max has crafted forty-three essays which have the power to help you avoid complexity and embrace simplicity, so you can be a happier and more successful developer.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Rootul on January 14, 2021

I would not recommend this book. The author was the maintainer of an outdated issue tracking software and shares some not so insightful advice. Insightful takeaways: - Make developers feel appreciated. Be kind. - Make it easy for developers to get started. Include getting started documentation and labe......more

Goodreads review by Sloan on May 02, 2019

Very easy and short read with some geberal good info about the practice of writing software. Don't expect anything too in depth here as it seems primarily a collection of the author's blog posts.......more

Goodreads review by Carlos on November 17, 2017

Some very nice and clearly explained concepts of software design, explained in a conversational tone. I finally put my hands in a book about software design principles that does not put me to sleep, and that I actually did finish. Definitely, worth a read for any software developer out there!......more

Goodreads review by Chris on July 31, 2021

A very good book on the practice of software development, written to focus not only on good code hygiene, both from a design standpoint (though this is not a design book) and a refactoring process standpoint, but also from a communication standpoint, since authoring software is, more often than not......more

Goodreads review by Masoud on June 17, 2023

This book contains a series of short essays on everything related to Software Engineering. Compared to Max's other book, Code Simplicity, this one is bigger, more comprehensive, and hence, covers more topics. If I had to pick only one thing from the book, it'd be: the difference between an average an......more