Secrets of the Rock Star Programmers: Riding the It Crest

I found this book a great read for a variety of reasons. I don't have an IT background but I enjoy reading about groundbreakers and top performers in any field -- hence my interest in the book. The author does a great job of getting at why these folks are RockStars and how they all think about programming and software. But it also does a great job of getting at the issues they face that we all share -- how do I keep up with the deluge of information in my field, how do I stay current with trends and changes in the industry, how do I maintain a work/life balance, etc? And for those with an IT background, there is some very technical information as well. And with the great interview with Weird Al at the end, there is something here for everyone. You'll find value in this book if you don't know COBOL from Ajax, are in CS 101, or are a 20 year industry veteran.

First off, you'll have to forgive this book for the title. Using the term "Rock Star Programmers" is just a piece of techie humor that was probably used to sell the book. The problem is, any non-techie that sees you reading it will probably think you're an egotistical chic-geek. Inside the cover, however, is a wealth of information from various programmers across the industry. What these folks have to say about the software industry's *past* is extremely relevant for budding programmers and the people that have to manage them (and understand them). The author asks each of his subjects what they see coming in the next cycle of technology, but those answers are always vague. It's the observation of the industry's past successes and failures that gives the real answers, and the author flushed that out pretty well. I also think the author did a decent job getting a variety of people for his interviews. There are gurus, company guys, program managers, pure coders, etc. I don't know the exact coding languages or frameworks of 75% of the subjects, but it doesn't matter. Software is software and there are enough Microsoft, Java, C, and open source guys to avoid any support to the idea that any one technology is best. The book does a good job of not making the reader feel they need to do more research to understand the conversation. And the last chapter of a "real" rock star was still a nice touch, regardless that some other reviewers that didn't get the humor. Overall, I'd say this is a good book to read if you are trying to learn what the software industry is about or you've been charged with the tasks of managing the technical direction for your project or firm for the first time.

I am not a full time programmer but I am in charge of a programming team who must trust that I know what I'm talking about when I suggest different approaches and different technologies. Even though the only code that I can get working on my own in a number of languages is a 'Hello World' script, I must still be able to provide insight on the programming for our application. This is not easy when most of the books on programming are filled with code. In order to stay current, I try to get my hands on whatever accessible content there is. 'Dreaming in Code' by Scott Rosenberg wasn't bad. The author did the best he could to make the building of a PIM read like a John Grisham novel. But the focus was narrow and it took me longer than expected to get through. Not the case with 'Secrets of the Rock Star Programmer.' This book has 14 interviews with top programmers who discuss what they were thinking when they each decided to change the world. Thankfully there's no code. But it's clearly written by a programmer and for programmers. Much was over my head but I'd rather have more in-depth, detailed info than something that was made for the lowest common denominator. There's a pretty neat chart in the back that indexes the commonly asked questions with each subject and that makes it easier than a traditional index in finding sections that are relevant. Another cool feature is how the author points out the 'character attributes' of his subjects along with his own 'observations' in a sidebar at various points. My first read-through basically consisted of just reading these. The bottom line is that there aren't many books that I can read that provide a thorough overview of the programming world. I browse the computer shelves at the bookstore every week looking for something like this, usually to no avail. Im glad I picked this one up when it appeared. Im putting it on my shelf beside 'Designing Interactions' which does for interface design what 'Secrets of the Rockstar Programmers' does for programming.