Software engineering is an important element of the compact/spice modeling. Learning a new programming language always is fun and there are many great books legally available for free online. Here’s a selection of 30 of them:
Lisp/Scheme:
How to Desing Programs
Let Over Lambda
On Lisp
Practical Common Lisp
Programming in Emacs Lisp
Programming Languages. Application and Interpretation (suggested by Alex Ott)
Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs
Teach Yourself Scheme in Fixnum Days
Visual LISP Developer’s Bible (suggested by skatterbrainz)
Ruby:
Data Structures and Algorithms with Object-Oriented Design Patterns in Ruby
Learn to Program
MacRuby: The Definitive Guide
Mr. Neighborly’s Humble Little Ruby Book (suggested by @tundal45)
Programming Ruby
Ruby Best Practices
Ruby on Rails Tutorial Book (suggested by @tundal45)
Javascript:
Building iPhone Apps with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
Eloquent Javascript
jQuery Fundamentals
Haskell:
Learn You a Haskell for Great Good
Real World Haskell
Erlang:
Concurrent Programming in Erlang
Learn You Some Erlang for Great Good
Python:
Dive into Python
How to Think Like a Computer Scientist – Learning with Python
Smalltalk:
Dynamic Web Development with Seaside
Pharo by Example (based on the next book in this list, suggested by Anonymous)
Squeak by Example
Misc:
Algorithms
The Art of Assembly Language
Beginning Perl
Building Accessible Websites (suggested by Joe Clark)
The C Book
Compiler Construction
Dive Into HTML 5 (suggested by @til)
Learn Prolog Now!
Objective-C 2.0 Essentials
Programming Scala
Of course there are many more free programming eBooks, but this list consists of the ones I read or want(ed) to read. This is far from comprehensive and languages that are completely missing are mostly left out on purpose (e.g. PHP, C++, Java). I’m sure somebody else made a list for them somewhere.
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