Software Engineering Classics (Programming General) by Steve Maguire, Jim McCarthy, and Steve McConnell

Software Engineering Classics (Programming General)

Features

Cover Type: Paperback with 712 pages

Published by: Microsoft Pr October 1998

Written in: English

ISBN 10 Number: 0735605971

ISBN 13 Number: 978-0735605978

Book Dimensions: 10 x 7.8 x 2.5 inches

Weighs: 3.8 pounds

Product Review
This three-book set includes Steve Maguire's Debugging the Development Process, Jim McCarthy's Dynamics of software Development, and Steve McConnell's Software Project Survival Guide. Together, these books convey the field knowledge of three experienced development-team leaders. Anyone planning to participate in a software project, particularly as a manager, should read these books.

Debugging the Development Process shows how Microsoft goes about creating, writing, testing, and improving products. Maguire always keeps one eye on the product's purpose--as well as the purpose of the company--as he offers valuable advice on how to design and build software products that are efficient in terms of time and money. The book is full of design philosophy, including entertaining passages on conflicts between marketing people and developers. (The LAYOFF parable, the highly ominous Excel macro that almost was, is amusing).

Dynamics of software Development explores the crazy mix of creativity, intelligence, technical skill, and general humanity that makes up a software development team. Such groups require special handling in order for them to yield good products. McCarthy offers a bromide-rich explanation of techniques he's used (again, at Microsoft) to hire bright people, motivate them, stave off burnout, and still get the product out the door on time. His advice is sound and should prove invaluable--even if your development team consists of one person.

Because software development is inherently complex and developers often must attempt to satisfy shifting goals, even successful, well-managed software projects have a death-march aspect to them. Software Project Survival Guide explains what you can do to make building software enjoyable and rewarding, not just survivable. McConnell goes heavy on hints, tips, and checklists of things you can implement now to create a better development team. --David Wall

Book Description
In an exclusive limited offering, three revered software development classics get reissued in special boxed edition-just in time for the '98 holiday season! This "Best Practices" triad is the ideal reference set for the software engineer, developer, project leader, or technical manager. It features software Project Survival Guide by Steve McConnell, Dynamics of software Development by Jim McCarthy, and Debugging the Development Process by Steve Maguire. Each of these bestselling titles has earned high critical acclaim-in fact, Maguire's and McConnell's books both won the prestigious Jolt! Cola Award. The "Best Practices" series emphasizes practical, process-oriented techniques and timeless tips. As a boxed set, these software ENGINEERING CLASSICS will provide limitless years of service!

Reader Reviews
Technical books are often preachy. 'This is the ONLY way to this. You've been doing this wrong ALL your life.' We've all read one of those. These three books are like gentle friends discussing what one might need/want to do to survive successfully through a software project. My favorite book out of the trio is the Survival Guide. It has all sorts of checklists I have been able to modify for use in my projects. Additional support/tools is/are offered through the author's website. I like the 'contingency planning' aspect that this book offers, and a lot of others miss. A great read overall. I didn't sleep at all through this one. ;) Comment | | (Report this)

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Updated on 6-4-2008.