Laage reviewed Once upon an Algorithm by Martin Erwig
"Picture a computer scientist, staring at a screen and clicking away frantically on a keyboard, …
Review of 'Once upon an Algorithm' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
Excellent idea, but lacking in execution.
The idea of using stories as examples of algorithms is good, but I feel that the author tends to get too focused on the details of the algorithms discussed and therefore risks losing the intended audience.
The accompanying PDF is mostly useless if you're not listening to the audiobook near a computer or has a hard copy accessible at all times where you can refer to it directly. I'm listening to the audiobook while driving which makes this impossible. Most of the diagrams are just listed with number and no accompanying text. A simple paragraph explaining each example or diagram would make it useful as a reminder/lookup at a later time as well.
Using the concept of music as a language is a good idea and a natural for an audiobook - and completely squandered as not a single note is played. I understand that reproducing an entire song would probably require hefty licensing fees, but it should be possible to use a 10 or 15 second sample under the fair use doctrine. Or choose a song which is in the public domain - though that would of course de-couple it from the Wizard of Oz.
The idea of using stories as examples of algorithms is good, but I feel that the author tends to get too focused on the details of the algorithms discussed and therefore risks losing the intended audience.
The accompanying PDF is mostly useless if you're not listening to the audiobook near a computer or has a hard copy accessible at all times where you can refer to it directly. I'm listening to the audiobook while driving which makes this impossible. Most of the diagrams are just listed with number and no accompanying text. A simple paragraph explaining each example or diagram would make it useful as a reminder/lookup at a later time as well.
Using the concept of music as a language is a good idea and a natural for an audiobook - and completely squandered as not a single note is played. I understand that reproducing an entire song would probably require hefty licensing fees, but it should be possible to use a 10 or 15 second sample under the fair use doctrine. Or choose a song which is in the public domain - though that would of course de-couple it from the Wizard of Oz.