(Part 3) Best products from r/AskProgramming

It depends on taste. If you want the taste of functional while having the comfort of your object oriented world available, I'd recommend Scala, as it lets you do functional stuff while remaining sorta in the Java-sphere. A lot of people just use Scala as "Better Java". For learning Scala, I'd recommend "The Staircase Book" by Martin Odersky (https://www.amazon.com/Programming-Scala-Comprehensive-Step-Step/dp/0981531644). Looking at the cover, you'll probably figure out why it's known by that name.

If you want to properly try on functional programming, I'd go straight for Haskell with the help of a suitable book. Learn You a Haskell for Great Good is available online at http://learnyouahaskell.com/chapters and should work well enough for the purpose.

One of my classes used Deitel's Internet and the World Wide Web 5th. It's somewhat verbose but covers everything in the course you posted. ^(I've been told that a clever student once found a pdf somewhere on the 'net.)

Mozilla has excellent documentation on web technologies, focusing on the client side (i.e. no servers or databases).

There are too many free online courses on web development to list. Here's one on Coursera. You might also want to look at MIT's OpenCourseWare.

Brush up on the client-server pattern, asynchronous programming, HTTP/TCP/IP, and data interchange formats like JSON.

Find a web developer colleague and ask them questions. Buy them beer afterwards.

Get Chrome or Firefox, open the developer tools, and snoop around the code of your favourite websites. You can made live edits to the HTML, CSS, and Javascript, and see the results instantly applied to the page. You can also see the data the website stores, any network activity it initiates, how well it's performing and how much memory it takes up, etc.

Lastly, feel free to PM me if you have specific questions. I'm an experienced (web) dev and I'd be glad to pass on some knowledge.

I totally agree. I recently learned use ruby/rails for Web Development, so I would recommend that over python/django (worked with python for a couple years). I found, after doing a few tutorials online, that a great way to practice is to use your newfound skills to solve problems from Project Euler (projecteuler.net). Ruby is a very easy to read language, and gives you a good programming base. I would also recommend reading this book by Sandi Metz (Practical Object-Oriented Design in Ruby: An Agile Primer (Addison-Wesley Professional Ruby) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0096BYG7C/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_gQcFxbTMY5RDA). It's great for applying Ruby (and really any other language) and applying it well.

Something I've found super helpful: I recently had to get glasses; not a strong prescription, but enough that I needed lens to drive. Anyway, I'm a programmer as well and you can get a blue light filter built into the lens material. http://www.allaboutvision.com/cvs/blue-light.htm (for info on blue light) And even if you don't need prescription glasses you can buy blue light filter glasses. Something like these: https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Light-Blocking-Glasses-Registered/dp/B010B5GUH0?th=1

Use the glasses anytime you are looking at a screen. Whether it's your phone, tv, or computer monitor. Blue light is part of what prevents you from sleeping well. Like if you look at your phone before bed, it can wake up your brain even though you are tired. Since I've had my glasses, I've fallen asleep faster and gotten better sleep. Like I used to wake up a few times a night, roll over, then fall back asleep. I usually don't wake up anymore...except in the morning when my alarm clock goes off.

TL;DR I'm nocturnal too, get blue light filter lens and it will help you sleep easier at night.

Just a few ideas...

• Nerdy stuff from ThinkGeek.
  
• A Raspberry Pi kit, if you think he'd be into tinkering with hardware.
  
• It's probably going to be more than $70, but a nice mechanical keyboard is a great gift. Das Keyboard, Code, and Logitech G710+ are safe choices.
  
• Book-wise, consider Code. It's a classic for every programmer to read.

I can recommend this (free) course:
https://www.udacity.com/course/intro-to-artificial-intelligence--cs271

You certainly dont need a degree (it helps of course) but most you need is dedication and perserverance.

In regards to math you need a good (more than)-basic understanding of statistics, linear algebra, algorithms and you also need to develop good data analysis skills.

If you want to get serious with AI this book is fantastic (atleast it helped(still does) me alot): https://www.amazon.com/Artificial-Intelligence-Modern-Approach-3rd/dp/0136042597/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1506722436&sr=8-2&keywords=artificial+intelligence+a+modern

and by the way check out this thread maybe:
https://www.reddit.com/r/artificial/comments/6cnlr6/monthly_how_to_get_started_with_ai_thread/

Useful and fun is a hard intersection ;-)
I've found one of these to be incredibly useful:
https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Trackball-Computer-Mouse/dp/B0043T7FXE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1485322629&sr=8-2&keywords=logitech+trackman
In terms of dealing with wrist strain/mice calluses.
Philips hue lightbulbs are pretty fun and can also be programmed.

I don't know of any laptop you'd want to keep for 6-7 years. You'd be better off buying a $1000 laptop every 3 years. Even at that price point you can get excellent machines and you skip the problem of having outdated hardware. Take a look at this Zenbook. Computers today have much better SSDs, faster RAM, better peripherals, more power efficient CPUs and better GPUs than those 2-3 years ago.

Can you use infrared cameras?

Infrared stickers will be bright if u have an ir led lighting your setup, regardless of what the background does.

This is actually what alot of modern computer vision solutions do.

From drones throwing sticks to each other:
https://youtu.be/XxFZ-VStApo

To mark rober making a dartboard that auto-correct for a throw in real time:
https://youtu.be/MHTizZ_XcUM

Just use an exacto-knife to make a non-ir mask for your stickers with some paper and then you can use your patterns..just in black and white IR :p as u can imagine, that makes it simpler and the ir camera reacts to heat...not light so as long as your background involves something like LEDs or anything else that doesn't heat up, it'll work like a charm

Here's a 1MP one for 40 bucks that should do the trick:

ELP 1megapixel Day Night Vision Indoor&outdoor Cctv Usb Dome Housing Camera Vandal-proof for House and Pc Industrial Security.cctv Camera for Baby Monitor, Pets Monitor,home Security https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VFLWOC0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_rRAzCbSDE9AC7

• Write better code (this is essentially the bible, language independent):
  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Clean-Code-Handbook-Software-Craftsmanship/dp/0132350882
  
  
• Excellent books to prepare for interviews:
  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cracking-Coding-Interview-6th-Programming/dp/0984782850/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1452714513&sr=1-1&keywords=cracking+the+coding+interview
  
  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Introduction-Algorithms-T-Cormen/dp/0262533057/ref=pd_sim_14_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=41IHvtO0IxL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR142%2C160_&refRID=1FYKB42A12RXEDF1ZF1V
  
  
• Go get involved with large open source projects on GitHub using the languages you want to be working in.
  
  
• All of these will make you a better programmer. Anyone can look up how to do any of these data structures, the true knowledge is knowing WHEN to use them to proper effect.

Before you look into trying to optimize your code, beyond the basics anyway, I think it's more important to learn how to write readable and maintainable code first. Code that is easier to change, maintain, and write, is much much better than code that runs slightly faster.

Two books that are highly recommended for this are Code Complete and Clean Code.

> 1366x768

Surely this is a typo? This is a 7th gen i7 laptop with a 720p screen?

But even if it's a 1080p screen like I think it is, no, this is not a good deal, at all. I would consider it a "bad" or "borderline awful" deal.

• You can still buy this laptop in this configuration new for $869.
  
  
• This laptop is almost 2 years old (released Jan 2017). I would not buy a used, 2 year old Windows laptop for any more than 50% of the list price. Too much can and does go wrong, especially in non-premium laptops.
  
  
• It's an older generation processor, which normally isn't a huge deal, but the 8th generation Intel CPUs offer huge bumps in performance over the 7th gen ones.
  
  
• Don't know if it's at all important to you, but that GPU will be pretty useless if you were hoping to play games in your downtime.

A couple of books:

The Number Devil. Fantastic book.
The Phantom Tollboth. Fantasticer book.

Lego is always on the top of my list. No toy cultivates STEM skills like the creative practice of playing with Lego. Eight is a bit young for a Lego Mindstorms kit and they cost a fortune, but if you're around to supervise you would be Aunt or Uncle of the year. Plain old bucket of bricks is good enough though. Get the younger one some Duplo.

I use this one I guess it is technically a gaming keyboard, but it doesn't really have that look. It's pretty good.

I have a stress ball that's fun to throw at the ceiling. I try to get it as close to the ceiling as possible without touching it. Also, Rubics cubes tend to wear down fast. Get a nice one like this: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q094SIU?psc=1. I have one at my home office and another at my office office. Also, a drinking bird is interesting for a few weeks: http://www.amazon.com/Drinking-Bird-4975-The-Famous/dp/B000JSGLBK

It looks like there's an updated version released in 2013. This is the kind of book I was looking for, thanks :)

Cracking the Coding Interview