Software Engineering Classics (Programming/General) (Paperback)

by Steve Maguire (Editor), Jim McCarthy (Author), Steve McConnell (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com 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

Product 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!

Product Details

• Paperback: 712 pages
• Publisher: Microsoft Pr (October 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0735605971
• ISBN-13: 978-0735605978
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7.8 x 2.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #138,125 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent mental fodder for Project Managers/Leads, March 9, 1999

By A Customer

Anyone aspiring to be (or in the current position of) project lead or project manager should get this set. These help you understand, accept, and shape to your advantage many of the "soft", human, non-technical factors in software development.

Also - be sure and get "Code Complete" - it is a comprehensive collection (and interpretation) of many of the great ideas from notable gurus such as Yourdon/DeMarco/Constantine, Kernigan & Richie, Dijkstra, Meyer, etc. etc. (plz excuse the spelling errors!) Every programmer needs a copy of "Code Complete" and the companion, "Writing Solid Code". Software Standards and QA groups should use these texts as references and standards.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Three great guides for a Project Manager, July 25, 2001

By	Sumeet Gill (Reston, VA USA) - See all my 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. ;)

9 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Three EXCELLENT software development books... all are a MUST, February 1, 1999

By A Customer

I have read all three of Steve's books, and they ALL are worth ten times their price!

If you are SERIOUS about making software a career, buy this set!