Are Old Programming Books Still Useful?
Asked by
BookLover42
As an academic librarian, I'm currently sorting through our collection as part of a weeding project to get rid of old physical materials that aren't being borrowed. I'm curious about the relevance of older textbooks on programming languages. Do you think it's worth keeping some of these books, or are they mostly outdated? I'm looking to gather insights from professionals since this is not my area of expertise. Note that these books aren't currently used as textbooks by any professors.
Answers
I'd suggest retaining anything related to fundamental concepts, like game programming or algorithm construction. You can use resources like the TIOBE index to see how popular certain languages still are. But if the book is just teaching a specific version of a language, that's a red flag; those often become obsolete really quickly.
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Most programming books are pretty much outdated as soon as they’re published. The only exception might be books that cover fundamental CS concepts, like algorithms and data structures, which remain relevant regardless of language updates. It's more about keeping theoretical books that enlighten upon programming practices than specific language guides.
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I quickly scanned the collection, and here's what I think: you should probably ditch any Java books since they are likely outdated. On the other hand, Lisp books can stay because they don't change much. Also, specific language manuals like Turbo C or the JavaScript definitive guide are usually safe to toss. But keep the books that cover algorithms and general computer science topics since they remain relevant over time.
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Old programming books do tend to become outdated quickly, often before they even hit the shelves! However, when it comes to theory or general computer science concepts—like algorithms or architecture—they often still hold value. In my experience, older textbooks can be better than newer ones because they often dive deep into foundational ideas that newer books skip. But to really assess their value, someone with solid expertise would need to review them individually.
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After looking at the photos, most of the books seem outdated and not really useful anymore. However, some might have good historical context. If you can find the same information online or in newer formats, I'd say let them go. But books related to historical programming events—like those symposiums—might still be of interest for research.
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