Previous discussions with notable engagement:<p>- Feb 2023, 284pts, 64 comments: <<a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34946811">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34946811</a>><p>- March 2023, 115pts, 37 comments: <<a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35338074">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35338074</a>><p>- April 2021, 507pts, 172 comments: <<a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26911399">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26911399</a>><p>- September 2017, 427pts, 79 comments: <<a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15198093">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15198093</a>><p>Worth noting that there are changes on a regular basis: <<a href="https://github.com/beejjorgensen/bgc" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/beejjorgensen/bgc</a>>
I learned about beej when I started the Vortex wargame on OverTheWire (<a href="https://overthewire.org/wargames/vortex/vortex0.html" rel="nofollow">https://overthewire.org/wargames/vortex/vortex0.html</a>). I emailed him about an error in the part about loops, and he told me he'd fix it, but never did. Only years later when I got nostalgic and went to reread that part of his guide, did I realize there had never been a bug, I'd simply misunderstood the code, and he had humored me.<p>I'm such a huge beej fan.
This is a better link as it provides more formats, including ones that (unlike PDF) work well on mobile: <a href="https://beej.us/guide/bgc/" rel="nofollow">https://beej.us/guide/bgc/</a>
Beej is an incredible author. His networking guide is not only succinct and informative, it's also very funny. He's got a great writing style.<p>There was a thread a month or two back showing off some more of his guides, including this one. Going to download some of these for a long flight coming up. Huge thank you to Beej for the incredibly high quality content at no cost. There's also a paperback of at least the network programming guide available to support (great gift to give to a junior engineer).
Beej's guides are great. As for C, you also need the mandatory companion guide: A Guide to Undefined Behavior in C and C++ (<a href="https://blog.regehr.org/archives/213" rel="nofollow">https://blog.regehr.org/archives/213</a>).
Here's another guide to C, from a slightly different angle, that I've been working on for a while:<p><a href="https://github.com/codr7/hacktical-c" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/codr7/hacktical-c</a>
If you're ever in Bend, beej shows up at these events pretty regularly: <a href="https://www.meetup.com/deschutes-tech-guild/" rel="nofollow">https://www.meetup.com/deschutes-tech-guild/</a>
Help me understand what is so “great” about a writing style that reads like a couple of tech bros cracking jokes next to a water cooler, please?<p>That, “You” language spread all over the text to the point that I’ll almost take programming too personally!<p>The only missing overabundance in the text is that of memes and emojis in it’s style.<p>Is it oh-so-very “accessible?”<p>Is it a “very conversational” style?<p>Is it so-very “TLDR” over “RTFM?”<p>Is it a late-night talk show?<p>Is it the M&M’s of technical writing for distracted kids?