As 2011 approaches its end, as usual, I copy-paste the links to some of the most interesting, most over-the-top, most random and most obscure stuff I read on the internet (in English) throughout the year, in case you desperately need some reading material for dark and long evenings. Much (but not all) of the more opinionated stuff is the kind that I strongly agree with. Note to self: in 2012 read stuff that challenges, rather than reinforces your biases. (Previous links). So here it goes:
Motivation, lighter stuff
Ribbonfarm: In the real world. Also.
Hanging out with a different crowd.
Xamuel: ways to be more present.
Anonymous psychedelic experience.
Ribbonfarm: being an illegible person.
Interesting observations, more substantial stuff
Ribbonfarm: Bargaining with your right brain.
Daniel Mendelsohn: Arthur Rimbaud’s brief career.
Idlewords: Rocket to Nowhere – the story of the Shuttle.
Roger Ebert on why he hates 3D movies.
Ribbonfarm: The Milo criterion.
Essay of N.N. Taleb, a summary of his ideas.
Idlewords: The social graph is neither.
Idlewords: Argentina – on two steaks a day.
RIP Steve Jobs. Eulogy by Mona Simpson and by ESR.
Startups, Business, Programming
Ribbonfarm: the end of the Middle Class.
Tips for contract work on websites from a Reddit comment.
Raganwald: You need a degree for BigCo.
Joel: Architecture Astronouts.
Some of us just like to program.
Apenwarr: Interoperability, robustness, etc..
Two essays pointing out a pragmatic way towards startups.
Two other pieces of pragmatic advice on a similar topic.
The Gervais principle or office life according to The Office.
Steve Yegge: Code’s worst enemy.
Life at Google, life at Amazon, and a glimpse of both.
Don’t call yourself a programmer.
Maths, Research
Terence Tao: Problem solving strategies.
Michael Nielsen: Open access – a summary.
Humorous
Two pieces lightly poking fun at Paul Graham.
How to criticize a computer scientist?
As a bonus, here are the best books I’ve read in 2011:
