If you want to be a solid programmer, I have great news for you: now there’s an easy way to learn computer science. And learning just the basics will dramatically transform your career.
It’s no coincidence many tech founders (like Mark Zuckerberg) were computer science students. Once you master computer science, you’ll have the computational mind that powers rockstar tech entrepreneurs—and you’ll also become a much more interesting hire for elite companies.
Apple, IBM, Twitter and other giants are pouring big bucks to help people learn computer science. In 2016 alone, 100 leading tech companies pledged to invest over 100 million dollars in computer science education. These companies really need more people with computer science skills… and it’s only getting harder to find them.
Computer science demand is exploding
The US Department of Labor predicted there will be 1.4 million computer science jobs by 2020—but only enough people to fill 30% of these jobs. These startling numbers are even being picked up by the mainstream media:
“Tech Companies Work to Combat Computer Science Education Gap”
“Silicon Valley could hire every American with high-tech skills and it would still have hundreds of thousands of unfilled jobs.”
Faced with such alarming news, many are pushing computer science education even into elementary school. The world desperately needs more people that understand computer science:
“At Facebook we literally hire as many talented engineers as we can find. There just aren’t enough people who are trained and have these skills today.”
This lack of people with computer science skills isn’t felt only in the United States. I have friends who run tech startups in Latin America and Europe, and they keep telling me how hard it is to hire good programmers. Most candidates they interview do know how to code, but have no knowledge of computer science. And senior programmers all agree: computer science literacy is a necessity.
Why computer science is essential
- Computer science teaches you the solutions to common problems that arise when coding. It’s much easier to deal with a problem if you’ve seen similar ones before.
- Computer science trains you to capture problems with math. It’ll make you code in smarter ways, and save you from feeling confused when dealing with complex problems.
- The “time complexity” trick will enable you to solve huge problems—by understanding the time your computer takes to crack them down. It tells you how your code will run with inputs of hundreds, millions, or billions of items. No more waiting and wondering.
- Computer science drills you with problem solving strategies. Once you master them, you can tackle most types of computing problems. You’ll feel like a general who’s ready to destroy any opponent. Heck, you’ll even be eager to find tough problems to beat!
If computer science is really all that great, why don’t more people study it? Well, they try… computer science is within the top 10 most popular degrees. But there’s a catch: it’s really hard to learn computer science in universities. They teach it in a very complicated and rigorous way. It’s good for people who want to become academic researchers—not commercial software developers. That’s why computer science students are some of the most likely to drop out of college. According to The Telegraph, computer science has the highest dropout rate: 11% give up.
Moreover, practical books on computer science are rare. You’ll only find lengthy and boring academic textbooks. Non-academics shouldn’t struggle to learn from these sources. Beginners deserve to learn computer science in an easy, fun and straightforward way. That’s where I come in.
Let me introduce myself…
Hi! My name is Wladston, and I have a master’s degree in computer science. I love academic work: my research was published in several prestigious conferences. But I have to admit: learning computer science from traditional textbooks was tough. How on Earth can anyone who’s not a full-time academic researcher learn from these books? No wonder most people don’t learn even the basics of computer science.
That’s why I took on the challenge to create a different computer science book, from scratch. Along the years, I collected and simplified computer science points every programmer must know—ditching the rigor and formality of academia. Now, I’m proud to finally show you the result of my work.
It’s called Computer Science Distilled, and it’s the missing book on the principles of computation for ordinary programmers. It avoids the complexity coders don’t need. It gets the main points across.
Imagine how empowering it would feel to understand the important concepts all senior programmers abide by. This book makes it easy and enjoyable for you to do so—no burnouts, no exhaustion or frustration from academic jargon!
It’s a short book, written in plain, basic English. It presents ideas in their simplest form. It focuses on practical aspects of computer science that matter most: everyday things that directly impact the quality of your code.
“I loved it! Super easy and fun approach to computer science.”
“A great introduction to computer science, covering a lot of topics with a friendly tone. I don’t recall having so much joy reading about the essentials of computing. Absolutely recommended.”
Besides making you a better programmer, Computer Science Distilled can boost your career in several ways:
have your code appreciated, not dashed
It’s super frustrating to have someone reviewing your code, just to tell you it’s broken or poorly built. It’s like getting a bad mark on that assignment you worked so hard on. Junior coders constantly get ruthlessly criticized by senior programmers. Learning the features and different forms of expression offered by your programming language, you can acquire the experience required to write great code, faster. Computer Science Distilled shows you how to use idiomatic features of programming languages, and write clear and meaningful code that sets the standard.
shine in programming interviews
Many coders fall prey to tricky job interview questions. Without any prior knowledge of problems commonly discussed in these interviews, even geniuses can tank. If you learn the basics of these problems before your interviews, that can dramatically improve your performance. You’ll feel confident to discuss these common problems. And you’ll impress the interviewer with your thorough answers!
connect with experienced coders
Doesn’t it feel great to talk to people the same way they’re used to talk? Once you internalize the basics of computer science, that’ll happen automatically in your workplace. You won’t feel lost and out of place, as most beginners do. Work will feel more natural. You’ll communicate your ideas using the same terms experienced engineers use. People notice that: your colleagues will feel you’re an “insider”, who knows the drill and can be trusted. Without external help it can take a long time for that to happen. Computer Science Distilled gets you off the starting blocks.
be proud of your code
Once you’re familiar with how programmers separate code that handles input/output code from problem-solving code, you’ll naturally and effortlessly begin to organize your code in modular, reusable ways. Your code will be easier to understand. You’ll feel like a great architect, proudly looking at the structure of your creations. And your colleagues will be thrilled to work with your code!
don’t be scared of database systems
There’s a database system behind every commercial piece of software. Computer Science Distilled gives you a basic knowledge of databases, so you can have a complete understanding of the system you’re working on. It lays out the key aspects involved in choosing the adequate type of database for each different scenario. Having a basic understanding of every aspect of your software project, you’ll be on top of your game. In some cases, you might even identify points of improvement in flimsy database systems, and discuss those with your team.
master your craft
People see computers as black boxes that work in magic and mysterious ways. They expect you to be the dude that knows this stuff. That’s why you need to understand how your tools work. Your computer is much more than just a gadget… it’s a wonderful piece of engineering. It feels great to grasp the splendor of its inner workings. In doing so, you become more prepared to take on any programming challenge, and to improve and optimize mission-critical code.
Computer Science Distilled will teach you how to tackle common problems, and how to tackle big problems. It will show you numerous ways to manage data in memory, and introduce you to the essential mechanics of computers and programming languages. By applying the stuff you’ll learn, you can communicate and work with other programmers much more efficiently. You can become a rockstar programmer.
Love it or steal it
I really want you to comfortably give this book a try. So I’m making it risk-free with my “love it or steal it” guarantee. If you don’t feel Computer Science Distilled helped you substantially into becoming a better programmer, I can’t accept your money. For whatever reason, even no reason at all, simply send me an email up to 100 days after your purchase—and I’ll instantly rush a full refund of every penny you paid. I’m so confident you’ll love this book, that in the unlikely event that you don’t, you don’t even need to mail it back—the book is yours to keep for giving it a fair try. No hard feelings.
And once you decide to try the book, I want you to have the best reading experience. That’s why I’m making it available in two formats: hardcover print, and digital. The digital version includes PDF, Mobi and ePub versions. They will all be delivered to your email instantly—meaning you’ll start improving your programming skills within minutes. And you’ll have a great reference e-book in your computer and e-readers, that can be quickly consulted at all times.
Ebooks are great, but we know people still love good ol’ books. You can bookmark it, annotate it, and show it to your friends. The Computer Science Distilled hardcover will look amazing on your desk at work, or on your bookshelf at home. But if you’re an exclusive digital reader, you can choose to purchase just the digital version with a big discount.
Option 1: Digital only
For the minimalists who prefer reading books on a screen. You can get the PDF, Mobi and ePub versions for just $19, while still enjoying the full 100-day money back guarantee.
Option 2: Digital + Hardcover
For $39, you’ll get a link to download Computer Science Distilled in PDF, Mobi and ePub formats instantly delivered to your email—and also get a high-quality, hardcover copy of the book delivered to your doorstep. This price includes free worldwide shipping and full 100-day money back guarantee.
P.S.
Whatever you choice, your purchase is really risk-free. I’m confident I did a pretty good job with this book, and that it will really help you. If for whatever reason you feel the book isn’t for you, just send me an email within 100 days, and I’ll issue you a full refund—no questions asked—and you even get to keep the book! When was the last time you were offered a book on these terms?
P.P.S.
That’s a brand new book—that’s why I’m offering it with this crazy warranty and free shipping—I want to get a lot of reader feedback now. This special offer might not last long. If I were you, I’d get this book today ;)