A friend of mine and I were talking today on what the must have books for the trade are.  Here are the rules.

Software topics only.  Too hard to cover both software and hardware in just 7 books.

Any book that promotes a product is not valid.  This is for the purist.  Now, your book choice can provide examples in C or Java or (name your compiler) as long as it is not restricted to just that language.

The categories I would like propose the books must fit into are:

Algorithms

MissouriBob's favorite is Introduction to Algorithms by MIT Press though the Art of Programming by Knuth is a close second.

Security

MissouriBob's choice here might be Applied Cryptography by Bruce Schneier

Database

MissouriBob has no real pick here

Network Communication

MissouriBob's choice is Unix Network Programming by Stevens


Compilers/Languages

MissouriBob has no pick here.


Operating Systems

MissouriBob hesitates to pick Modern Operating Systems - 2nd edition by Tanenbaum



Modeling/Patterns

Design Patterns - Gang of Four (Gamma)




So, for all of you serious comp sci gurus what are your picks?

And a book on how to write software that does not need fucking administrator/root access to run.

Edit -> Principle of Least Privilege

From an historical perspective: The C Programming Language, Brian Kernighan /  Dennis Ritchie.

Quoted: From an historical perspective: The C Programming Language, Brian Kernighan /  Dennis Ritchie.

C is not historical.  It still is the driving force behind most real computing including java.  What do you think most JVM's are written in?

Quoted: Quoted: From an historical perspective: The C Programming Language, Brian Kernighan /  Dennis Ritchie. C is not historical.  It still is the driving force behind most real computing including java.  What do you think most JVM's are written in?

The book, not the language.

ETA: My apologies, this book doesn't meet one of your initial requirements.

Database
An Introduction to Database Systems by C J Date, but if you're going to be using an SQL database, then something SQL-specific would be more effective if your time is limited.

Algorithms
Any of the Sedgewick books in the language that you use.

Using an Operating System (as contrasted to desigining one like the Tanenbaum one)
UNIX System Administration Handbook by Evi Nemeth

C Programming
Advanced Programming in the UNIX Environment by Richard Stevens.  No question here.  Once you know the basic syntax of C, this book will take you to the next level.

z

Network
Right now I'm enjoying Computer Networking, a top down approach featuring the internet by James F. Kurose and Keith W. Ross.  It uses a small amount of Java for example code.

Log = root .

Quoted: Database An Introduction to Database Systems by C J Date, but if you're going to be using an SQL database, then something SQL-specific would be more effective if your time is limited. Algorithms Any of the Sedgewick books in the language that you use. Using an Operating System (as contrasted to desigining one like the Tanenbaum one) UNIX System Administration Handbook by Evi Nemeth C Programming Advanced Programming in the UNIX Environment by Richard Stevens.  No question here.  Once you know the basic syntax of C, this book will take you to the next level. z

The Date Database Systems book was on top of my list, but that's not my area of expertise so I didn't put it down.

Quoted: From an historical perspective: The C Programming Language, Brian Kernighan /  Dennis Ritchie.

+1

Not even historical.  C is still out ther in force.  C and C++ still form the core of most every operating system.

I've never found a textbook that could compete with the O'Reilly books.

YMMV

I've read (and used) parts of Unix Network Programming - good book.

Another networking book that i've seen on quite a few shelves  in one version or another is Computer Networks by Tanenbaum.