Notes on the synthesis of form

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• larve · Aug 14, 2022 · Recommends

  …algorithm. Very prescient in many ways. - Patterns of Software - Richard Gabriel Not directly about computing, but I got a lot of deep insights from this book. It also brought me to the next book: - Notes on the synthesis of form - Christopher Alexander This is not a computing book per se, but it goes to the core of system architecture. Even in its original field, this book is kind of wild. - All Mathematica Guidebooks - Michael…

  on “Quirky computing books” ↗
• martian · Dec 2, 2009 · Recommends

  I recommend Notes on the Synthesis of Form to everyone. For one, it's a delightful read (Alexander is a master linguist), but it's also tremendously helpful for anyone thinking about building a large system, especially software. The main takeaway…

  on “Do You See a Pattern?” ↗
• akkartik · Sep 3, 2015 · Recommends

  To all the Christopher Alexander recommendations I'll add Notes on the Synthesis of Form. It's his best book in my not-so-humble opinion, and it's been under-rated ever since Richard Gabriel called it 'juvenalia': https://www.dreamsongs.com/Essays.html

  on “The Timeless Way of Building (1979)” ↗
• fsloth · Jun 12, 2019 · Recommends

  Mud hut is an awesome building. It's easily constructed from easily available resources, it's systems are easy to reason out, it's easy to build by yourself and it's easy to repair yourself. "Notes on the synthesis of form" by Christopher Alexander is a wonderfull book, and including several Marvin Minsky quotes it can be read as an introduction to the philosophy of vernacular technology - and how tradition based design…

• hcarvalhoalves · May 20, 2013 · Recommends

  …it ("art"). Function is fundamentally undetachable from form, so a poorly designed product can't truly be said to look good. It can just have varying degrees of fitness. I highly recommend reading "Notes on the synthesis of form" by Christopher Alexander. It might blown your mind on what you consider design. I feel this word is tossed around a lot but few realize what it can entail.

  on “When design doesn't matter” ↗
• hcarvalhoalves · Dec 17, 2013 · Recommends

  Notes on the synthesis of form by Christopher Alexander [1], and subsequent works, deeply changed how I approach problems and perceive the world. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notes_on_the_Synthesis_of_Form

  on “What book has inspired you the most?” ↗
• ComNik · Oct 2, 2014 · Recommends

  Would also recommend Christopher Alexander's "Notes on the Synthesis of Form". Is Zero to One worth the read?

  on “Ask HN: What is HN reading?” ↗
• fsloth · Feb 5, 2019 · Recommends

  …single book. Books can be insightfull and amazing, and there are several that are so vivid I find chapters from them popping into my head. A few recent books I feel have been very enligthening to me: Notes on the synthesis of form by Alexander. Skunk works by Ben Richie. Influence by Cialdini. Skin in the game by Taleb. Isaacson's biographies.

  on “Ask HN: What books changed the way you think about almost everything?” ↗
• drallison · Mar 19, 2022 · Recommends

  …Intel, writing the Intel 4004/4040 native code assembler for the Intellec Microcomputer Development System. Steve and I shared a fascination in how systems and program get designed. Steve got me to read Notes on the Synthesis of Form and I was hooked. Somehow I'd missed it when it appeared in the Whole Earth Catalog. It certainly influenced my thinking. Years later, I got to know Christopher Alexander, the creative mind, and was continually…

  on “Christopher Alexander has died” ↗
• belfalas · Jan 10, 2023 · Recommends

  …especially “The visual display of quantitative information” * The Elements of Typographic Style - Robert Bringhurst * Understanding Comics - Scott McCloud * Design of Everyday Things - Don Norman * Notes on the Synthesis of Form - Christopher Alexander * The Timeless Way of Building - Christopher Alexander

  on “Theory-building and why employee churn is lethal to software companies” ↗
• bengebre · Dec 2, 2009 · Recommends

  I second the recommendation. A Pattern Language outlined a lot of the actual patterns (which was neat), but Notes on the Synthesis of Form did a better job of illuminating a broad conceptual foundation for designing systems. I think I need to re-read it now that you mention it.

  on “Do You See a Pattern?” ↗
• tdonia · Apr 15, 2010 · Recommends

  Notes on the Synthesis of Form, by Christopher Alexander, can't be recommended enough for seeing a teapot as an elegant system / understanding the parallels between physical & software design. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notes_on_the_Synthesis_of_Form

  on “Jonathan Ive on Industrial Design” ↗
• jalfresi · Jul 8, 2014 · Recommends

  Another good one by the same author Christopher Alexander is "Notes on the synthesis of form", my all time favorite book

  on “Ask HN: How best to learn software design principles?” ↗
• ryanmarsh · Aug 8, 2015 · Recommends

  Notes on the Synthesis of Form by Christipher Alexander is the most meaning-dense book I've ever read. The number and quality of his footnotes serve as proof. http://www.amazon.com/Notes-Synthesis-Form-Harvard-Paperback...

  on “Ask HN: Books with a high signal to noise ratio?” ↗
• fsloth · Aug 8, 2015 · Recommends

  Notes on the synthesis of form by Christopher Alexander. Purports to be about architectural theory but has actually deep things to say about systems design and organizational learning in general.

  on “Ask HN: Books with a high signal to noise ratio?” ↗

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