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Data Structures, Algorithms and Performance by Derick Wood Recommended

ISBN: 0-201-52148-2       Publisher: Addison-Wesley       Pages: 594pp       Price: £21-95.

Categories:   data structures     algorithms

Reviewed by Francis Glassborow in C Vu 5-3 (Mar 1993)

One excuse for this ignorance is that many texts on the subject are written in highly academic language and seem to be divorced from the real world of programming. A second excuse that I hear from those that should know better is that you can always look them up when you need them. Do I need to mention that you can only look up those things that you know exist and suspect may solve your problem.

In the long run the only way to become familiar with the tools of any trade is by using them. Sorry, but there aren't any shortcuts.

If you are hoping to make a living out of programming or want to improve your performance in your current job you would certainly benefit from working through (not just reading or worse still, browsing) Derick Wood's latest book. I know the example source code is Pascal but any halfway competent programmer should be able to follow the flow of such code. In fact translation between Pascal and C or C++ is an excellent way to understand the coding of an algorithm.

Each chapter ends with a substantial collection of exercises and I suggest that those who seriously want to improve their skills should tackle at least some of these.

The book is excellent value for money (particularly as it is in hardcover) but not for the dilettante. Yes, it is written in an academic style but not excessively so, and no, it will not act as a source of instant solutions.