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Add to SafariWhen comparing The Design of Everyday Things vs An Introduction to Functional Programming Through Lambda Calculus, the Slant community recommends The Design of Everyday Things for most people. In the question“What are the most influential books every programmer should read?” The Design of Everyday Things is ranked 3rd while An Introduction to Functional Programming Through Lambda Calculus is ranked 43rd. The most important reason people chose The Design of Everyday Things is:
This book isn't focused on recent trends or properties specific to a certain field, and thus applies to all design. It provides a broad view and allows focusing on the fundamental goals of the user experience, rather than being limited in scope.
Specs
Question Ranking
Pros
Pro Transcendental principles
This book isn't focused on recent trends or properties specific to a certain field, and thus applies to all design. It provides a broad view and allows focusing on the fundamental goals of the user experience, rather than being limited in scope.
Pro Focused on the user
Whatever that's being designed, for whatever purpose, it always has the same goal of being used by someone. This book is focused on that interaction and on why users make mistakes. These principles still apply directly to web design, when design leads users to make mistakes, it will ultimately drive users away.
Pro Works with most programming languages
Lambda calculus can be done with paper and pencil, but any programming language with lambda (like Python) can work with it.
Pro Hard to put down
Learn how to build a functional programming language from first principles.
Pro Non-technical
This book doesn't assume any kind of math or programming knowledge beyond elementary school.
Cons
Con Quite dated
Examples are quite old, as are the illustrations.
Con A lot to read
It's quite a long read, there is a lot of material to be covered, if you compare it to similar but more concise books, like The Non-Designer's Design Book.
Con Not specifically for web design
This book challenges the reader to think about the design of all objects, and their user-friendliness/usability. It is not specifically targeted towards web designers, but will help web designers think in a way that benefits users.
Con Hard to pick up
The first chapter is reportedly not so good.
