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Which Computer Books For Prisoners?
Brian D. writes "I've recently begun working with a group that sends books to prisoners in federal and state prisons. We try to match their requests as well as we can. One request that we consistently have trouble filling is for computer books. This is not for lack of books, but because the prisoners' requests tend to be vague and their computer resources are obviously severely limited. Keep in mind that we send prisoners all types of books — from gardening and landscaping to cooking and sailing — about topics they don't have the resources to experiment with. With basically one shelf devoted to books on computing, what types of books should I tell them we should keep? What are the best types of books to send a prisoner who requests a book on 'computer repair?'"
...books on how to repair computers...
I'm not quite sure what you are asking. It seems pretty clear that this person wants to develop a skill in repairing computers that he can use when he leaves. Is there an "IT for Dummies" you can send him?
'Ghost in the Machine'
'I-Robot Trilogy'
Languages come and go, but these will help with a foundation they can use for decades.
...they say that prison is nothing but a graduate school to make better criminals. So anything from Microsoft Press, I suppose.
Life is hard, and the world is cruel
Send them certification books, i.e. Network+, A+, Security+ study books, as well as theoretical computer science books. These materials rarely require access to an actual computer.
If it's "computer repair" books that they really want, Mueller's Upgrading and Repairing PCs is one of the best books. I've not used it in a long while, but I think it's not as much hands-on stuff. I know it covers a ton.
Colin Dean Go a year without DRM
How about a book that won't become obsolete like repair books would be. Perhaps a book on algorithms or the fundamentals of electronics.
...nothing about tunneling protocols!
~Philly
A classic computer science text that everyone should read.
I know of at least one prison who will appreciate such a book.
This book
especially the part about hacking the DOJ.
It depends on if you think prisoners are in prison to be punished or rehabilitated.
I think it's the former, so I recommend Miranda: The Craft Of Functional Programming by S. Thompson, which I encountered in my undergraduate course.
Heh, you can't do the time...
With a metal file in them??
No sig for you!!
Or other criminals good with computers.
Some "how to" books like the following:
1) How to extort money from people who's computer you repaired and how to find all their dirty secrets on their drives
2) Planting bots for money
3) Installing keyloggers for fun and profit.
You know...
- International Unix Environments
- Computer security criteria, DOD standards
- The Pink Shirt Book, Guide to IBM PCs
- The Devil book a.k.a. The Unix Bible
- The Dragon book, a.k.a. Compiler design
- The Red Book a.k.a. NSA Trusted Networks
Hacking for Dummies, Spam Kings: The Real Story behind the High-Rolling Hucksters Pushing Porn, Pills, and %*@)# Enlargements and No Tech Hacking: A Guide to Social Engineering, Dumpster Diving, and Shoulder Surfing should educate them and prepare them for their release.
Do they have computers to try out what they're learning as they do so? If not, then learning practical things will be very hard; maths / logic / other general purpose theory might be more use (though without the ability to implement, "more use" might not be very much either...)
I mod down anyone who says "I will be modded down for this", regardless of the rest of their comment
Send them A+ certification books if they request something on computer repair. Maybe network+ as well. I would recomend All-in-One CompTIA A+ Certification Exam Guide, 6th Ed., by Michael Meyers I got my A+ cert using the 5th edition, and it was very well written (never too dry, and highly educational). I wouldn't go much beyond A+ or Net+, because A+ and net+ would be usefull books even if you had no computer to practice with. You could learn by rote and apply a lot of it when you had a computer later. Further exams such as MCSE would require, IMO, hands on while you are reading, as the concepts become more abstract.
that they're already proficient in filesystem design? :P
I mod down anyone who says "I will be modded down for this", regardless of the rest of their comment
books on remote door systems and hacking as well as books on build macgyver like stuff.
I suggest books on how the internet actually works. Maybe while he is behind a series of bars he can see the folly in his series of tubes comment.
Monstar L
I'd send them some books about the individuals and companies that make-up the industry. Also, you might consider books about starting businesses in the IT field.
People who bite the hand that feeds them usually lick the boot that kicks them
The Official Ubuntu Book by Hill, et al.
http://www.informit.com/store/product.aspx?isbn=0137136684
Many inmates will be treating the program as a sort-of library where they can browse topics of interest, hence they need some good generalist books to act as the introduction & foundation from which they can make specific subject requests later.
The Ubuntu Book is good because it covers the broad range of what personal computers are used for, and how to do it for the beginner. And of course it also points out that FOSS exists, and what it is.
There are probably other good generalist books, but as a geek I'm having a hard time thinking of any because I don't use them. Who can name some more?
It's fairly up-to-date:Patterson and Hennessy Computer Organization and Design.
It starts of really simply explaining the absolute basics, gradually going into technical details. Plenty of historical context, examples, lucid diagrams and a companion CD.
Also cures insomnia.
Stick Men
...would probably be well received.
something on jailbreaking iphones? Or maybe FreeBSD jails?
The guards worry that you might hide a file it
At church this one lady was collecting books for prisoners, and she mentioned how quickly the books wear out at prison and that they always need more. So, I imagined that the prisoners must be throwing the books at each other, or writing notes on them, or hollowing them out to hide contraband. I imagine the prisoners want computer books because they tend to be pretty thick books. Am I completely wrong? What percentage of patrons at prison libraries actually read the books there?
my opportunity to freely express myself with the potential persecution and hangings and such
The Cuckoo's Egg?
"The cost of freedom is eternal vigilance." -Thomas Jefferson
How about something that they can use?
Linux for Dummies
OpenOffice for dummies
Baring that
Windows for Dummies
Office For Dummies
If it exists, then give them a book called "Get Out of Jail for Dummies" lol.
manuals that cover concepts and algorithms. Programming references, language specific and generic, as well as analysis and design texts. Books with plenty of illustrations and diagrams as most prisoners will not have access to actual equipment they can open and tinker with. Having been there and done that I can say with great authority that there is very little job market in the USA for an ex-convict in the IT industry. This changes from generally true to absolutely true the higher in the organizational infrastructure you rise because of the fallout from 9-11 and the war on terror.
How about something on Internet Security, which has a focus on Penetration Testing?
Probably be a good thing to pick general computer books, as probably some of them are looking for a more legal interest to keep them from returning.
Something like the encyclopedia of computing (was a time-life set about a decade or two back) each volume covered a subject in reasonable detail (input/output, graphics, ai, robotics, software, hardware, transportation, etc.) Very good to get an idea of what forms of computing there is out there and to find your niche in the world of computers. Probably a good class text on general computing would suffice also.
Programming language would be good, some introductory books as programming is in a large part a logic/problem solving exercise they could write code on paper and still get some skill out of it. C might be good though I think Java or Python would be easier to approach sans-computer as it is a lot more plain English syntax.
For those hwo want something more technical Maybe a computer concept text like Knuth's Art of Programming or
Principles of Interactive Computer Graphics (it is old but it is along the right lines I'm thinking of), etc. Linux Bible or some other exhausting tome of technical reading would be good too. While not having the hardware, they do help you get a grasp of the concept in the mean time.
"Enjoy what you're doing! If it becomes drudgery, you're doing it wrong!" - Jim Butterfield
It's the best book on computers, as it is also the best book on anything.
It's a PRISON, not a vacation. They're there to be PUNISHED. How about returning prison to a place people don't want to go instead of an air-conditioned room to read in with all of your meals paid for? Chain those motherfuckers together and make them repay the community they've offended by doing public works projects.
(Nate Dogg is about to make some bodies turn cold.)
Don't know if it's still in print but Rosch's Hardware Bible used to be a pretty good stand-alone resource.
Seriously... Why not just send them For Dummies Books. They seem to work well with the masses and will probably give them some information they could use!
...the modern way.
After all, cakes are so analog.
Because the last thing you want, in prison, is someone sniffing your ports, looking for an unguarded backdoor.
Well, you know, unless you're the kind who's in to setting up "honeypots."
I got mine back in 1999 but I don't imagine it has gotten any harder. It was a very easy, very introductory computer test. However, for all that it is a useful one. For one, the A+ is one of the oldest certifications, so it has recognition. One thing you find with some certs is that not a lot of people, especially PHBs, have heard of them so they aren't so useful for finding a job. Well the A+ is pretty well known. It isn't high level, but then that's not what we are talking about here. It is the kind of thing that most places will say "Oh ya, I've heard of that, that is what computer support people have."
Along those lines it is useful because a number of low-level tech support positions desire or require it. Prior to folding, CompUSA seemed to like it for their support people. Likewise one of the local computer shops I've gone to boasts that they hire only A+ certified people. So it is a useful one to have if you want to get started in the world of computer support. Jobs doing basic computer repair (like Geek Squad) or level 1 help desk stuff are quite likely to look for A+ holders. I know mine certainly helped me get some student tech support jobs when I was going to school.
It is the type of thing that not only will give some useful knowledge that you don't need to have your hands on a computer for (though having a computer helps) but if they choose to go and get their certification, might help lead to some employment. While I certainly don't think it is worthless to have some books that are there just for people who want to learn for it's own sake, we need to be realistic that many prisoners don't have much education and that is perhaps part of the reason they commit crimes. Something like an A+ book could help some of them on the path to get a certification that could help get a job. While not many may follow through, if even one does and gets a productive job, then it is all worth while.
It's a bit pricey, but Donald Knuth's series "The Art of Computer Programming" doesn't require a computer. Kind of dense, but very useful.
A lighter choice might be any of Clive Maxfield's offerings. Unfortunately these have the nasty habit of going out of print. Luckily, "Bebop to the Boolean Boogie" is getting rereleased in a third edition in January. It's an enjoyable read and quite accessible.
They could practice passing packets using jungle telegraph or the toilets.
-- Gary Goldberg KA3ZYW 301/249-6501 AIM:OgGreeb Digital Marketing Inc., Bowie, MD
There's a number of specifics I'd like to plug: books on lisp and forth, general introductions to unix as opposed to flavour-and-version specific things. Even something old like _Unix Text Processing_ (O'Reilly) because it's thick and contains a multitude of topics not usually found together in one book. That, as well as books on lisp and forth (Brodie), or something like _Absolute FreeBSD_ (Lucas), the previous versions of _Security Engineering_ (Anderson) and _Parsing Techniques_ (Grune), Calculus (Keisler), and a bunch more can be found online because they're out of print. There are also books online that apparently haven't been in print at all like _Motion Mountain_, a physics textbook.
I don't know what the budget constraints are but it may be worth contacting the authors and requesting permission (with or without paying something in royalties) to do limited, cheap, ``prison print'' runs.
Though I haven't been impressed with some of the wikibooks I found online, the printed incarnation of selected sections of wikipedia may also be worth considering.
Unrelatedly, what about Knuth, Feynman, and so on? Or is that way over their heads?
regarding which books they will accept. as a former 'guest' of the state of texas, i had books sent in from family... html reference books, networking, linux, etc. this was in the late '90s, and i read these books for several months before i was finally able to get into a business computer information systems class, which was mostly just learning windows office apps. the stuff i learned from the books, however, i was able to apply in free time in class. i ended up talking the teacher into letting me teach a series of lessons on html, it was kind of cool. the guidelines on the books aren't really consistent, as long as it's not 'black hat' flavored or have the word hacking in the title, it will probably make it through. the prison folks don't want to teach hacking to their charges, however... can you say identity theft? 2600 is probably out, as well... kudos to you for the book sharing, though. i received books from a program out of california, can't recall the name right now, and gave the address to several people i knew in there that didn't have family to send them things. you'd be surprised at the number of people in there that genuinely want to learn and better themselves.
Caught with kiddie porn? Well, don't send him to prison. Just cut off his penis. While he's looking at children. Slowly. Without painkillers.
That way, he'll have an aversion to children, the inability to propogate his genes, and become a 'productive' member of society, probably working for minimum wage, somewhere.
Cruel and Unusual? Sure. But so is child porn.
My friend is in prison, and I'm sending computer books to him. Most of them become very welcome. Among the titles are: D.Knuth "The Art of Computer Programming", Part I; Aho, Ulman, etc. "Compilers: Principles, Techniques and Tools"; S.Meyer "Effective C++"; A.Tanenbaum "Operating Systems: Design and Implementation"; M.Nelson "The Data Compression Book" (this is the only one which got less than "great" rating); Corman, etc. "Introduction to Algorithms".
I guess the preferences differ between people here.
One on hacking and system penetraion. Or "How to commit identity fraud".
Oh, you're not stuck, you're just unable to let go of the onion rings.
How much use will they be? (the following is based on my loose understanding of Canadian law and may not apply to American law)
A lot of entry level PC jobs are in retail shops (mom & pops, best buy, etc)
Generally to work in a retail place you have to handle money and therefore be bondable
if you have a criminal record you're not bondable
About the only chance they'd have is to open a shop of their own, but with what money?
Working at anything above a retail shop would generally require a degree and an explanation of where you've been for the last 2-10 years..
I suppose they're good for their own personal interest, but a lot of people are making comments along the lines of "this would help them learn a skill for a job"
Let's not forget the prisoners who may have been convicted of a computer crime (which generally means they're computer savvy, but not necessarily) and may not be allowed near computers for x years after release or their entire life.
How about Code, by Charles Petzold? It's a very well written introduction to basic computer theory.
Prison Security Systems for Dummies
"You're awefully cute, but unfortunately for you, you're made of meat."
Well I could think of some algorithm books for which you need a good math background and no computer, "The Art of Computer Programming" comes to mind.
If you find some sufficiently educated prisoners this could be something to pass their time with.
But face it, about 20% of all Americans have a bachelors degree or higher. Academics tend to be underrepresented in prison so there is little reason to believe that you will find many takers for this kind of literature in prison.
The degree percentage per person can be found here:
http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/education/phct41.html
The statement that there are less academics in prison is supported here:
http://www.policyalmanac.org/crime/archive/education_prisons.pdf
Je me souviens.
I would recommend the Wizard book as one option. It's not for everyone, but for people who can make use of it, it should be perfect for study without a computer. LISP can be interpreted by hand, most of the book is very algorithm oriented.
It won't do much for someone's immediate employability, I suppose, but someone who groks LISP should be able to pick up other languages easily. If I was looking for a sharp programmer, someone who knew the languages I needed, and understood this book, would look pretty good.
Start them off with network protocols, in particular, The Story of Ping
http://www.amazon.com/Story-About-Ping-Marjorie-Flack/dp/0140502416
I think Russell & Norvig's Artifical Intelligence: A modern approach would be ideal to cover nearly all AI topics. Since it mostly talks about maths, there's no need for a computer. It was the best reference on my degree course.
I just attended a lecture from a space scientist, who was explaining the importance of basic science in the society, that is, it helps promote rational thinking. I could not agree more.
Computer has a "Science" in it. Try to get them easy, readable and popular computer books which not only teaches computers but also explains logical and rational way of doing things.
- Fundamentals of Computers, whichever you find, written ideally for school students (10th grade)
- Historical books on advancement in Computer Field.
- The Road Ahead by Bill Gates ( though not about Computers but people would recognize it)
- The Mythical Man Month by Fred Brooks.
Amusing books could help, like:
- Alice in wonderland
Senthil
I bet they have plenty of time to cover pcintern. can they have a computer to play with inside the prison?
People deride his analogy, but how many of you are old enough or smart enough to learn about how corporations built communication systems for their buildings. They used tubes. You could send a message using tubes. It would ROUTE anywhere you wanted it to go, like packets.
If you remember the old Windows screensaver with the tubes, and then expand that to the power of one billion, we are looking at the internet. The fact remains, sir or madam, that a series of tubes is a meaningful analogy. It works.
If they're interested in software construction at all, its an excellent group the broadly covers many aspects.
I don't think the issue was his analogy ... it was the fact that he didn't know what the F he was talking about.
If a professor (or I guess a first grade teacher, really) was referring to the method by which data got from one place to another via "electronic tubes", yadda, yadda, yadda... ok. But Ted Stevens' "Internets" tubes were clogged because of online gaming - and someone sent "an Internet" to him and he couldn't get it because of online gaming (quoting from memory here, so I may off a bit). The tubes was just the easiest part to make fun of.
If you can read this... 01110101 01110010 00100000 01100001 00100000 01100111 01100101 01100101 01101011
I'll put in a plug for "The complete PC Upgrade & Maintenance Guide", by Mark Minasi. I read it several years ago, and have no idea if it's been updated, but it's quite good.
It's the only book I've ever bothered to read on practical hardware (as opposed to theoretical stuff, FPGAs, or my more usual topic, software), and it was quite helpful. I've built several PCs that work (while referring to this book), and it has a ton of useful tips for doing things like making notes that will help you put a PC back together after you've disassembled it.
I read it as soon as I got it, while I was on Christmas vacation, without working with a physical PC at all during that time, so I can vouch that it's useful even without being able to do hands-on experimentation. Reading it gives a reasonable amount of understanding, and it can then be used as a reference for particular hardware problems/tasks if/when the reader is faced with them.
I have no affiliation whatsoever with anyone involved with this book; I'm just a happy reader.
If you are worried about too much technical information getting into the hands of prisoners that might be up to no good, I would suggest discussing the matter with the warden of the prison.
Without a doubt, I would recommend "The Art of Computer Programming." Being ardently theoretical, one could read and grasp and even love the entire thing without ever using a computer.
Philosophy
* Open Sources: Voices from the Open Source Revolution
* Being Digital by Nicholas Negroponte
* Client/Server Computing for Dummies by Doug Lowe
Basic
* PCs For Dummies
* MCSE Training Kit (Exam 70-270): Windows XP Professional (Pro- Certification)
* 2007 Microsoft® Office System Plain & Simple (Plain & Simple Series) by Jerry Joyce
* Learning the vi and Vim Editors
Repair
* A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide, Sixth Edition (A+ Certification All in One Exam) by Michael Meyers
* Troubleshooting and Repairing Computer Printers by Stephen J. Bigelow
Network
* Network+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide, Third Edition (All-in-One) by Michael Meyers
* CCENT/CCNA ICND1 Official Exam Certification Guide, 2nd Edition by Wendell Odom
* T1: A Survival Guide by Matthew Gast
* TCP/IP for Dummies, Fifth Edition by Candace Leiden
* The Book of Wireless: A Painless Guide to Wi-Fi and Broadband Wireless
* 802.11 Wireless Networks: The Definitive Guide, Second Edition (Definitive Guide) by Matthew Gast
Programming
* Learn to Program with Visual Basic 6 (Paperback)
by John Smiley
* Sams Teach Yourself C++ in 24 Hours, Starter Kit (4th Edition)
* SQL For Dummies (Sql for Dummies) by Allen G. Taylor
* Unix Shell Programming (3rd Edition) by Stephen Kochan and Patrick Wood
* Learning Perl, 5th Edition by Randal Schwartz
* Learning C# 3.0 by Jesse Liberty
Web
* HTML, XHTML & CSS For Dummies by Ed Tittel
* Designing with Web Standards (2nd Edition) by Jeffrey Zeldman
* Sams Teach Yourself PHP, MySQL and Apache All in One (4th Edition) by Julie C. Meloni
* Learning PHP & MySQL: Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Database-Driven Web Sites
* Professional IIS 7 and ASP.NET Integrated Programming (Paperback) by Shahram Khosravi
* Adobe Photoshop CS3 Classroom in a Book by Adobe Creative Team
* Adobe Photoshop CS3 One-On-One by Deke McClelland
System Administration
* UNIX System Administration Handbook (3rd Edition) by Evi Nemeth
* Mastering Windows Server 2003 (Hardcover)
by Mark Minasi
* MCSA/MCSE Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-290): Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft® Windows Serverâ 2003 Environment
* Security+ Prep Guide by Ronald L. Krutz
How about, "Learn Computer Programming in Just Five to Ten Years."
Evil is the money of root.
"Honestly, I don't think there are words enough to describe how much of an asshole you are."
Ah, so you have a limited intellect and vocabulary also.
Here, try this one:
"Your mother was a hamster, and your father smelled of elderberries!"
See, that wasn't so hard was it?
*begone from 'my /.', troll!*
Down With Slashdot BETA!!! I've been around the corner and seen the oliphant; you can only abuse me from your perspecti
Why don't you ask Hans Reiser himself ?
Why not send them books on botnets, password sniffing, etc...?
I believe that one thing which is painfully apparent by the massive number of prisons built each year is that the prisons are most heavily populated by repeat offenders. Otherwise, they'd do their time, get out and never want to go back instead of telling the guards to keep the cell warm on the way out.
So, if you give them books that will teach them "white collar crime" instead of their normal stuff, you might help them serve shorter sentences in the future in nicer accomodations. You could help save tax payers millions!
But from his perspective in his cell, aren't the bars in parallel, not series?