Rudy Rucker's Software Engineering and Computer Games

Software Engineering and Computer Games is part of Rudy Rucker's approach to teaching programming without boring students to death. If you think games are frivolous, you should try writing one.

I am from the home computer generation, and learnt to program by trial-and-error on my ZX Spectrum, which was ready to program 2 seconds after you switched it on (it's not all progress is it?). In fact every kid I knew could coax the computers in WH Smiths to write "Rudy is Cool!" hundreds of times across the screen (albeit using the now frowned-upon GOTO command). Kids these days don't get that option: just try to program a PC or a MAC without buying hundreds of pounds worth of software and studying reams of manuals. We need more initiatives like Rudy's book to teach kids that computing can be a truly interactive experience, and empower them to participate and contribute.

I have been a big fan of Rudy Rucker for a long time, and the extent of his intelligence is obvious from this list of his publications. He also has a blog that is eclectic and fascinating.