David Intersimone over at ComputerWorld lays out his best authors (with links) from a programmer's perspective based on:
- Their body of written and presented work - books, articles and presentations
- Their contributions to programming's state-of-the-art
- Specific books that "stand the test of time"
- Their involvement in our craft and industry
- If I'll read anything they publish
- The person (many that I've met and some I wish I could meet).
They include:
- Kent Beck
- Jon Bentley
- Grady Booch, Ivar Jacobson and Jim Rumbaugh
- Frederick P. Brooks, Jr.
- Tom DeMarco and Timothy Lister
- Edsger W. Dijkstra
- Martin Fowler
- Watts S. Humphrey
- Donald E. Knuth
- Bjarne Stroustrup
- Peter Coad and Ed Yourdon