HN user
I'd be interested in The Rails Way, but I'll let you know in a week. I haven't yet figured out a way to swap with guarantees that I'll actually receive what I wanted. Now that I know someone is interested in it, I also decided to take it off of the bookshelf and see if I should actually read it.
I've also got Software Architecture in Practice, 2nd edition, by Bass et al.
I've got a relatively new Wicket in Action (Apache Wicket), Code Complete, and Rapid Development. I'd trade for some web programming books (CSS/JS/RoR). Mid-atlantic USA.
Seconded on both. I also enjoyed The Social Network.
On documentaries, I highly recommend Code Rush, a story of Netscape. It's actually in full here (scroll down to The Film): http://clickmovement.org/coderush
So we have 1) governments that sell water at prices too low to match the reality of scarcity, 2) private corporations who would sacrifice the environment and consumers for profits, and 3) a populace that consumes too much and is resistant to change. Are we all fucked?
Conservative culture definitely makes a difference. It's hard to suggest to parents any slight deviation from the script of college degree (focal point being good grades, not necessarily the experience), stable job at established company (preferably close to home), wife (nice girl from nice family), house, kids, ...
This has been a great post to read. I'm also considering this to reset my career early (graduated not too long ago), switching from embedded software development for $BIGCORP to startup-esque web development. I want to do it to 1) be happier with my career (and figure it out) and 2) gain solid skills to do well at the end of the "sabbatical."
The only issue is that I've had medical work done through employer-provided insurance, which I would lose of course. However, I'd quit after the insurance has paid its share (I've already paid mine). It's a commonplace procedure so I'm not too worried about complications.
I'll probably move back in with the parents to save the cash. It won't be as bold as traveling around the world, but perhaps that is for a later day.
Real estate.
You still have a chance to get in on startup weekend in mid-August! http://dc.startupweekend.org/