Including well-digested information about fundamental techniques & concepts in software construction, this book is distinct in unifying pure theory with pragmatic details. Driven by generic problems & concepts, with brief & complete illustrations from languages including C, Prolog, Java, Scheme, Haskell & HTML. This book is intended to be both a how-to handbook & easy reference guide. Discussions of principle, worked examples & exercises are presented. All concepts outside introductory programming are explained with clear demarcation & dependencies so the experienced programmer can quickly locate material. Readable in a linear manner, with short mono-thematic to encourage dipping & reference. Also included are sections on open problems in software theory & practice. While little other than a novice programmer's knowledge is explicitly assumed, a certain conceptual maturity, either through commercial programming or academic training is required - each language is introduced and explained briefly as needed.