Thinking like Tim O'Reilly

Who in technology business doesn't know Tim O'Reilly and his empire of $100 million book publishing business (the book with cover featuring animal) Some people however may not know that he is a great visionary and trend setter in the technology world more than an entrepreneur. In May 2010 issue,  Inc Magazine featured a story about him which is very inspiring and will force you to think about his vision and capability to see the future of technology and its impact on everyday's life. So, I started introspecting, how can I think like Tim O'Reilly?
Before I go discover that for myself, it is very important to know who Tim O'Reilly really is as a person and what influences his thinking and determination. Of course being a publisher himself, he has read a lot of books and we all know that books have profound impact on one's life. Here are some of the books Mr. O'Reilly himself claimed in one of his article, that has shaped his thinking:

1. The Meaning of Culture by John Cowper Powys - Mr. O'Reilly rates this book very high. He consider this book as part of his regular mental toolbox, which has profound effect on him as a person.
2. The Golden Warrior by Hope Muntz - He read this book when he was fourteen and it fired his imagination he claims.
3. The Way of Life According to Lao Tzu; Translated by Witter Bynner 
4. The Palm at the End of the Mind ; Poems and play by Wallace Stevens
5. Introduction to Realistic Philosophy by John Wild - He read this book when he was in high school. Only after reading this book he say, he was convinced that "philosophy was meant to be used, a guide to a better life, not a dry subject rehearsing the thoughts of dead men."
6. Science and sanity by Alfred Korzybski 
7. Rissa Kerguelen: Book One in the Saga of Rissa by F M Busby
8. Dune, by Frank Herbert - Read what he says about this book: "When I got this book out of the library at age 12, my father remarked, "It's sinful that so large a book should be devoted to science fiction." Little was he to know that this book, full of wonderful concepts about how to come to grips with a world out of our control, would play so large a role in his son's life. After I graduated from college, a friend who was editing a series of critical monographs about science fiction asked me if I'd like to write a book about Frank Herbert. I agreed, and it was that choice that set me on the path to becoming a writer. My first book, Frank Herbert, is online at http://tim.oreilly.com/sci-fi/herbert/. In the course of writing the book, I got far deeper into Herbert's ideas than I had reading his books growing up. The core message of all Herbert's work is that we can't control the future, but we can control our response to it, surfing the edge of change and risk."
9. The structure of scientific revolutions by Thomas Kuhn

As you can see, there are no technology or business books show up in the list of his core books, however Mr. O'Reilly does have his favorites among technology and business books. He himself has written numerous books on technology. Among his favorites are:

• Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace by Larry Lessig
• The Unix Programming Environment, by Brian Kernighan and Rob Pike
• The Innovator's Dilemma, by Clayton Christensen.
• Built to Last, by James Collins and Jerry Porras
• Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind by Al Ries and Jack Trout. - He suggests anyone who wants to start a business with impact to read this books.