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Dune, by Frank Herbert

Or the "3 megabytes of hot ram" :) Still a good story though.

Anathem is excellent

A Deepness in the Sky, by Vernor Vinge

"A Deepness in the Sky" in particular is amazing.

A Fire Upon the Deep, by Vernor Vinge. It's all about the nature of computation vs thought, usenet, and truly evocative aliens. Not much actual code though.

The Book of the New Sun, by Gene Wolfe

Gene Wolfe's "The Book of the New Syn" taught me to pay attention;

Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir

Diaspora, by Greg Egan

"Diaspora" by Greg Egan has a great story, huge ideas, and probably the most cogent explanation of sentience/sapience ever written.

I know for a fact that Feynman's Lectures on Physics is superb.

"Ringworld" blew my mind.

"Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency" by Douglas Adams reinforced the lesson.

The Clockwork Rocket, by Greg Egan