Thread: Absolute Beginner's Guide to Programming

  1. #1
    plzduntlakliekthiskthx
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    Absolute Beginner's Guide to Programming

    Has anyone read this book? If so what are your thoughts on it helping a beginning programmer with no experience that is starting to learn C++? Thanks!

  2. #2
    Registered User Xei's Avatar
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    Go here:
    http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...glance&s=books

    Some opinions indicate that having another book would be much more beneficial than just the Beginners Guide. I tend to agree that having more than one book to reference is always a good thing because there is not any one book which will cover everything that you will need to learn. Personally I wouldn't get any book that concentrates on MFC, like SAM'S Learn C++ in 21 Days.
    Last edited by Xei; 03-30-2003 at 02:09 PM.

  3. #3
    plzduntlakliekthiskthx
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    I just got "Beginning Visual C++" by Ivor Horton, but wanted a book that talked about programming in general rather than just C++.

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    ... You probably should have looked for a book that specifically aimed to be more general about programming. Something called "Begining Visual C++" denotes, just by name, that it's going to be solely about C.

    Do like I do, get books out of the library, try to read all the beginer books so you don't have to buy them... Then get a more advanced book for yourself as reference. (yeah, I know they're long but it's worth it in the long run [especially to your wallet!]

  5. #5
    plzduntlakliekthiskthx
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    I looked at the local library but they didnt have any C++ or Beginner Programming books

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    Hmm.. You could use online libraries... This site has some C++ books (search C++ in subject)

    http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/search.html

  7. #7
    Pursuing knowledge confuted's Avatar
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    Originally posted by o0obruceleeo0o
    I just got "Beginning Visual C++" by Ivor Horton, but wanted a book that talked about programming in general rather than just C++.
    I read a book by him once, it may have been this one...all I remember was that it was really thick and the cover was red Anyway, it was great and it answered the questions that I had about C, but it definitely wasn't the book that you would want to read without prior knowledge of C. I've read a lot of books, and they all omit something. "For Dummies" books are pretty good at explaining simple stuff when you have no idea, but they don't go in depth at all. So, start with something easy like that, learn printf(); and such, and then move on to more complex stuff, like Ivor Horton
    Away.

  8. #8
    Hardware Engineer
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    Anything to do with "visual" is not a beginner's book. You have to learn to write console (text-based) programs before learning the GUI/graphics that "visual" implies. However, you CAN use the Visual C++ compiler to write console applications.

    To really learn about "programming in general", I think you have to learn / practice with a particular programming language. However, it's interesting that many college computer science course don't have any language mentioned in their title!

    Although C++ is a popular language, I don't think it's the easiest! I learned BASIC before I learned C++, and it was much easier. (But, console BASIC seems to have disappeared.)

    For a begining book, I'd recommend "Teach Yourself C++ in 21 Days" by Jesse Liberty. This truly is a beginning book, and it makes a useful (but incomplete) reference book when you're done. Mr. Liberty does not spend too much time on "general programming"... he focuses on the language.

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    I have never read this book, but I would suggest Standard C++ Bible as an option if the other one isn't working out. I found it to be very helpful when I was just starting out.

  10. #10
    plzduntlakliekthiskthx
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    Originally posted by DougDbug
    Anything to do with "visual" is not a beginner's book. You have to learn to write console (text-based) programs before learning the GUI/graphics that "visual" implies. However, you CAN use the Visual C++ compiler to write console applications.
    It is a lot about Visual C++ 6.0, but the first half of this 1000 page book is only using console apps. Right now all I know is the cout and cin stuff mostly. The only program I have made on my own is a resistor calculator, which wasnt too difficult. I am not having too much trouble with this book, its just since I have never programmed anything other than html before i figured I should be reading a general programming book to help me along the way. Thanks for all the great replies!

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