New things to learn ...

Hi all,

This is not really programming-ly orientated, but I was just wondering what would be a good thing to learn next in C++ ...

I've done a course in C++ in college (which I enjoyed), and I found it pretty easy. Next year in college we have work placement, and I would like to do something programming orientated, so I would like to have a broader knowledge of it.

I just started learning about STL (does anyone know a good site for tutorials? I've literally only started looking at it, and the syntax I find to be slightly confusing, but I've only been doing it from trial and error etc, so that makes sense), and I was thinking about learning some Java (does anyone know good sites for tutorials on that?), but there are obviously some areas (in C++) which would be more benificial to learn than others, and which an employer would look for more than others, and I don't know what they would be, but as some of ye are professional programmers, employers and (most of ye) have more sense and common knowledge than I do, I thought this would be a good place to go look for advice ... anyone?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

Just some background info about twomers that may help him
get better answers - he's in my college course

We're studying Electrical & Electronic Engineering - We've had
two (introductory) programming courses - C last year, C++ this
year. Also, as part of the work placement, the main detail we
have been supplied with is that the company he is looking at
working for wants C/C++ skills in particular. Most of the
programming type work our industry involves would be in
embedded systems and device programming - (although like all
courses, they don't teach us half of what we will end up learning
at work ).

As for my advice twomers, you know yourself how creative you
are, try looking at different implementations for some of your
programs. For a particular area of study, I'd say you might want
to look into optimization techniques - I don't have any resources
to suggest though, perhaps someone here will?

Maybe look at PIC programming (Using C) - remember
one of the guys last year who did a PIC project in C? You could
get the compiler from him I'd say - if you asked nicely!

what you want to program?

Kuphryn

I believe Java is more commonly used for what employers ask for. java.sun.net has a tutorial for everything, source, and examples. You'd pickup the basics very quick, and then could move onto GUI (Swing) apps no problem.

Edit: VV What the guy below me said.

Its java.sun.com

Do some GUI application; Java is good for that, also C#. I would also suggest study in web programming, with database support. So, either the combo of ASP.NET/MS SQL or PHP/MySQL.

I would say it's risky (well, depending on your area where you live) to concentrate on one language while in college. You could always learn the advanced C++ when you actually get the job in C++. But spread your time and effort to have moderate knowledge on some popular programming languges and fields I suggested above.

And definitely, for each languages, you have to know how to use the provided libraries (STL for C++, for example). You need to know the commonly used ones, such as, Vector and String, Math, etc.

>> C last year, C++ this year.
I can't believe you forgot Samphire Richie!! Honestly ...

>> what you want to program?
See, that's the thing, kuphryn, I don't know. I was hoping that more experienced people would have an idea of what would be benificial to learn. And as Richie said: "they don't teach us half of what we will end up learning at work". So, why not learn it before work? I don't think I'm making sense ...

>> I would say it's risky (well, depending on your area where you live) to concentrate on one language while in college
Nothing I can do about that, alphaoide. I can't change the course outlines, but I do agree with you.

>> I would also suggest study in web programming
Yeah. I started looking at html about a month ago. Doesn't seem too difficult for simple stuff. I've google-searched for 'ASP.NET/MS SQL or PHP/MySQL' stuff and found some OK sites (I think). Do you have any sites to recommend?

Thanks for java.sun.net or .com or whatever it is. I think I'll look at it whenever I'm finished exams.

Thanks again for all the replies! And any other advice would be very welcome!!!

Originally Posted by Richie T

Just some background info about twomers that may help him
get better answers - he's in my college course

We're studying Electrical & Electronic Engineering - We've had
two (introductory) programming courses - C last year, C++ this
year. Also, as part of the work placement, the main detail we
have been supplied with is that the company he is looking at
working for wants C/C++ skills in particular. Most of the
programming type work our industry involves would be in
embedded systems and device programming - (although like all
courses, they don't teach us half of what we will end up learning
at work ).

As for my advice twomers, you know yourself how creative you
are, try looking at different implementations for some of your
programs. For a particular area of study, I'd say you might want
to look into optimization techniques - I don't have any resources
to suggest though, perhaps someone here will?

Maybe look at PIC programming (Using C) - remember
one of the guys last year who did a PIC project in C? You could
get the compiler from him I'd say - if you asked nicely!

sorry for going a bit off topic, but what A levels do you need to do them kind of courses? cause i like the sound of it.

>> sorry for going a bit off topic, but what A levels do you need to do them kind of courses? cause i like the sound of it.

Well, Richie and myself are in Ireland, where there is a system called the Leaving Certificate. Em, essentially the max amount of points you can get in the LC is 600, and this year to get into Elec Eng, you only needed ~300 ... but that doesn't astutely represent the standard required for the subject - it's tough!! You need to be competent in maths ... a knowledge of physics would be good, but not required ... and a hell of a lot of free time to know everything. I don't know what it is like in the UK.

>>cause i like the sound of it.

Its an interesting course, twomers mentioned the main things
that you'll need. The good news about an electrical engineering
degree is 1) they are internationally accredited in most countries
around the world (by some international agreement called the
Washington accord), so a qualification in one country is
recognised in many many others, and 2) the course tends to
cover a broad range of topics, meaning that there are a load
of highly varying specialties that you can go into as you complete
the degree - from power systems management, to digital
telecommunications, to computer research and architecture
design.

Really though, you should have excellent problem solving abilities,
or at least not give up at the first hurdle - they put you through
your paces in these courses! Persistance is the best trait an
engineer can have IMO.

Originally Posted by twomers

>> what you want to program?
See, that's the thing, kuphryn, I don't know. I was hoping that more experienced people would have an idea of what would be benificial to learn. And as Richie said: "they don't teach us half of what we will end up learning at work". So, why not learn it before work? I don't think I'm making sense ...

Well, do you know what kind of application you want to eventually do? Web, desktop, system application? What company/industry you want to work for?

If you just have no clue, just grab any internship for computer science major. If you have trouble finding one, make your own text-based game, to-do's manager, notepad clones. Or better yet, go to sourceforge.net and join one of those open source dev teams. Don't think of a cool, next-best-thing application; just do simple application. It maybe acceptable to not have work experience; but to have no experience at all is not.

You could also answer people's questions on this board. It's really a good way to sharpen your skill.

In short, don't be lazy.

for tutorials ask goooooooooooooooooooooogle

Originally Posted by Ideswa

for tutorials ask goooooooooooooooooooooogle

Always the first thing to do!!