Getting started with programming

Hello, I'm interested in programming, but I heard that a lot of resources (even books!) can be very bad. Can anyone help me to figure out which resources are high quality enough to get me started on the right track? I tried looking at books, but my lack of knowledge about the subject means I don't know if they teach the right things and there are just so many online tutorials that they can't all be good. Links would be nice, but some common idioms to search for in a resource would be just as helpful, if not more so.

Thank you :)
-Nathan

Sticky: C++ Book Recommendations

Unless you have some crazy reasoning, a general C++ beginners book should be healthy for you. Also a quality resource for good beginners C++ books: http://brian.accu.org/bookreviews/pu...nner_s_c__.htm

One to avoid: C++ for Dummies. I almost gave up on C++ because of that book.

>> Unless you have some crazy reasoning, a general C++ beginners book should be healthy for you.

Actually, most C++ beginners books teach C style C++ despite the fact that many (most?) C++ experts feel that it is better to teach C++ style C++ from the beginning.

That accu link is a good place to go if you are concerned about this issue, though. In general, the accu reviews put a very high priority on not teaching C++ with a C mentality.

This all assumes that you want to learn C++ specifically. You can learn programming techniques in other languages as well.

Anyone know any good ones on the web besides the ones on cprogramming.com? I am pretty new to c++ myself, i have been over most of the basic dos tuts.

Do a google called "C++ tutproal" but be prepared to work at lightning speed to keep up with the pace of online tutorials.

One good book range is the Deitel series. They are bricks of a book, but are excellent for beginners - intermidiate programmers. Cramed with exercises too

I'd definitly recommend the Thinking in C++ books, after it I would also recommend The C++ Programming Language from Stroustrup (he who created C++).

SAMS Teach Yourself are ok at the beginning but then tend to jump to harder stuff.

C++ Programming In Easy Steps isn't really in depth but it is a good supplement to other m=books as it glosses over some of teh really complicated stuff and is easy to look up as a resource.

Great! Thanks for all the replies :) If no one objects, I'm thinking about getting this book: http://www.amazon.com/Accelerated-C+.../dp/020170353X
In addition to people in this thread recommending it, the book has excellent reviews.

Yes. That and Addison Wesley C++ Primer 4th Edition are in my opinion the two best C++ introductory books anywhere.

I didn't like the accelerated C++ book much. I thought primer conveys the same ideas and early introduction to the STL in a much less pressing manner than AC++ does. I would read ACPP after I finish primer, but I learned a lot of what AC++ has from C++ Primer

I like C++ Primer Plus. It only has about ten errors in it . . .

Yes, well, C++ Primer Plus and C++ Primer are two different books altogether. The first is not even near the quality of the second.

I wouldn't know; I haven't read C++ Primer.

Quote:

---

SAMS Teach Yourself are ok at the beginning but then tend to jump to harder stuff.

---

Those books usually only have 25 errors each . . .

Ok hehe. You are making me laugh. I think you are making some kind of point here, but I'm failing to see what? :)

Most programming books have a few errors in them, that's all . . . . I made a database of them for a while, but they got too numerous. :)

But the Sams Teach Yourself books are the worst.

Did you write down things that you found and considered mistakes, or did you research the books' erratas?

Sometimes I looked at the books' errata, but not usually. I just wrote down errors. I intended to submit them sometime, but I never did.

Usually I lost the napkins/bookmarks/other easily lost items I wrote the errors on anyway. :)

[edit] Judging from the errata list, however, I must have found several errors not listed. http://<br /> http://www.libertyass...Ebook_edit.htm
http://www.computersciencelab.com/Sams.htm
[/edit]

Just a follow up. I got the Addison Wesley Accelerated C++ book, and I'm now working my way through it.

It's not a very large book though, and seems like it's pretty easy...

>> seems like it's pretty easy
If you think that book is pretty easy, you will probably do well in C++.

I thought it was easy at first, then I was proven wrong.

I would rather read it online, because I actually will read it on a computer, because I don't really like reading books. Yes, I am a beginner. :/ Maybe that's why I almost failed a semester of reading... (Just kidding..)

Edit-
Yes, C++ is hard, but a good thing I know PHP and Javascript to know about functions, ending them, arrays, and other scripting features and guidelines.