Thread: Teach yourself...

  1. #1
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    Teach yourself...

    I think I will buy "teach yourself C++ in 21 days". What are your opinions? I've heard it jumps straight into OOC without easing you in. Is this true? Lastly whats the difference between that one and the visual c++ one?


    Thanks,
    Ben

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    Sorry...

    Sorry for the double post but I see things like this:-

    http://newdata.box.sk/bx/c/

    Is it the same book and is it legal?

    Thanks,
    Ben

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    You can find lots of opinions on this book by searching the forum. I personally would not recommend it because it doesn't teach modern C++ techniques from the beginning. There are several other books that do which would probably be better (Accelerated C++, You Can Do It!, C++ Primer and others).

    Even if it jumps straight into OOP, that is probably not a bad thing. A large part of C++ is its object-oriented nature, and it makes little sense to learn stuff that you shouldn't be using.

    The Visual C++ one likely focuses on specific coding with Microsoft's Visual C++ IDE. It likely focuses on Microsoft specific technologies like Windows programming or .NET (I'm not sure about this). The regular C++ book focuses on the language itself and teaches code that should work on any compiler.

    BTW, the guy who did the editing and updating for the latest version of Teach Yourself C++ in 21 Days runs another programming forum, and is aware of the criticism of that book. I wouldn't be surprised if a future version addresses the issue I raised above.

    >> Is it the same book and is it legal?
    It looks like an earlier version of the book, and I highly doubt it is legal. It teaches outdated C++, so you're better off not using it, anyway. If you want a free, legal C++ book, look up Thinking in C++ by Bruce Eckel.

  4. #4
    Registered User ChJees's Avatar
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    Well, instead of buying a book so could you start learning yourself PHP to get the basic syntax too, meanwhile getting some HTML skills .

    Or so could you just Google: c++ reference and c++ tutorial. It makes wonders .

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    Quote Originally Posted by ChJees View Post
    Well, instead of buying a book so could you start learning yourself PHP to get the basic syntax too, meanwhile getting some HTML skills .
    I think he's looking to learn C++, not PHP. Stick to one language at a time, instead of over-burdening yourself with multiple languages simultaneously.

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    Thanks...

    Thanks for all the replies, anyways. Do the ones you suggest apply to someone going from a little past not knowing cout - to wherever it could take me. If you could suggest one of the books which teaches techniques not outdated explains concepts such as OOP in a way simple and easy to understand which would it be.

    Thanks,
    Ben

    edit: Note I'm 14 and don't really want to buy lots of books at once. Thats why I would like 1 good one I can graffiti and understand.

  7. #7
    C++ Witch laserlight's Avatar
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    Consider buying one of the books that Daved suggested (Accelerated C++, You Can Do It!, C++ Primer (not plus) ). If you have problems, come back here and ask them.
    Quote Originally Posted by Bjarne Stroustrup (2000-10-14)
    I get maybe two dozen requests for help with some sort of programming or design problem every day. Most have more sense than to send me hundreds of lines of code. If they do, I ask them to find the smallest example that exhibits the problem and send me that. Mostly, they then find the error themselves. "Finding the smallest program that demonstrates the error" is a powerful debugging tool.
    Look up a C++ Reference and learn How To Ask Questions The Smart Way

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    Which

    So which of those do you think out of those would be better?
    Or are they all good choices?

  9. #9
    Cat without Hat CornedBee's Avatar
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    Accelerated C++ is probably the hardest. Aside from that, they should all be good choices, and which one is best probably depends on personal preference.
    All the buzzt!
    CornedBee

    "There is not now, nor has there ever been, nor will there ever be, any programming language in which it is the least bit difficult to write bad code."
    - Flon's Law

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    Classes...

    Sorry to go off topic, but I'm not quite sure as to the purpose of classes. All I see is a couple of variables being declared in a separate block of code. Could someone explain it to me please?

    Thanks,
    Ben

    edit: Also I'm not sure on the destructor constructor stuff.
    Last edited by Chipmunkey; 07-16-2007 at 09:06 AM. Reason: Adding

  11. #11
    Cat without Hat CornedBee's Avatar
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    If it's off-topic, start a new thread. But you should search the forum first.
    All the buzzt!
    CornedBee

    "There is not now, nor has there ever been, nor will there ever be, any programming language in which it is the least bit difficult to write bad code."
    - Flon's Law

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    >> Note I'm 14 and don't really want to buy lots of books at once. Thats why I would like 1 good one I can graffiti and understand.

    If you're 14, I would pick You Can Do It! by Francis Glassborow.

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