Thread: Roadbump on my personal C++ Freeway.

I have recently been getting back into programming and have gone very far in my C++ Primer Plus book and it's been a while since I've had a programming course. Back a few years I took Programmming I and it was with C++, and I passed with an A, becuase I was very interested in it and studied it on my own time. Now I'm starting classes at my university and am re-taking Programming I because the language is now java. I learn that Programming 2 and further are also under java. Now I always hear how powerful C++ is and can see how effective it is as I study it, but now that I'm taking programming I in java, should I hold off in learning C++, or should I continue learning it. I asked the teacher and he told me that 'programming isn't just about the language' but how true is that, why are many programming courses shifting to java?

Will it be hard for me to learn java while at the same time continuing to study C++?

Well I know that, I was asking should I continue with C++?

Your first priority should be to focus on Java and learn what your school is teaching you. Trying to learn the techniques and methods appropriate to two different languages will distract you from your real goal which should be to learn how to program in general. After you are comfortable with Java and your basis in programming, you can go back to C++ to expand your knowledge. If you do have a lot of time now, then continuing to learn C++ wouldn't be as bad because you would theoretically have time to learn syntax and techniques specific to each language while not diminishing the effects of the programming classes you are taking.

IT's just frustrating because I'm almost halfway through the book and learned quite a bit, to abandon it for what could be a year or so is odd.

Unfortunately that's the real world as well. Just as I feel I am getting a good grasp on C++, I will be moving to a Java based project soon.

The basics of any language are not important, so you shouldn't feel like you wasted your time on C++. You will be in a much better position to learn Java now, and in a much better position to re-learn C++ later, thanks to the time you spent already.

Then it's decided, thanks guys. Hopefully I will be able to pass this class since i have some experience with programming.