Absolute beginner

[Jaqui]

M.S. controls the .net framework, and for oo programming, it's as functional as java.
[ stuff made into objects for the sake of having an object, rather than, as with c++, objects used when needed, not for every bit of code ]
if the design of the framework requires everything to be objects, then it's ba$tardised, since no sane programmer would ever turn a simple cout into an object just to be using an object.*

I'll look for the article that details when ms ported c# to all os


* from c++ refference book Object Oriented Programming in C++

[Bleech]

I am learning a heavy amount of C at the moment. not C++, not C#, but plain ANSI C.

before I started this I came from a background of simple HTML and PHP (not very much PHP), so you might as well say I had no previous experience. I started reading several books on C++ that definately assumed some knowledge of C (which most of them do, otherwise they are just C++ books teaching you C and only a little about C++). I kept doing this to find I was not getting very far, so turned back.

Now I am in the process of reading "The C programming Language" (2nd Edition by Kernighan and Ritchie) for the second time. It is an intense tutorial on C that assumes no previous programming background, but dives straight in at just about every aspect of C. not to mention, it is by the people who implemented most of the standard library functions, so the explained examples are indeed from the standard library (things like strlen, strcmp, etc.).

if you want to get seriously involved in a C based language I suggest you take this route. it will take you time to learn, but the stuff you learn will surely help you pick up more advanced topics like classes in C++ (which are derived from C structs). if you plan on learning C#, a route like C -> C++ -> C# would be ideal and you'd likely find alot of the stuff you are learning for C# are things that you already know from C++ (C# relies heavily on the use of classes).

[mix0matt]

I learned C++ in school...started with procedural C++ at that...this approach worked well for me so i recommend it. While INMHO it's essential to learn Object Oriented concepts, it's just as essential to learn the basic programming language contructs without the more advanced Object Oriented stuff clouding the picture. C++ allows a student to become productive without OO compared to other languages like Java or C#.

C++ is a nice balance of all paradigms while at the same time not hiding much from the programmer, and in my opinion if you're learning, that's a good thing.

You can take C++ in any direction you wish. You don't have to master it to receive reward from it. I'm far from a master. In fact my current employment deals with Java and Ruby programming, but learning C++ has provided a solid programming language foundation that has enabled me to pickup any lanuage in a resonable amount of time. You can learn C#, or whatever the next great thing is later, when it's time to make money.

[VirtualAce]

I laugh at the way some of you look at languages. Just because a language is hard does not mean you shouldn't learn it. If you are using Python because C++ is too hard then I say you are using it for the wrong reasons. Don't base your decision to learn something new on how hard or easy it is. And that doesn't just pertain to programming. Avoidance will never get you anywhere.

[bithub]

Real programmers use COBOL, and nothing else.