Beginning C++

[Ari W.]

Does anybody here have any input on how to start learning C++. I am
hoping nobody tells me to take courses. I am still in college and
tried taking courses but found that all the details about pseudocode
and other programming basics drove me insane. I think after taking
that course and from general knowledge I have picked up I am pretty
familiar with the way programs are built on a basic level at least. I
am not looking to make a career of programming, I simply want
familiarity with such languages as C++ because it can help in many IT
jobs to be able to throw together small programs. This is why I am
also interested in VB and curious about any other languages that can
be useful. Thanks to all of you for taking the time to read this and
I hope I get some answers.

-- Ari Winokur

ari_winokur at comcast dot net

 

[John Harrison]

Does anybody here have any input on how to start learning C++. I am
hoping nobody tells me to take courses. I am still in college and
tried taking courses but found that all the details about pseudocode
and other programming basics drove me insane. I think after taking
that course and from general knowledge I have picked up I am pretty
familiar with the way programs are built on a basic level at least. I
am not looking to make a career of programming, I simply want
familiarity with such languages as C++ because it can help in many IT
jobs to be able to throw together small programs. This is why I am
also interested in VB and curious about any other languages that can
be useful. Thanks to all of you for taking the time to read this and
I hope I get some answers.

I don't think C++ is a suitable language for throwing together small
programs. Its a difficult language to master and unless you are prepared to
study hard and use it a lot its not going to repay any investment you make.
VB, C# and Java all sound more suitable for what you want to do. Perhaps
even better would be scripting languages such as Python and Ruby, but I
don't know much about those.

Everyone learns in a different way, so if course ain't your thing then maybe
you need a good book and some self study. Tools (e.g. compilers) for many
languages are free. And of course the internet is a great resource for
reference and specific problems, just don't expect to learn a language from
a web site.

John

 

[Mike Wahler]

Does anybody here have any input on how to start learning C++. I am
hoping nobody tells me to take courses. I am still in college and
tried taking courses but found that all the details about pseudocode
and other programming basics drove me insane. I think after taking
that course and from general knowledge I have picked up I am pretty
familiar with the way programs are built on a basic level at least. I
am not looking to make a career of programming, I simply want
familiarity with such languages as C++ because it can help in many IT
jobs to be able to throw together small programs. This is why I am
also interested in VB and curious about any other languages that can
be useful. Thanks to all of you for taking the time to read this and
I hope I get some answers.

See my reply to this same question you posted to
'alt.comp.lang.learn.c-c++.

Also, if you want to post the same message to more than
one group, don't post them separately, crosspost them.
(Look this stuff up if you don't understand what I mean).

-Mike

 

[Thomas Matthews]

Does anybody here have any input on how to start learning C++. I am
hoping nobody tells me to take courses. I am still in college and
tried taking courses but found that all the details about pseudocode
and other programming basics drove me insane. I think after taking
that course and from general knowledge I have picked up I am pretty
familiar with the way programs are built on a basic level at least. I
am not looking to make a career of programming, I simply want
familiarity with such languages as C++ because it can help in many IT
jobs to be able to throw together small programs. This is why I am
also interested in VB and curious about any other languages that can
be useful. Thanks to all of you for taking the time to read this and
I hope I get some answers.

-- Ari Winokur

ari_winokur at comcast dot net

Use your favorite newsgroup search engine and search for
the key word "learning". I am sure that you find that
this question has been asked, a lot, lately.

By the way, the preferred method to resolving issues
is to consult the FAQ first, the welcome.txt and then
search the newsgroups and web. I've found many answers
using that protocol.

--
Thomas Matthews

C++ newsgroup welcome message:
http://www.slack.net/~shiva/welcome.txt
C++ Faq: http://www.parashift.com/c++-faq-lite
C Faq: http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/c-faq/top.html
alt.comp.lang.learn.c-c++ faq:
http://www.comeaucomputing.com/learn/faq/
Other sites:
http://www.josuttis.com -- C++ STL Library book

 

[Ioannis Vranos]

Does anybody here have any input on how to start learning C++. I am
hoping nobody tells me to take courses. I am still in college and
tried taking courses but found that all the details about pseudocode
and other programming basics drove me insane. I think after taking
that course and from general knowledge I have picked up I am pretty
familiar with the way programs are built on a basic level at least. I
am not looking to make a career of programming, I simply want
familiarity with such languages as C++ because it can help in many IT
jobs to be able to throw together small programs. This is why I am
also interested in VB and curious about any other languages that can
be useful. Thanks to all of you for taking the time to read this and
I hope I get some answers.

http://www23.brinkster.com/noicys/learningcpp.htm

 

[Michael Bruschkewitz]

VB, C# and Java all sound more suitable for what you want to do. Perhaps
even better would be scripting languages such as Python and Ruby, but I
don't know much about those.

It all depends on the available documentation and environment.
If compatibility is not an issue, I would doubtless recommend Ruby. But
then he would possibly need the appropriate book at hand (Programming
Ruby by Thomas/Hunt avail. from AW). But online docu is also available.
Ruby is IMHO the most object-oriented scripting language and therefore a
good preparation for C++.
Also, it is very easy to read, which should help.

Michael B.

 

[Ioannis Vranos]

I don't think C++ is a suitable language for throwing together small
programs.

Here we go again.

Its a difficult language to master and unless you are prepared to
study hard and use it a lot its not going to repay any investment you make.
VB, C# and Java all sound more suitable for what you want to do.

I think someone must tell you that you are telling crap. I know it
sounds harsh, but someone had to tell you the truth some day.

Perhaps
even better would be scripting languages such as Python and Ruby, but I
don't know much about those.

Everyone learns in a different way, so if course ain't your thing then maybe
you need a good book and some self study. Tools (e.g. compilers) for many
languages are free. And of course the internet is a great resource for
reference and specific problems, just don't expect to learn a language from
a web site.

Stop trolling.

 

[Ioannis Vranos]

It all depends on the available documentation and environment.
If compatibility is not an issue, I would doubtless recommend Ruby.

Right. He should let C++ to get on... Ruby.

But
then he would possibly need the appropriate book at hand (Programming
Ruby by Thomas/Hunt avail. from AW). But online docu is also available.
Ruby is IMHO the most object-oriented scripting language and therefore a
good preparation for C++.
Also, it is very easy to read, which should help.

Thank you for sharing your insight with us.

 

[John Harrison]

Stop trolling.

Just because you disagree with my opinions doesn't mean I was trolling.

john

 

[Ioannis Vranos]

Just because you disagree with my opinions doesn't mean I was trolling.

One person asked how he can start learning C++ in comp.lang.c++, and
instead of providing some information on this you tell him to move to
C#, VB and Java (and 2 other idiots to Ruby).

That is trolling.

 

[John Harrison]

One person asked how he can start learning C++ in comp.lang.c++, and
instead of providing some information on this you tell him to move to
C#, VB and Java (and 2 other idiots to Ruby).

That is trolling.

From the OP's original post

This is why I am
also interested in VB and curious about any other languages that can
be useful.

I just didn't think that C++ was the best for him, I could easily be wrong
but I was just offering my opinion. Not sure why you took it so personally.

john

 

[Phlip]

One person asked how he can start learning C++ in comp.lang.c++, and
instead of providing some information on this you tell him to move to
C#, VB and Java (and 2 other idiots to Ruby).

That is trolling.

Ioannis, please come down off that cross. We need to use the wood.

Many newbies think C++ is the first language they should learn. Disagreeing
with you is not trolling, and calling your fellow regulars "idiots" lowers
your image here.

 

[Ioannis Vranos]

I just didn't think that C++ was the best for him, I could easily be wrong
but I was just offering my opinion. Not sure why you took it so personally.

I am not sure if you want to understand.

 

[John Harrison]

personally.


I am not sure if you want to understand.

Hmm, try me. I promise no hard feelings, I'm just interested.

John

 

[Ioannis Vranos]

Hmm, try me. I promise no hard feelings, I'm just interested.

Lets see. Tell me why VB and C#/CLI are better than C++ (C++/CLI or even
"managed extensions")?

 

[Phlip]

Lets see. Tell me why VB and C#/CLI are better than C++ (C++/CLI or even
"managed extensions")?

"They are _all_ better, because C++ sucks."

Is that what you want to hear?

No post should say that this or that is "better". Posts should say, "have
you considered Brand X."

We are not here to blindly promote C++. We are not marketeers for C++ Inc.

We are here to help recover our industry from the horribly sucky state of
its art. We do this by raising newbies' awareness of options. There is no
reason not to promote other languages on this newsgroup. If they "win", then
C++ wins too.

 

[John Harrison]

Lets see. Tell me why VB and C#/CLI are better than C++ (C++/CLI or even
"managed extensions")?

I never claimed that they were, I don't think that they are. For myself I
far prefer C++ to any other language mentioned in this thread. But I do
think that a language that is good for one purpose or one person may not be
so good for another purpose or another person. And this is for the
completely banal reason that people and languages have different strengths
and weaknesses.

If this is just going to be a 'my language is better than your language'
argument then I'm not interested. For a moment I thought you were going to
take the discussion in a much more interesting direction.

john

 

[Ioannis Vranos]

"They are _all_ better, because C++ sucks."

Is that what you want to hear?

No post should say that this or that is "better". Posts should say, "have
you considered Brand X."

We are not here to blindly promote C++. We are not marketeers for C++ Inc.

We are here to help recover our industry from the horribly sucky state of
its art. We do this by raising newbies' awareness of options. There is no
reason not to promote other languages on this newsgroup. If they "win", then
C++ wins too.

In any case, I asked him to support his assertion that VB and C#/CLI are
better for newcomers. I guess you have no problem with that.

 

[Phlip]

In any case, I asked him to support his assertion that VB and C#/CLI are
better for newcomers. I guess you have no problem with that.

For newbies and veterans alike, my permanent, professional opinion is:

C# and VB both suck wet farts out of dead seagulls.

But I'm not trolling!

 

[Ioannis Vranos]

I never claimed that they were, I don't think that they are. For myself I
far prefer C++ to any other language mentioned in this thread. But I do
think that a language that is good for one purpose or one person may not be
so good for another purpose or another person. And this is for the
completely banal reason that people and languages have different strengths
and weaknesses.

If this is just going to be a 'my language is better than your language'
argument then I'm not interested. For a moment I thought you were going to
take the discussion in a much more interesting direction.

I am talking about easiness for newcomers. VB and C#/CLI are CLI
specific so they don't provide any more features than CLI provides.

Actually C++/CLI provides more CLI features than these, like more
generics features.


What do you think of


String s="Text";

or String s("Text");


that is System::String objects with stack semantics and deterministic
destruction?



Isn't it far easier for beginners than the rest CLI languages where the
only option is using operator new?


C++ can do both stack semantics and managed heap semantics.