C++ Mentoring

[Tyler Riddle]

Hello,

I am just starting to learn C++ and the research I've done so far says
I should get a C++ mentor to help get a really strong understanding of
OO design. Would anyone here be willing to mentor or does this entire
group act as a mentor? Is it appropriate to run ideas and ask for
help/feedback?

Thanks!
Tyler Riddle

 

[JKop]

Tyler Riddle posted:

Is it appropriate to run ideas and ask for
help/feedback?

Yep!

You need to get yourself a good C++ book.


-JKop

 

[osmium]

I am just starting to learn C++ and the research I've done so far says
I should get a C++ mentor to help get a really strong understanding of
OO design. Would anyone here be willing to mentor or does this entire
group act as a mentor? Is it appropriate to run ideas and ask for
help/feedback?

A mentor sounds like a good idea. I would guess that well over half of the
questions you ask here will get the response that the question is off topic.
Helping people is way way down the food chain of why most of the regulars
post here; and also on similar groups. But I can't imagine a mentoring
relationship that is conducted by a keyboard. You need someone you can talk
to, at least on the telephone, and better yet in front of a blackboard. I
suggest posting your location, I think it's unlikely you will make a
connection but there is some *slight* chance that someone in a similar time
zone might offer some help.

A college course, providing you are lucky enough to get a good instructor,
is the best (easiest) way to learn. The object of such a course is to
write programs that actual run on a real computer; the major goal here is a
syntactically correct C++ program. The second goal is a very small subset
of the first goal.

 

[Mike Wahler]

Hello,

I am just starting to learn C++ and the research I've done so far says
I should get a C++ mentor to help get a really strong understanding of
OO design.

A "face to face" mentor would be ideal, but isn't always possible.

Would anyone here be willing to mentor

Yes, many are, and do.

or does this entire
group act as a mentor?

More or less.

Is it appropriate to run ideas and ask for
help/feedback?

Yes. Good textbooks are also essential. See www.accu.org
for reviews and recommendations. Also be sure to see the
C++ FAQ: http://www.parashift.com/c++-faq-lite/

Good luck!

-Mike

 

[ZafT]

I am just starting to learn C++ and the research I've done so far says
I should get a C++ mentor to help get a really strong understanding of
OO design. Would anyone here be willing to mentor or does this entire
group act as a mentor? Is it appropriate to run ideas and ask for
help/feedback?

I have had great luck getting help on this group. You just can't expect
anyone to write code for you. As with any newsgroup, you need to try it
yourself first, try again, and then ask the group. When you post, post your
code and a detailed but to the point explanation of what you are trying to
do, and you will most likely get an answer. Oh, and don't top-post. If you
follow those basics, you will find yourself in friendly company.

I agree that the best advice is given by a face to face mentor. They will
have more patience than a newsgroup. There are a lot of great books out
there. I would camp in a bookstore and find one that makes sense to you
when you start reading it. If none of them make sense, you need to take a
college course.

Shane

 

[Karthik]

Hello,

I am just starting to learn C++ and the research I've done so far says
I should get a C++ mentor to help get a really strong understanding of
OO design. Would anyone here be willing to mentor or does this entire
group act as a mentor? Is it appropriate to run ideas and ask for
help/feedback?

Thanks!
Tyler Riddle

And yes, don't forget the google archives of the newsgroup and the FAQ .

 

[Mike Wahler]

I have had great luck getting help on this group. You just can't expect
anyone to write code for you. As with any newsgroup, you need to try it
yourself first, try again, and then ask the group. When you post, post your
code and a detailed but to the point explanation of what you are trying to
do, and you will most likely get an answer. Oh, and don't top-post. If you
follow those basics, you will find yourself in friendly company.

I agree that the best advice is given by a face to face mentor. They will
have more patience than a newsgroup. There are a lot of great books out
there. I would camp in a bookstore and find one that makes sense to you
when you start reading it.

The problem with this approach is that, if one doesn't already
understand the language, whether a book 'makes sense' or not,
is not an indication of whether the book's contents are accurate.

Unfortunately, there are far more poor C++ books than quality ones.
IMO probably a result of many simply trying to 'cash in' on the
current C++ 'craze'. I think a novice should seek out recommendations
before paying money for books to learn from. A good source is the
review section at www.accu.org (there is however some controversy in
this group about the bias of these reviews). You can also search this
group's archives for posts about book recommendations. Also, the
more appropriate books will depend upon whether the C++ novice has
previous experience in another language. (I'm of the opinion that
C++ is not a good first language for the programming novice).

If none of them make sense, you need to take a
college course.

That always helps, but isn't always an option for everyone (it
wasn't when I first started learning.)

-Mike

 

[jeffc]

A mentor sounds like a good idea. I would guess that well over half of the
questions you ask here will get the response that the question is off topic.
Helping people is way way down the food chain of why most of the regulars
post here; and also on similar groups.

Huh? Helping people is pretty much all this group does (when it's not
arguing about something or other.) alt.comp.lang.learn.c-c++ is possibly
even more appropriate.

 

[tom_usenet]

Hello,

I am just starting to learn C++ and the research I've done so far says
I should get a C++ mentor to help get a really strong understanding of
OO design. Would anyone here be willing to mentor or does this entire
group act as a mentor? Is it appropriate to run ideas and ask for
help/feedback?

If you're interesting in getting a mentor, then I'd suggest joining
the accu (www.accu.org). Check out:
http://www.accu.org/begincpp/public/

You'll also need to buy the book "Accelerated C++".

Tom

 

[Default User]

A mentor sounds like a good idea. I would guess that well over half of the
questions you ask here will get the response that the question is off topic.

Liar.


I pulled up the newsgroup today and had 700+ new messages. Less than 10%
were redirects.


Brian Rodenborn