Where are we? Where is the peak? Are there any way and direction to this top? What are they?

[Xiangliang Meng]

Hi, all.

In 1998, I graduated from Computer Science Dept. in a university in China.
Since then, I've been using C Language for almost 6 years. Although I'm
using C++ in my current job, I'm also interested in understanding C more and
deeper at the same time. In the past half year, I decide to improve myself
on C, read some books on C and digest some posts on comp.lang.c and
comp.lang.c++. Now, I feel I have a better insight on C than before, but I
could not be satisfied with myself so far.

I've some questions on learning C Language. I guess some other people have
the same questions as me, and let me describe them in this way:

Learning C is like climbing a great mountain.

1. Where are we now?
How can we evaluate our currrent capability on C accurately and in
detail?

2. Where is the peak? How to describe it?
Please point out and describe the peak, and let us know where it is and
how it looks like.

3. Are they any way and direction to this top? What are they?
I'm fully sure there must be some ways and directions to this top, maybe
many. What are they? Could someone would like to be a guide and mentors to
show us?

If we got many answers and advices for those questions, we would know where
we are now, where the peak is and the ways. If we could keep scrambling up
the mountain forever, someday we will close and reach the top. Am I right?!

Any advice, I will appreciate. Thanks.

Best Regards,

Xiangliang Meng

 

[Thomas Matthews]

Hi, all.

In 1998, I graduated from Computer Science Dept. in a university in China.
Since then, I've been using C Language for almost 6 years. Although I'm
using C++ in my current job, I'm also interested in understanding C more and
deeper at the same time. In the past half year, I decide to improve myself
on C, read some books on C and digest some posts on comp.lang.c and
comp.lang.c++. Now, I feel I have a better insight on C than before, but I
could not be satisfied with myself so far.

I've some questions on learning C Language. I guess some other people have
the same questions as me, and let me describe them in this way:

Learning C is like climbing a great mountain.

1. Where are we now?

We are here. Some might be on the path to enlightenment and atonement
with the software ideals. But alas, one cannot know where they are
without a reference point.
"Where ever you go, there you are." -- Buckaroo Bonzai.

How can we evaluate our currrent capability on C accurately and in
detail?

One evaluates their current capability by accomplishing tasks or better
put, by applying oneself to a greater challenge. Does one ever really
need to evaluate their capabilities? Hopefully one always extends
their capabilities.
"Try not. Do or Do not." -- Yoda, Jedi Master.

2. Where is the peak? How to describe it?
Please point out and describe the peak, and let us know where it is and
how it looks like.

Does one ever find a peak in the quest of knowledge?
I would say it is more of a mountain range, with many peaks and valleys.
One peak may be to know the Holy Standard, verbatim. Another peak may
be the ability to apply the language correctly for each function.
Everyone has their own path. You must choose your own.

3. Are they any way and direction to this top? What are they?
I'm fully sure there must be some ways and directions to this top, maybe
many. What are they? Could someone would like to be a guide and mentors to
show us?

Your path, your trails, your decisions. Part of enlightenment is the
journey to your peak. The adventures along the way will have as much
to do with elightenment as conquering the peak.

Mentors can only tell tales of their paths of enlightenment. Your
path will vary much. Some mentors may tell of path segments which
cross, parallel or are the same as some of your segments.

The magic phrase of enlightenment in this newsgroup is "show us your
code and where you are having issues." Read, learn first. Apply
your knowledge by writing small programs. Upon failure, learn from
your mistakes. If you need help, post your attempts here. Have no
others blaze your trail for you, as you will not learn how to make
your own trail, or the new trail may lead in the wrong direction.
The trail for one person may not be the trail for you.

If we got many answers and advices for those questions, we would know where
we are now, where the peak is and the ways. If we could keep scrambling up
the mountain forever, someday we will close and reach the top. Am I right?!

Maybe. Some never know where they are because that is of little
importance compared to where they need to be. What happens when
one reaches the top?

Any advice, I will appreciate. Thanks.

Best Regards,

Xiangliang Meng

Where am I now, I do not know. I know where I want to go. I know
some about where I've been, but I do not dwell there. If I plan
my paths ahead, by the time I come to the fork in the trail, I
know which path to take.

"Real programmers don't have use clocks, for they care not what
the hour of the day or night is."


--
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.raos.demon.uk/acllc-c++/faq.html
Other sites:
http://www.josuttis.com -- C++ STL Library book

 

[Eric Sosman]

Hi, all.

In 1998, I graduated from Computer Science Dept. in a university in China.
Since then, I've been using C Language for almost 6 years. Although I'm
using C++ in my current job, I'm also interested in understanding C more and
deeper at the same time. In the past half year, I decide to improve myself
on C, read some books on C and digest some posts on comp.lang.c and
comp.lang.c++. Now, I feel I have a better insight on C than before, but I
could not be satisfied with myself so far.

I've some questions on learning C Language. I guess some other people have
the same questions as me, and let me describe them in this way:

Learning C is like climbing a great mountain.

1. Where are we now?
How can we evaluate our currrent capability on C accurately and in
detail?

2. Where is the peak? How to describe it?
Please point out and describe the peak, and let us know where it is and
how it looks like.

3. Are they any way and direction to this top? What are they?
I'm fully sure there must be some ways and directions to this top, maybe
many. What are they? Could someone would like to be a guide and mentors to
show us?

If we got many answers and advices for those questions, we would know where
we are now, where the peak is and the ways. If we could keep scrambling up
the mountain forever, someday we will close and reach the top. Am I right?!

Any advice, I will appreciate. Thanks.

Learning C is not like climbing a great mountain, but
like climbing a great molehill. The language itself is
fairly simple, and the Standard library, although quirky,
is not very complicated.

The long climb isn't about learning C or Java or Lisp
or COBOL or assembly, but about learning what to do with
them. And this long climb is not like climbing a mountain,
but like climbing a rainbow: you will never reach the top,
and you will always find new colors.

How does one climb higher? First, acquire lots of
pitons, crampons, and ropes: Learn a dozen or so languages
and become proficient in two or three. Then, make many
practice ascents on different kinds of terrain: Solve
programming problems in different application areas, and
find two or three areas that interest you particularly.
Follow the traverses laid down by climbers who went before
you: Study other peoples' code, try to understand why they
did the things they did, and how and why they made the
errors they made. Analyze your own climbs: Do you need
more practice with the carabiner, or more judgment in
choosing your route? Look inward, then outward, then
inward again -- and keep climbing.

 

[Default User]

How can we evaluate our currrent capability on C accurately and in
detail?

Start reading and participating in this newsgroup. You'll quickly find
out how much you know or don't know. Many of us went through that.



Brian Rodenborn