rafiq@ccu.umanitoba.ca (Salik "slick" Rafiq) (03/22/91)
Sorry if this is a FAQ but: A friend and I want to do some programming in C++. We've read the Stroustrup book "The C++ programming language" but we're still confused. I've looked at the C++ books list which is posted to comp.lang.c++ but it contains no coments on the level of the books listed. I was thinking of ordering one or more of these: - C++ Primer , S. Lippman - C++ for C programmers , Ira Pohl - Programming in C++, Dewhurst & Stark, or - The Complete C++ Primer, Weiskamp & Fleming. Does anyone have any recommondations on these or any other C++ books. I have a good knowledge of C but I think that hurts rather than helps when it comes to designing a program in C++. Please reply via e-mail. Salik. -- Salik Rafiq internet: rafiq@ccu.UManitoba.CA Department of Computer Science rafiq@gold.cs.UManitoba.CA University of Manitoba BITNET: rafiq@UOFMCC Winnipeg,Manitoba
robert@cs.arizona.edu (Robert J. Drabek) (03/23/91)
Salik "slick" Rafiq writes: > Sorry if this is a FAQ but: > > Does anyone have any recommondations on these or any other C++ books. > I have a good knowledge of C but I think that hurts rather than helps > when it comes to designing a program in C++. > > Please reply via e-mail. I would like to hear some comments about the various C++ texts. I need to order books for a class in which the language is used; the orders were due yesterday. I was planning on going with the Stroustrup book. It is rather complete, but is like K & R--if you know what you are looking for it's probably there. But for beginners, a different text would seem to be needed. So, a book offering more examples, clearer explanations is desired. Any suggestions? Posting wouldn't be such a bad idea, as many out there read this group just to listen in, picking up pointers along the way. -- Robert J. Drabek robert@cs.Arizona.EDU Department of Computer Science uunet!arizona!robert The University of Arizona 602 621 4326 Tucson, AZ 85721
pd2@reef.cis.ufl.edu (Philip Duvalsaint) (03/24/91)
In article <1063@optima.cs.arizona.edu> robert@cs.arizona.edu (Robert J. Drabek) writes: >Salik "slick" Rafiq writes: >> Sorry if this is a FAQ but: >> >> Does anyone have any recommondations on these or any other C++ books. >> I have a good knowledge of C but I think that hurts rather than helps >> when it comes to designing a program in C++. >> >> Please reply via e-mail. > >I would like to hear some comments about the various C++ texts. I need >to order books for a class in which the language is used; the orders >were due yesterday. I was planning on going with the Stroustrup book. >It is rather complete, but is like K & R--if you know what you are >looking for it's probably there. But for beginners, a different text >would seem to be needed. > >So, a book offering more examples, clearer explanations is desired. > >Any suggestions? Posting wouldn't be such a bad idea, as many out there >read this group just to listen in, picking up pointers along the way. I've been using the text "Using Turbo C++" by herbert Schildt published by Borland Osborne/Mgraw Hill without any supervision and have learned much about the C++ programming language. the book is tutorial style with examples of various implimentations. It is divided into 3 sections. Sect. 1 deals with getting started and used to the window features in the editor environment. Sect. 2 deals with the C Language basics such as variables, functions, libraries, some commands for I/O and proper syntax (semicolons, braces etc.). Careful distinction between C & C++ conventions are scattered throughout the book where necessary. Sect. 3 deals with object oriented features. I feel that this book is great for anyone who wants to learn without supervision, or even as a supplement for thos times when you can't understand the instructor. Phil Duvalsaint University of Florida pd2@reef.cis.ufl.edu
jimad@microsoft.UUCP (Jim ADCOCK) (03/29/91)
In article <1063@optima.cs.arizona.edu> robert@cs.arizona.edu (Robert J. Drabek) writes: |I would like to hear some comments about the various C++ texts. I need |to order books for a class in which the language is used; the orders |were due yesterday. I was planning on going with the Stroustrup book. |It is rather complete, but is like K & R--if you know what you are |looking for it's probably there. But for beginners, a different text |would seem to be needed. Which of the three Stroustrup books are you referring to? 1) "The C++ Programming Language" 1986 2) "The Annotated C++ Reference Manual" 1990 3) "The C++ Programming Language, 2nd Edition" 1991 I don't know if #3 is available yet, but #1 is so out of date in terms of language features that I would not recommend it, except as a historical reference. If or When #3 is available, it will be about twice as long as #1, and I have no doubt it will be must reading for all C++ programmers! |So, a book offering more examples, clearer explanations is desired. |Any suggestions? FAQ Answer: A Short List of Preferred C++ Texts With the size of the C++ community continuing to double about every nine months, many C++ programmers haven't had a chance to complete their C++ bookshelf. The below "Short List" of C++ texts attempts to list favorite C++ texts in many categories, in approximately the order a new C++ programmer might wish to acquire the texts. A few good texts don't appear in this list because they closely overlap other, more preferred texts in this list. Specialized texts, not applicable to most C++ programmers are not listed here, primarily because I have not read all, but also because this is intended to be a "short list." Teach Yourself C++, Stevens, MIS Press 1990, ISBN 1-558-28027-8 A raw neophyte should be able to breeze through this text and example software in about a day. A C++ Primer, Lippman, Addison-Wesley 1989, 0-201-16487-6 The most common text to learn C++ from. Best coverage of multiple inheritence. [the publishers catalog shows the 2nd edition to be available in 1991. But, if you must purchase before then, the 1st edition is still close enough to being up-to-date to make it well- worthwile] The Annotated C++ Reference Manual, Ellis & Stroustrup, Addison-Wesley 1990 0-201-51459-1. Much more than you ever wanted to know about the intimate details of the language, and why. Today's definitive answer about what is, or isn't in the language -- excepting [small] changes coming from the ANSI committee. The C++ Answer Book, Hansen, Addison-Wesley 1989, 0-201-11497-6 Lots of good, small, ADT-like examples of C++ programming. The best reference on how to write little classes like Int, string, vector, etc. Data Abstraction and Object Oriented Programming in C++, Gorlen, Orlow & Plexico, John Wiley, 0-471-92346-X The best reference on how to write big, "Smalltalk-like" classes relying on polymophism, a common base class, dynamic type casting, etc. The C++ Programming Language, Strustrup, Addison Wesley 1986, 0-201-12078-X The historical reference of where the language is coming from, and the way C++ compilers used to behave prior even to release "1.2" Please use Strustrup's newer text above to answer fine grain details about what the language is suppose to be! [until this text can be updated.] [the publisher's catalog shows the 2nd edition to be available in 1991. When it comes out -- get it!] An Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming, Budd, Addison-Wesley 1991, 0-201-54709-0. An excellent, and pleasantly unbiased introduction to OOP, covering a number of languages including C++. Object Oriented Design with Applications, Booch, Benjamin/Cummings 1991, 0-8053-0091-0. The most widely regarded text about what it means to design object oriented software. Object Orientation: Concepts, Languages, Databases, User Interfaces, Khoshafian & Abnous, John Wiley 1990, 0-471-51801-8. A survey of the object oriented world, and the best description of databases and issues of object identity. Supplemental Readings: USENIX C++ Workshops and Conferences OOPSLA Conference Proceedings The C++ Report Journal of Object Oriented Programming comp.lang.c++ comp.std.c++ comp.object Good Luck!
agonzale@nmsu.edu (Agustin Gonzalez-Tuchmann) (04/05/91)
On first reading, the book: C++ for C programmers seems good enough. It is written by Ira Pohl Benjamin Cummings Pub. Co. 1989. -- --------------------------------- * ----------------------------------- Agustin Gonzalez-Tuchmann dbase-l list owner. New Mexico State University Office: SH-165 Computer Science Department Phone: (505) 646-6243 Las Cruces, N.M. 88003-0001 e-mail: agonzale@nmsu.edu