Hi, this is my first time using stackoverflow. pretty thrilled. lol. anyway, there are hell of a lot books out there to teach you C++. But i was wondering whats the best well-known book to pick? I have pretty solid base in programming and I just wanna go over it fast. so any recommendations?! sorry for the cheesy question!
views:
197answers:
7
+1
Q:
What is the most effective concise BOOK if you want to go over C++ aspects in relatively short time?
+2
A:
If you are pretty solid with a language already and just want to get to the nitty gritty of things then Effective C++ by Myers.
JonH
2010-03-29 22:03:22
That's a very good _second_ C++ book, but not a good _first_ one.
sbi
2010-03-29 22:04:07
@AraK - I learned a lot about it, especially the ins and outs of new / malloc and pointers.
JonH
2010-03-29 22:04:33
@sbi - OP says he knows the language. It is a solid book if you understand programming.
JonH
2010-03-29 22:04:58
@JonH: No, he does _not_ say he knows the language.
sbi
2010-03-29 22:10:06
I understand programming. I have no background or whatsoever of C++.
2010-03-29 22:44:48
@user - if you don't have a background then the comments may be right, this is an advanced book, however I still think it is a GOOD book alongside any other C++ book. It will help you avoid pitfalls which are never discussed in beginner books. In addition, this book will make you a more alert programmer.
JonH
2010-03-29 23:17:57
@JonH: As I said, it's a very good _second_ book if you're programming C++ - which is what Scott aimed for.
sbi
2010-03-30 07:26:21
@sbi - I understand what you said you don't need to keep repeating yourself..you sound like a broken record.
JonH
2010-03-30 13:33:47
@JonH: Well, to me it seemed your repeated your statement, so I felt inclined... Anyway, is that why you down-voted my answer?
sbi
2010-03-30 13:38:42
@sbi - No I negated you for your negating some good answers on here and for your broken record. One thing I don't like is when people say things like "As I said...". I am not stupid, been in the industry long enough.
JonH
2010-03-30 14:31:59
@JonH: You do realize that we're supposed to vote on the _answers_, not the answerers?
sbi
2010-03-30 20:16:10
@sbi - and I don't like your answer.
JonH
2010-03-31 11:52:15
+7
A:
If by "concise" you mean you're prepared for a steep learning curve, I suppose Accelerated C++: by Andrew Koenig and Barbara Moo is still a very good book.
sbi
2010-03-29 22:03:32
I got it. I think its a crash-course type of book. Exactly what i had in mind. Awesome. thank u!
2010-03-29 23:55:19
@user293120: Be prepared for a steep learning curve. Oh, and this is C++. Once you're through the 250 pages of that book, you might consider applying for a trial period which might, eventually, lead to you becoming a novice. `:-x` Make your pick for the next book at http://stackoverflow.com/questions/388242
sbi
2010-03-30 12:37:49
A:
I recently found useful C++ for Programmers: Deitel Developer Series is effective on subject and explanatory.
EDIT
I remembered, for a no-babble slides-kind-of-guide researcher-concise-style:
http://www.fz-juelich.de/jsc/files/docs/bhb/bhb-0154.2up.pdf
http://www.fz-juelich.de/jsc/files/docs/bhb/bhb-0155.2up.pdf
clyfe
2010-03-29 22:09:40
Deitel's books are needlessly verbose, and get a lot of the small details wrong. They are also quite bad idiomatically.
Joel
2010-03-29 22:20:06
I don't know about other deitel books but this one is pretty worthy from the "head first" point of view because it has a good concise structure.
clyfe
2010-03-30 19:55:47
+1
A:
I recommend Thinking In C++ by Bruce Eckle. It covers the details well. I already knew some other languages when I read it, and it doesn't assume that, but I didn't find that to be a problem. Another nice thing is it's available free online, as well as a hard copy. A lot of people like reading real paper books, but personally I like to read computer stuff on the computer.
crimson_penguin
2010-03-29 22:20:24
+1
A:
Essential C++, by Stan Lippman or Accelerated C++, by Andrew Koenig and Barbara Moo.
Eddy Pronk
2010-03-29 22:34:57
A:
The C++ Programming Language, Second Edition by Bjarne Stroustrup ISBN 0-201-53992-6
Later editions seem bloated. The second edition seems to be the best content / weight ratio for my purposes. Note that this book will ONLY teach you C++ (how to do it), if you need to learn object oriented programming (what you're trying to do) at the same time, either the "Thinking in C++" by Bruce Eckle or a Dietel C++ book are pretty good (but substantially thicker).
I wish there was an even smaller C++ book that really covers the bases, but it's a language that covers a lot of ground, just oddly enough that every corner you cut will come back to bite you.
I also recommend the C++ mini FAQ as supplemental reading, although it's more of a style guide to keep you from injuring yourself too much than a true programming text.
Edwin Buck
2010-03-29 22:48:42
Correct me if I'm wrong, but IIRC the second edition of _TCPL_ doesn't say a word about the STL and most of the rest of the standard library - because there wasn't even a C++ standard back then. Generic Programming (which is behind the STL) wasn't yet invented. How can you learn C++ without all this?
sbi
2010-03-30 07:24:44
He stated he wanted to learn C++, not STL. To some of us, the two are not the same.
Edwin Buck
2010-03-30 20:51:22
@Edwin: I beg to differ. C++ is the syntax plus the standard library and IME ignoring the latter makes for lousy C++ programmers. Especially the STL, which pretty much swept all the other container/algorithm libraries off the face of C++, should not be ignored. But there's more that's missing from the 2nd edition. (I don't think it even mentions exception safety. What about wide character IO? etc.)
sbi
2010-03-31 07:06:28
Feel free to voice your opinions, but a blanket statement that non-STL users are poor programmers is a bit over-reaching. STL has its benefits and trade-offs, but it is certainly not required to program in C++, nor is it a requirement to program in C++ well. It's the craftsman that makes the product, not his tools. Errors in logic like this might incline me to say you don't program C++ because you don't use boost or Qt!
Edwin Buck
2010-03-31 14:14:36
A:
I am not sure on going fast with C++ because it would not be just. But if you want some good book than I would surely suggest Effective C++ and More Effective C++ by Scott Meyers
Rachel
2010-03-29 23:15:18