[olug] C book recs

[Thomas Roehr]

Learning C++ is not the same as learning C.

C is essentially Shorthand for Assembler programming.

C++ is an Object Oriented Langauage that uses C as it's building blocks.

C++ can compile ANSI C - Bjarne enjoys talking about having to tell 
Dennis how C really works ;^)

The problem I have seen with C++ is that many people learn it as C, not 
as an OO langaguge. They miss out on a lot of C++'s strengths.

I would focus on C for 3rd generation programming skills, more towards 
Java for OO (Marketable Skills).

I would use K&R for learning the coding framework for C.

The strength of C comes from the stdlib, many programmers re-invent code 
that exists in the standard library. Find a referenece book from
OReilly's and read through it a couple of times.

Read through "Programming in a Unix Environment" by Pike and others to 
get an idea of the framework of programming with Unix. You should be 
able to say you have seen yacc and lex...

Look at a lot of code. The best way to learn is to find good source code 
examples and study them.

Doctor Dobb's Journel  has a CD with the last 10 years of their articles 
available, with source code. It would give a good reference base
of projects and examples to look at.

Later,

Tom



Rob Townley wrote:

>I'd have to agree that the K&R C book is a great programming book, but
>it is challenging for a beginner.  I think you will want multiple
>books, including an easy one as well such as __The Waite Group's New C
>Primer Plus__  by MItchell Waite and Stephen Prata.
>
>Why not start first with learning C++, you will find compilers and
>input behavior more standardized than C especially when writing
>portable code across multiple platforms.  Learn C++ first, you can
>learn straight C later.
>
>Even if for some reason (say you want to write device drivers or
>maintain old C code) you have your mind set on learning C first, you
>may want to use the g++ instead of gcc compiler so that switching
>between C and C++ is as painless as possible.  There is a bunch of
>different forms of syntax across the different versions of C and C++,
>there is no need to learn more than one in the beginning.  Someday,
>you may have to maintain some old code, by that time, you will be
>experienced enough to recognize it as a different style of C, but it
>will not be a problem to pick up on the fly.
>
>
>On Wed, 17 Nov 2004 21:57:52 -0800 (PST), Eric Pierce
><eric_olug at yahoo.com> wrote:
>  
>
>>Hi all,
>>
>>I'm looking to dig deep into C, and I want everyone's recommendations for
>>texts.
>>
>>Now do I need to focus on books after ANSI C was standardized on?  Wasn't that
>>around 1998 or so?
>>
>>My wife has Deitel/Deitel's 'How to Program C' but the edition came out in
>>1994. I've also looked at O'Reilly's 'Practical C' 3rd edition, but it's from
>>1997.  So are these books not useful anymore?
>>
>>Thanks for any input,
>>Eric Pierce
>>
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