What are some good "C++ for beginners" books?

uncholowapo · #1 2nd January 2009, 07:46 PM

I am really anxious to start learning it.

tashirosgt · #2 3rd January 2009, 04:20 AM

What programming languages do you already know? How much of a perfectionist are you?

uncholowapo · #3 3rd January 2009, 05:17 AM

I know more or less python. I am not a perfectionist actually.

marcrblevins · #4 3rd January 2009, 06:34 AM

Teach C++ in 21 days by SAMS.

uncholowapo · #5 3rd January 2009, 07:13 AM

There's a coincidence. I just got back from Barnes and Noble and bought Teach yourself C++ in 24 Hours by SAMS. I couldn't get 21 days or 1 hour each day because I was limited to 40 dollars

. It came with a compiler CD for Windows. Wouldn't you know it, Vista didn't like it and didn't allow me to install it so I am *forced* to use the GNU C++ Compiler instead *wink wink* *tussle tussle*. Either way the book explains perfectly that it does not depend on the compiler CD.

David Becker · #6 3rd January 2009, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uncholowapo

I am really anxious to start learning it.

Thinking in C++. And it's free.

David

Jake · #7 3rd January 2009, 09:06 AM

Also, just to let you know small note, sometimes code that would work on windows, does not work on Linux. So if your using a book around windows c++ coding it may cause issues if you try the code on Linux (obvious reasons).

fopen is a common one, but easily fixed.

aleph · #8 3rd January 2009, 09:16 AM

Practical C++ by Steve Oualline, published by O'Reilly.

This book is somewhat controversial. Some say it's excellent while others say it's among the worst of programming books. I personally think it's OK...

A good point made by the author is that he's trying to teach standard-compliant coding. He's trying to be as OS-neutral as possible so you don't have to work around MS stuff like Jake said.

Silpheed2K · #9 3rd January 2009, 09:50 AM

Dont trust books like learning C++ in 21 days...... you'll just end up beating yourself up over unreal expectations and unrealistic deadlines. You want something detailed and that covers everything.

I recommend C++ Primer Plus (5th Edition) by Stephen Prata.
[dont confuse it with C Primer Plus]

It's a very detailed book and is as thick as a phone book and has everything you need to know in detail and walks you through MANY examples and makes you use what you learn along the way.
It's the book I'm using and I've been through a lot of programming books and this is the best written one I've read so far as it doesnt cut corners. (Yes I've read part of those 21 day books and stuff.. dont like it)
That's my recommendation.

uncholowapo · #10 3rd January 2009, 05:50 PM

The one I got said said it tries to teach me ANSI/ISO code so I think I am safe. I was trying to look for one on C++ for Linux but the lady said they were all out.

nick.stumpos · #11 3rd January 2009, 06:01 PM

I would reccomend these three books:
C++ Primer (4th Edition) by Stanley B. Lippman
The C++ Standard Library: A Tutorial and Reference by Nicolai M. Josuttis
The C++ Programming Language: Special Edition (3rd Edition) by Bjarne Stroustrup
also and probably more importantly not C++ but immensly imporatant material
Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software
by Erich Gamma , Richard Helm , Ralph Johnson , John M. Vlissides

sideways · #12 3rd January 2009, 06:23 PM

"Effective C++" and "More Effective C++" by Scott Meyers are a very good addition to a standard introductory text

stevea · #13 8th January 2009, 05:14 AM

I like the Scott Meyers books a lot - they discuss the whys not the how-tos. They are a sort of list of good practices. These are not great books for a beginner, but after you've written a few programs and understand first hand some of the difficult decisions necessary - then Meyers books are very useful.

Bjarne Stroustrup is one of the primary C++ architects - but IMO his book is almost unreadable. Huge emphasis on trivial issues and absolutely no coverage of others. It can be a good reference for certain topics but it would be terrible to learn the language from this one.

The nutshell books aren't very good either. Sadly they read more like a catalog or list of features with no semantic meaning and not enough detail to program from (IMO).

If you have no HLL or OO experience then reading the 'Idiots Guide' or the C++ primer will get you started, but these stop short of being elucidating on the more advanced features.

Actually to learn the basics I'll suggest you hunt up some web tutorials. Some are quite excellent and will get you to the point of understanding classes and (hopefully) thinking properly about them.

Someone mentioned the "Design Patterns..." book. I found it valuable but ..... This book and it's authors have become something of a cult in OO design circles, and like any cult it has wandered off into fundamentalism. Don't get me wrong- design patterns are an important concept, but it NOT the only way to explicate the cat. For a rather irreverent alternative view on some related topic see ...
http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?TopMind

mhh91 · #14 8th January 2009, 09:21 AM

can somebody give me some good online books,i can't purchase any of these books unfortunately

sideways · #15 8th January 2009, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mhh91

can somebody give me some good online books,i can't purchase any of these books unfortunately

http://letmegooglethatforyou.com/?q=free+online+c%2B%2B

Sorry, couldn't resist

, here's a direct link,

http://www.freeprogrammingresources.com/cppbooks.html