Hello

[Marsassassin]

Hello everyone,

My name is Kyle. I am learning C++ but I am learning from books my dad has brought. I use the Sam Learning C++ in 21 days. Is this book good? I think I got the 2004 copy but I am to tired to go check.

[Shaggy Hiker]

Lots of people use books in that series. I've always been a bit hesitant with them because of the overly optimistic title, but I can't say that I have anything else against them.

The 2004 edition wouldn't be too bad. There have been some changes in Windows programming since that time, but I believe the C++ language was pretty stable by that year, so it wouldn't have changed much. If you are using a book from a few years earlier than that, then you'd run into the problem that the C++ standard was not complete and few compilers were highly compliant with the standard. By 2004, most major compilers were compliant with the standard, so learning ANSI C++ made sense. Before that, you could learn ANSI C++, but depending on which compiler you were using, you'd find that some parts of the language didn't actually work the way you had learned them.

[abhijit]

Having a book is like having a trail map for a trail. You still have to go on the trail and see it for yourself. As to completing it in 21 days, that's a highly optimistic time line.

[FunkyDexter]

I don't know the C++ one but I've found the '21 days' style of book are a good way to get started with a new technology/language. The problem with them is that they tend to teach you how to do something when the user requirements exactly match up to the ideal world the folks who created the language envisaged - and that very rarely happens in the real world. That's when you just have to jump in with both feet and start pulling the langauage apart a bit more. Ultimately, the books a good place to start but don't expect it to take you all way.

In 1999 I spotted a book called "Idiots guide To Handling You Y2K Issues". I remember thinking, the company that's investing in that book is in REAL trouble.

[I_Love_My_Vans]

I had a learn Visual Basic in 21 days book... I'm still non the wiser and that was 4 years ago!

Get a refund, quickly!*

*Welcome to the forum

[mendhak]

21 days is always a good series to start on as it'll at least get you the fundamentals, you can then move on to the advanced stuff.

HI KYLE!!!!111