Prime yourself for programming (C++ Primer Plus - Stephen Prata)

Name: Kodang

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Product:	C++ Primer Plus - Stephen Prata
Date:	17.06.02 (723 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy to read, Covers a LOT of information, lots of exercises with solutions

Disadvantages: none

Learning how to program a computer, in any language, is not one of the easiest things in life and learning how to do it in C++ can be especially difficult. However it is well worth persevering with on account of the fact that a knowledge of the language is almost a pre-requisite if you want to work in computer programming. C++ is an amazingly versatile and powerful programming language combining traditional procedural style coding (ie the way you program in C, Fortran or Basic) with the more modern object orientated approach. Finally C++ supports what is known as generic programming – yet another way of doing things. If you don’t know what these three different types of coding are then don’t worry, for now just remember the fact that C++ allows you to create programs in several different styles – all representing different ways of thinking about problems. The fact that c++ is so flexible is part of it’s power but it also can make it very difficult to learn as there is simply so much.

Prata’s book – the subject of this review – makes learning the language about as painless as it can possibly be. It is written in a nice, comfortable, conversational style that is not too dry which makes it a pleasure to read. The author manages to go into great detail without swamping the reader and I have found that after reading a chapter I retain most of what he was trying to teach. Once I had tried the exercises and maybe re-read the chapter a couple of times I started to feel very comfortable with the ideas presented.

One of my lecturers complained that the book is too wordy – Prata talks too much in between giving relevant information – and for this reason my lecturer didn’t like it. I take the opposite view – I recommend the book because it is so wordy and the detailed explanations of concepts were very welcome to a relative beginner like me. I have also found that as you get us
ed to Prata’s writing style it is very easy to quickly home in on exactly what you want to know – making it ideal for reference once you get more experienced.

I have read a lot of C++ books over the last year or so and very few are as good as this one – whether you are a beginner or a bit more experienced and I highly recommend it. It is also worth noting that when I did a quick search on google for C++ books – this one came highly recommended by many professional programmers. To finish with I will give a list of chapter headings so those who know a little about C++ will have an idea of what the book covers

1. Getting Started
2. Setting out to C++
3. Dealing with Data
4. Derived Types
5. Loops and Relational Expressions
6. Branching Statements and Logical Operators
7. Functions – C++’s Programming Modules
8. Adventures in Functions
9. Objects and Classes
10. Working with Classes
11. Classes and Dynamic Memory Allocation
12. Class inheritance
13. Reusing Code in C++
14. Friends, Exceptions and more
15. The string class and the Standard Template Library
16. Input, Output and Files

Summary: