Re: [vox] Why C?

["R. Douglas Barbieri" <doug@dooMAPSglio.net>]

Matt,

Okay, I don't want to get into a flame war, either. I've heard a lot of
bagging on C++, but really, it is an excellent language to learn. It has
its problems (as Micah has so elloquenly pointed out), but I believe that
it is a better place to start than with plain C. There are a lot of heavy
hitters in the industry who would back me up that assertion, Bjarne
Stroustrup being one of them (see 
http://www.research.att.com/~bs/new_learning.pdf).

The nice thing about C++ is that it is more type strict than C.  For
example, in C, you can call an un-prototyped function, and merely get a
warning (if you remember to turn on that specific warning). But in C++, it
is an error--you *must* prototype your functions. It is much stricter on
casting, and it allows you to define your own types. Of course, the most
effective way to use the language is to embrace the object-oriented
paradigm and program that way.

I recommend Stroustrup's "The C++ Programming Language"  
http://www.research.att.com/~bs/3rd.html. He takes you through all aspects
of C and C++. Al Stevens also has a really good book called "Teach
Yourself C++;" it was the book I used to teach myself the language (of 
course it was a very old edition--gosh I'm not getting any younger...).

****

For Perl, check out the O'Reilly book "Learning Perl." It is a great book
to start with. Of course, there is the more in-depth Larry Wall's
"Programming Perl, 3rd Edition," but I believe that "Learning Perl" is
better as a good introduction to the language. Of course, I haven't
personally read Wall's book yet--it's on my reading list.

Hope this helps!

Doug

On 23 Feb 2002, Matthew Johnson wrote:

> Trying to get back into programming...Because its so much fun :).
> 
> Caught between C, C++ or perhaps Perl or Python?
> 
> I have experience in C and C++ (although wish I had university
> experience though...).
> 
> Any ideas? Just the facts, want to avoid flame fest from Hell. Warm
> enough right now thank you
> 
> Personally found C++ easier to deal with than C. Although knowing Perl
> would be cool too.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Matt
> PS Yes I probably will want to know them all...
> 
> _______________________________________________
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> 

-- 
R. Douglas Barbieri
doug@dooglio.net
www.dooglio.net


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