5 comments about Ruminations on C++: A Decade of Programming Insight and Experience.

1. While this book came out before the ISO C++ (99) standard was finalized it still has a lot of relevant material in it. It is clearly presented, and the underlying design choices are explained and expanded on.

   A word of caution, the topic on Smart pointers is interesting, but don't just copy it out, get a tested version from the C++ library "boost". Its like the string class every text seems to use, copy it, use it to learn from but don't use it in an actual project. You'll just have to go through the debugging process that everyone else has already done.

   This book focuses on C++ Design and that is a hard subject to teach well. The mechanics of the language are much easier to master, the putting it all together in the correct way is what this book focuses on.

   I'd also like to say that I think this book is better written than any of the C++Report articles that A.Koening wrote. My guess is that the review process is more stringent and he and B. Moo had more time to work the text over. In any case it is one of the easier to understand and read intermediate level C++ books.




2. The quality of the authors' technical knowledge is beyond question. They write in an extremely articulate way. They explain in meticulously correct ways how to undertake different (very useful) tasks, most especially the construction of handle classes. Because the content is a family of carefully reworked magazine articles, I think that it conveys the context in which these idioms are most useful somewhat weakly. At one time, this was just the best information available. Now, I think there are better books, including the authors' own Accelerated C++. Personally, I think this is one to take from the library---not one to buy.



3. I was keen to read this expanded and edited collection of columns, given the high quality of the authors' Accelerated C++. This is not quite as good as that book, but it's held up better than some of its contemporaries, like Carroll and Ellis's Designing and Coding Reusable C++.
   
   The chapters are quite short, but they feel cohesive and flow well. The early part of the book is perhaps the most dated. There are discussions of implementing a string class and handle classes - they're treated well, but it's likely you've seen this several times before. Also, I didn't find the 'string picture' chapters, designed to illustrate class design, terribly interesting or illuminating of the underlying principles of object orientation (I didn't like them much in Accelerated C++ either).
   
   However, the section on templates remains relevant, and the discussion of function objects and generic programming is a very good introduction. The later chapters on API design also retain insights. And in particular, the chapter on stream manipulators is very cool. It's also very good at discussing implementation and design issues and the thought processes that go into them. The feel is of someone talking you through how they went about writing some useful C++ and the trade offs involved.
   
   In summary, this is a little dated, but it still has some bits and pieces that you won't find elsewhere. Not one to own at all costs, but keep an eye out for a cheap second hand copy, and when the price is right, pounce.



4. A solid source for understanding the theory behind many good C++ programming practices. Though somewhat dated by the standard template library (STL) now, the text still gives the software engineer a better understanding of the concepts behind the design of STL iterators, etc. Since it is somewhat dated, the material may not always be directly useful in practice but the theory it provides behind good practice is worth the cost still. Very readable and very highly recommended.



5. This book was a good read, i.e. it showed that elegance can still be found
   in C++ programming no matter all the crap that goes around nowadays all
   over the place. Concise and understandable code doesn't take magic nor
   obfuscated coding practices; just a thorough understanding of the C++
   programming language is needed.
   
   Jos

1 comments about More C++ for Dummies.

1. if you know C and/or read c++ for dummies BUY THIS BOOK, this book explains streams very well as well as overloading operators ect. and in the end you go through the procces of building a REAL app. it also covers making your own streams

5 comments about Teach Yourself C++, Seventh Edition.

1. I am actually not very experienced as a programmer, and just start to learn C++. I started with Stroustrup's C++ Programming Language, which is called the "Bible", but I got bored and lost all the time, it's really dry writing. So I was looking for some alternative, and found this book. I would say it explained C++ in a decent way, and it has a pretty good coverage. I admit that if you don't have any programming experience, it might be a bit difficult to follow some of the concepts. On the other hand, C++ is a complex language, this book illustrates some of the hard topics in a good manner and deepth. If you are new to C++, yet have some experience in programming and computer systems, this may be a very good book for you to start. In addition to that, once you finish this book, Stroustrup's is still a must read if you want to be a real C++ programmer.



2. First of all, I do have a limited knowlege of programing. I spent last summer interning for a computational physicist, and I had to learn to write Pearl scripts. However, this is the sum total of my programing experience before buying this book.
   I started out reading in good faith believing everything the author said. I installed the Windows based C++ compiler and text editor. I then worked through the first 100 out of ~700 pages.
   The program comes with all the code written on the disk. All you have to do is open the file and compile. However, nearly every file that I opened up was a little different than the way the author wrote it in the book. When I tried to copy what was in the book, the code would not compile. It seems as if the author either used another compiler that works with his method, or he typed the programs in the book. Then when it came time to make files for the software, someone realized that none of it compiled and so fixed the code.
   Also, none of the programs return a value in the first 100 pages or so. You have to use the software's step function to see anything happening unless you have a computer old enough to still have DOS. I got tired of using this and so tried to write the code from a shell in Linux. Lo-and-behold, I have not found a single example program that compiles in Linux. I even skipped and picked about a dozen examples at random from later chapters. NONE of them compiled in Linux. (BTW this book is only for Windows users)
   I've since googled C++ help and found thousands of helpful files. I now see the author's mistakes. They are plentiful, but not huge. They are mainly missing braces or semi-colons. I think the lib calls and what nots are ok; it's just very sloppily written.
   Overall, this book is just fine for a beginer to understand, BUT I don't recommend it because of all the mistakes. The writing helped me understand how C++ works, but the programs are awful.



3. Despite the appearance of this book as suitable for someone who doesn't know C or C++, a person who has not already programmed in C or C++ may find the examples, at times, completely incomprehensible. Additionally, although Stevens covers most facets of the language syntax, for many parts he offers no advice on the usefulness of the technique or when it should be applied. This title is more or less a poorly constructed and incomplete reference in the guise of a beginner's book.

   If you want to learn C++ and have already programmed in C, this is fine for you. If you haven't, avoid this book in favor of titles such as Object Oriented Programming in C++, The C++ Programming Language (authored by the creator of C++ himself, Bjarne Stroustrup), or another guide with more depth.




4. This book has no target audience. The author mentions in the beginning that you should already have some understading of C++ but then starts from scratch. His explaination are cursory at best, often times stating the same idea twice; both time in incoherant babble. His explaination present no detail of whatever he is describing. Don't get this book. There are plenty other ones that are better!



5. If your goal is to teach yourself C++, this is a great book. It is true to the title. I first read this book in the Fifth Edition when making the transition from C to C++ and wore it out using it as a reference even after reading many other books on the language.
   
   The C++ language and it's implementation in various compilers, has not stopped evolving but this remains the most clear, concise tutorial on the language I've read.
   
   Some of the constructs shown in the book have fallen out of style, so not every example is considered good programming. That they are shown, may irritate people who subscribe to a single code style. That does not detract from the value of Steven's insight into a logical and concise presentation of the language.
   
   As a tool to teach yourself the language, this is the best book I've read.

5 comments about Beginning Game Programming (Premier Press Game Development).

1. I was very disappointed with this book. There was insufficient instruction regarding the installation of the DirectX SDK. Most of the source code is incompatible with the included compiler. After manually entering the source code into the Visual C++ IDE, most of the programs would not compile. Thinking I may have made some typographical errors or overlooked some of the code, I then copied the source code directly from the included CD and became even more frustrated that this code would not compile either. Don't waste your money on this book.



2. This book has exellent information, but the author spends little time emphasizing the basics. I am about halfway through the book and i have just stopped reading it becuase it is so confusing. I am very experienced in php, and know basic C and C++, and was surprized i found it so difficult to understand. If you can catch on quick enough though then im sure the information given is great, i expecially loved the first few chapers before the code, where he explained about api's and how directx works...



3. I've had this book for two days now and am already half-way through it and the examples. Please NOTE*** Something that is reiterated throughout the beginning chapters is that this book is an introduction to GAME programming using directx, not an introduction to game PROGRAMMING. The code in this book is developed using a C/C++ compiler, and the brilliant author uses Microsoft Visual C++. As the author mentions many times, you should be knowledgable in C/C++ to really have a good understanding of the code. That being said, even his explanations of every line of code shouldn't confuse someone at least familiar with some programming.
   
   The writing style might be somewhat "cheesey" to some readers, but I felt myself so enthralled in the book that I couldn't put it down. Mr. Harbour inspires you to want to develop games.
   
   While I haven't yet reached the 3D part of the book, I really liked the explanations on Windows programming, and the eventual directx programming. One of the best "features" of this book is how the author explains what the different lines of code actually do. Too many books give you code without telling you what it does.
   
   I recommend this book especially if you have no idea how a game is programmed. I do have a lot of programming experience, but not low-level windows programming. I had no idea how to display a window, or to 'blit' a surface. Now I do!
   
   Lastly, I've seen some people said they had trouble with compiling the source code. I haven't tried it with the given compiler, but if you download the FREE MS Visual C++ Express, make sure you aren't using a UNICODE character set, then you shouldn't see any problems.



4. Jonathan S. Harbour is an excellent author. His books are very informative and very easy to read. He has a knack for taking subject matter that would put you to sleep, and making it fun to read.



5. Besides the few mistakes that make it difficult to compile code etc. the book is very good for beginners. It starts with the basics of windows programming framework then adds DirectX, onto 2d graphics then finishes with 3d. Each chapter has questions to test your knowledge and it CLEARLY states the answers are in the Appendix which ISN'T included. I have contacted them and they just state, "nope no appendix sorry". So if you are unsure of an answer your never going to know the answer. It also has a program he uses called meshview which doesn't come with ALL SDK's (maybe I have a newer one that has it removed). So the whole section on optimizing mesh's is worthless to me (I have searched for it on the SDK ON THE BOOK's CD!! and online to no avail) Things like that throughout the book make it just a so so book to me. Anyhow don't expect a complete 100% thorough book.

5 comments about Memory Management: Algorithms and Implementations In C/C++ (Windows Programming/Development).

1. This is probably the only book I have ever bought that actually gave a discussion on protected mode that I could follow. He does keep the discussion basic (flat model, no paging), but it got me over the hurdle.

   I also liked his high-level memory managers. They were to the point and easy to understand. No fancy syntax, no cryptic pointer swizzling,... just straightforward code. What Blunden provides is a solid foundation that has a low learning threshold.

   Finally, Blunden speaks to the reader in a casual manner, as if you were sipping high-octane coffee somewhere on El Camino BigNum.




2. As a public servant involved in technical copyright work, I normally don't stray too far from my area of specialy. However, a friend of mine recommended this book and I picked it up at a local bookstore.

   This book does a nice job of looking at the countless little details that come into play when dealing with a computer's memory. What was once very easy for hackers to fiddle with in 1981 is now a nasty ordeal. Fortunately you'll have this book to guide you.

   Nice explanation of the A20 address gate.

   One thing I didn't expect was a look behind all the marketing hype behind Moore's Law. The last chapter is somewhat ominous, and it makes you wonder if the author has been to John Young's web site. TIA is closer than you think...




3. While a lot of books on computer memory end up abstracting their discussion somehow, Blunden's book lies at the opposite end of the spectrum. All aspects of computer memory are examined (hardware level, OS level, application level) and in each instance concrete, non-trivial, examples are presented. Nothing, and I mean nothing, is left to the imagination. This book is nothing short of an exhaustive look at memory management. Engineers interested in this traditionally neglected topic should buy this book!

   Having read other reviews, I will agree that the material in the last chapter is just a little prophetic.




4. I work in a field where memory management is absolutely critical and was greatly looking forward to this book greatly. However it turned out to be a massive disappointment. The title is memory management, algorithms and implementations. However, the algorithms don't even really start until the last third of the book, and when they do, they are overly simple, and barely touch on the theory or critical characteristics behind the algorithms. This book is filled with useless tangents, some of the most random of which involving microkernal versus monolithic kernal, scanning of faces at the Super Bowl, and instructions for setting the 80x line of chips from real to protected mode! This book presents no practically useful algorithms, as all of the handling of cases such as growing the memory block are left as 'excercises for the reader' as are performance improvments even though final performance is essential in order to be able to properly compare and contrast the algorithms.

   In closing, skip this book and pick up either 'Operating System Concepts 6th ed' or 'Operating Systems: Design and Implemenation 2nd ed' which actually have meaningful insight into practical approaches for memory management and concerns.




5. This book, is one of the few computer books I have read from cover to cover - code listings are easy to scan/skip, and the book itself is not huge (however the cost seems fairly high for the size).
   
   This book is clearly written, and well researched. It is not for beginners.
   
   This book spends time on the hardware aspects of Memory management based on the Intel 386 and above architecture. Real Mode versus protected mode and how the processor design allows for memory protection in protected mode.
   
   This is then followed by a survey of Operating Systems, from DOS to Linux to Windows - which is moving from the simple to the complex - and how the OS provides Memory Management services.
   
   Then the development of computer languages, and how they allow for memory management starting with COBOL and moving on to Object oriented C++ and Java Virtual Machines.
   
   Finally the last part of the book has a lot of code listings with very simplistic memory management and moving into slightly more complex algorithms for memory management for programs. The focus is on introducing multiple approaches and how to measure the real performance of each - some parts of this part of the book seemed like they were repeating the same text in making comments about the code.
   
   Overall, I liked the book. I read the Pentium Protected Mode architecture book last year, and it prepared me for this book.
   I have not done much assembly level x86 programming, but enough to understand what was being shown in the early examples.
   
   The book has a very good bibilography of sources for each chapter - six long chapters. I felt, while looking at these bibilographies, that the time spent in going through all of the items in the bibliography was part of the reason that this books price was set so high. The references here are thorough and identify some turning points in computer sciences to me.
   
   The structure of the book is the layers by which memory managment is accomplshed - the memory management code is more of an intro. I felt that the book might be targeting Computer Science courses as its real market - the books structure lays down a good foundation for further exploration.
   
   The deeper development of Memory Management algorithms is where I too found the book lacking, and the title a bit deceiving - a complaint from another that I would agree with. This is the reason for not giving 5 stars. It would have taken a lot more time to develop the code and write explanations for more complex approaches and the author states this repeatedly in this algorithm section of the book.
   
   I am inspired from this book to learn more about x86 assembly language, and to study the actual code of the Linux Kernel.
   If that sounds of interest to you too, then you should buy this book.

5 comments about C++ Weekend Crash Course.

1. Being an intermediate-level programmer I was able to breeze through the first few chapters with ease. The text explains fundamentals fairly well and it gives plenty of examples.
   Progressing further into the book, past the fundamentals was quite a challenge. The chapter on pointers is poorly described, seemed rushed, with examples that are inadequately explained.
   This book is OK as a reference if you already know what you are doing. Otherwise for a good intro book to C++ I would suggest C++ How to Program by Deitel and Deitel.



2. This book is relatively useless unless you intend to write the programs he has made into examples in the book. Nothing is explained or defined, many explanations are missing as far as terms, ideas, or even how or what something does. I would not recommend this book.



3. As a C (and other languages) programmer, I have spent hours in the bookstore reading 20 or more books on C++ trying to find one that would give me the C++ concepts quickly and simply - and this book does. I am quite certain that it will not be my last book on C++, it is NOY a complete referece by any means. I would also add that it is definitely NOT for someone with no programming experience (even though the copy says it is). While this book is not really what it purports to be, it is perfect for the C programmer moving to C++.



4. This book was my first book on learning C++. After reading several other books on C++, I can honestly say that this book was dissapointing at best. In a beginner's eyes, it is easy to imagine how this book might seem handy. It is informative and helpful on elementary topics, and also was helpful in the respect that I had no idea where to get a compiler or how to use it. However, once the book delves into more advanced topics, it becomes apparent that
   1.) the author never bothered to debug and test his programs and
   2.) that the author is inadequate at explanations.
   If you have plenty of money to burn, buy this book. Otherwise, try to get a book that doesn't have some sort of false "in a weekend!" or "in 21 days" or "for idiots!" promise. Learning to program takes hard work and perseverance, and those kind of books simply aren't cut out for teaching programming (not in the timeframe they promise, at least.).



5. Having read with pleasure the 'Visual Basic 6 Weekend Crash Course' by the same author, as a beginner to C++ I thought that this would be a good choice. Two weeks down the line, I'm only half-way through the book. As noted by others, the problems started with the chapter on Pointers. This is a new concept to me, and although I understood the first chapter on Pointers, I found it somewhat difficult to grasp the following one ('A few more pointers').
   
   I used VB 6 for a couple of years and got used to the 'What you see is what you get' concept. However, with C++, often what you see is not at all what you get. So when you're like me, seeking to understand exactly how things work, then the explanations and examples in the book feel a little minimal. Add to that a cryptic programming language and you may have nothing to fall back on. I found myself presuming a lot. The problem is that if you don't understand a topic, chances are that you won't understand a lot of other stuff either.
   
   Overall, I like the book because I use it to get to know the basic concepts of C++ and programming in general. I don't type the code examples, I don't even run them from the CD. I just read through them and with the help of the written explanations try to understand what is happening. Sometimes this takes long, but I feel that I'm building a sound basis in relatively little time. The chapters are compact, each not more than a couple of pages, and this helps you to progress steadily. But definitely not in a weekend! That is just a marketing ploy, and it's working well.

3 comments about Microsoft C# Language Specifications (MSDN).

1. There are a lot of C# books now available but they are introductions into .NET using C# or an comparation with other languages or simply a language tutorial. For an experienced developer such books are very time-consuming: He or she wants to read quickly the details about the language syntax, semantic and structure in a well-structured form.

   The new Microsoft book is now the answer to such developers: It is a well-structured book about all details of the language, simply to understand for any language-reference experienced reader. It contains a lot of small source examples and it is official - written by persons in or near the C# design team.

   The structure is enhanced by many references; unfortunately, the references have only chapter numbers and no page numbers, which reduces the reference-reading speed. And I miss an index containing all keywords, syntax description names etc. So special things are a little difficult to find. Otherwise I would give 5 stars and not only 4.

   The book is available with identical contents on the MSDN library April 2001 (including fast hyperlinks and full-text search), so this book is not a must for every .NET programmer but for all guys who like printed paper more than filled windows at screen.




2. The content of this book ships with the MSDN library for Visual Studio.Net, at least most of it. The book drops out some of the holes in the MSDN library, which gives it a slight advantage.

   As far as technical merit, this book rates above the rest of the C# books, with perhaps the exception of Gunnerson's book, which is sometimes a bit harder to read for understanding. Funny comment actually, since this is a spec doc and his book is supposed to teach.

   The best book of the lot, as far as learning goes, is the Wrox book. Unfortunately, it is a bit inconsistent and goes from strong to weak depending on which chapter you read. It also spends a lot of time on the tools, which is not the reason you buy a book on a language.

   If you are an experienced or intermediate developer, you can get a lot out of this book. If you are a beginner, I might hold off for something a bit easier to read through. You can get through this book, but I believe Inside C# or Wrox's book might be a better starting point.




3. c# is not released yet and ms still introduces changes, i.e. a printed language reference is obsolete before even read. for all who are using c# (beta 1), the language reference documentation comes with the package - just look at "c:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio.NET\Vc7\C# Language Reference.doc"

5 comments about Introduction to 3D Game Engine Design Using DirectX 9 and C#.

1. This book is not an introduction to DirectX, D3D, or C#. It is a very high-level introduction to game engine design. One could almost gain as much from saying "Compartmentalise your objects" several times a day.
   
   The title implies that it will give you some help understanding how DirextX and C# work together to create a game engine. This is false. There is a lot of uncommented code in this book (half the first chapter of 26 pages is uncommented code). The explanations given are abstract to the point of being worthless to someone who truly needs an introduction, giving only light glances at the example code. It is impossible to get a clear picture of everything involved.
   
   There are doubtless those for whom this book is the perfect level of abstract discussion. However, I believe this is the exception rather than the rule. Highly not recommended.



2. For those who have already had an introduction into DirectX, this book is a godsend. If you know a little bit about DirectX and are ready to take the next step in designing your own engine this is the book to get. Just for the engine structural knowledge I have gained from reading this book it was well worth it, and that's not including all of the implementation examples it gives you, such as Terrains, Meshes, Cameras, and Particle Effects to name a few that I liked. If you don't know anything about DirectX, this book will probably be hard to follow. If you do know DirectX then this book will be very easy to follow. What isn't in comments is explained enough (in my opinion) in the paragraphs preceding each class and method. If you are still having trouble understanding this book then I would recommend reading an 'Introduction to DirectX' book, not an 'Introduction to Game Engine Design USING DirectX' book. All in all, this book was extremely worth it. The author definitely has experience in this field. The book's title may be deceiving to some, if you only read the first and last couple words and skip the 5 words in the middle. The previous reviews were incorrect about this book. If you have a little bit of understanding of DirectX, and would like to see how to implement some elements of a game, like the ones i mentioned previously(and there are more than that), then definitely buy this book.



3. If you're looking at engines like axiom, ogre, irrlicht, etc... and wondering how they do that... THIS is the book for you.
   
   Just make sure you've read at least an intro c# book and 1 or 2 direct3d books.
   
   I'm loving this book, I've read 1/4th of it over the period of my workshift... just can't put it down.
   
   Things like octrees were completely confusing me, and lynn does a great job explaining it.
   
   -1 star for not doing an octree implementation instead of a quad tree (so far... i haven't read the whole book yet), oh and i saw a "GOTO" statement in his code, which always urks me in OOP.



4. This was a total waste of my money. If you plan on compiling the code then dont purchase this book. It will not compile and they have known it for a while. But refuse to release a code update.
   
   If you dont believe this visit the Apress website. They know the code is bad.



5. I purchased this book in hopes that I would be able to use the code for examples and as a guidance. However, the code is outdated and unusable. You can download a more updated version of it off of a "fan" website, though still doesn't work. I contacted the author on the matter, and he said, "I'm afraid it is now becomes an exercise for you and the other readers to take the concepts in the book and work out the latest implementation. " I don't see how one can work out the exercises on their own when they're trying to learn the exercise itself!
   
   
   The concepts in the book are a little useful, though without working code it seems so close yet so far away.
   
   I would not recommend this book to those looking to learn from it.

2 comments about Pattern Recognition with Neural Networks in C++.

1. This book comes with C++ source code, and thus provides a nice place to begin for someone who is interested in experimenting with neural nets. The author's focus on the character-recognition problem, so the book is somewhat specialized from this perspective. I would not recommed this book to someone who is primarily interested in a strong theoretical book describing learning with neural nets.



2. This book explains the concepts in clear simple language and shows you the source code in C++, class diagrams (unique), and how the algorithms work with flow charts (unique). Often, each chapter contains step-by-step examples of how these algorithms work on some simple input vectors - exactly what I need for exam preparation.

5 comments about Beginning C.

1. Ivor Horton is a great writer. A friend of mine who is a guru in Unix suggested this book to me. If you are like me, learning best by studying examples, this book is a must!

   I had no idea what C language was all about. After finishing with chapter 1 I had a clear idea what the structure of C language is and what I should expect to see in the rest of the book.

   The examples are great if you work them out (can not learn otherwise). What I like the best is that the examples are in bold letters so that they stand out from the rest of the text. It is easier for the reader to visually keep things in order. Do I make sense?

   This book makes you want to read more and more!!!




2. 
   I have read several beginners� books on C, including K&R's "The C Programming Language", and found Beginning C to be the best!
   Beginning C is very easy to read, well organized and contains clear examples. If you really want to learn C without too much fuss, this is the book.



3. This book was pretty well organized, as well as having good excersies and a nice program to do at the end of each chapter. I still go back to this book for reference on topics that I can't quiet remember. Also this book is a great thing to have around if you don't want to study C but just want to know how C works and how to make structs and all/



4. This is an excelent introduction to C. It covers all of the basics of C without any long confusing code. It is very beginner friendly and has tons of easy to understand examples. Also makes a very good reference book. If you want to learn C, this is the place to start.



5. I teach C programming to new programmers and recommend this to the students. It's a bit dated (16 bit int's, for instance) but the presentation is outstanding. Easy to read and many examples are the reasons I suggest it - but the students love it because they can get old copies for much less than a new book (Thanks, Amazon!)
   
   The fonts and layout of this edition are in my opinion superior to the 3rd edition, making this a better book from which to learn. Ivor, if you're reading this -- go back to WROX!