5 comments about C++ Program Design.

1. I rate this book 1 out of five stars ONLY because i cannot rate it lower than 1 out of five.
   I bought this book because it was the required text we were using for a c++ class in college. Honestly, this has got the be the worst computer-related book I've ever laid hands on. I don't know how this book can sell, let alone have any good reviews.
   For the people who rated this book good, claiming it isnt for newbies, and teaches you how to design c++ program properly. Dont listen to them. I consider myself fairly computer literate. Ive had experience with several languages, and I am an active Linux user, in which i write perl and bash scripts often. This book is still confusing as ever. And I thought some of the Linux HOWTO's were written poorly. Not compared to this book. The author writes in an extremely technical, bland way. He uses functions in his source and doesnt explain them until 3 chapters later. He constantly uses poor coding techniques, by declaring variables in the middle of the program.

   If you don't beleive what everyone else said, listen to this.

   If you buy this book, you will be wishing you hadnt. Don't waste your time. There are many better books out there that not only claim to show you c++ program design, but actually do in a real manner. At this point im not sure if cohoon was actually serious about writing a book, or wanted to torture and scare people away from learning c++.
   (hes probably a java developer)

   I suggest buying "The C++ Programming Language" Its much better written, and is written by the creator of the C++ language himself.




2. Would not suggest the book to a C++ novice, I found it very useful being a full time C++ programmer.



3. I am a self taught programmer. When I first read some of the reviewes I was initially discouraged to buy it. Now that I have bought this book, I have no regrets. It is a well thought out book with plenty of examples to try out. As regards EzWindows, though I haven't yet laid my hands on it but by reading through the texts I do not find it that bad.Some reviewer have complained of declaring variables in the middle of the program! but by hind sight that is not only perfectly valid but I believe it is a good method in coding. Instead of going back thousand of lines to the begining of the prog to find a variable, it is far more easier to locate it where it is declared provided it is well commented there! I like the history bits in the book to be pretty smart. Not a bad book either for the beginner or for the experienced.



4. Avoid adding this book to your collection. I found it lacks a consistent logical structure, is dry and makes relatively easy concepts seem impossibly complex.



5. This is a shocking example of how not to teach programming - numerous listings of boring code explaining HOW to do things, but no mention of WHY they are the way they are. If you are required to buy this as a textbook for a course, please complain loudly. There are some far better alternatives out there - for example Bruce Eckel's two-volume Thinking in C++ which is also available for free download.

5 comments about Practical C++ Programming (Nutshell Handbook).

1. As a beginning student to c++ i found this book to be confusing to say the least once you get to chapter 9 it really goes off the deep end.The book is best served for someone who is already familiar with the c language it takes too much for granted. I would recomend c++ primer or sams teach youreslf c++ by Jessie Liberty.



2. I think author's practical c book is one of the best c book I've read, but when it came to C++ I expected to learn OOP, but not in this book. if you are trying learn OOP (what C++ supposed to be) this is not the book to read. it is good for learing C++ syntex and it's new OOP features(but does not cover indepth). his explaination of each subject is just as good as practical C, just disappointed that book does not cover OOP.



3. If you are looking for a book on how to program in C++, this is not the book for you. If you are looking for a book on how to do object oriented programming, this is not the book for you. If you are looking for a so-so C++ reference that teaches you how to write C code using C++, then this is the book for you.

   Practical C programming is one of the best C books out there, that's why I bought this one. The problem is, that this is the same book with the syntax stuff changed for C++. The author does very little to talk about OO design or what C++ can do for you. The examples are still based on procedural style and the author doesn't cover the more advanced OO features very well.

   If you're looking to start C/C++ programming then here's the books you really need:

   For C concepts and style: Practical C Programming (Oualline)
   For C++ concepts and style: Thinking in C++ (Eckel)
   For C reference: Programming in ANSI C (Kochan)
   For C++ reference: The C++ Programming Language (Stroustrup)

   Get these, read them in that order, and you're on your way to mastering C++. No matter what anyone tells you, great C++ programs are written by good C programmers. If you want to ignore the low-level stuff, then you want to be programming in Java.




4. A great guide for beggining to intermediate level C++ programmers. Does an amazing job of laying out guidelines for creating well written, readable code. Includes questions and answers to common coding mistakes in each chapter as well as programming exercises that force you to use what you just learned "hands-on". Is the only programming book that hasn't bored me to hell ( much like a good novel I couldn't put it down ). Being very readable, the book makes you WANT to finish each chapter so you can go to work on the next set of exercises and see if you can crank out the next program without errors. Blah, blah, anyhow...If you are just getting started with C++, GET this book ( just know that you'll need another to teach you OOP as stated in some other reviews ).



5. I'm new to c++ and decided to try to learn it through this book.
   It works magnificent in teaching me how C++ works, how to code in it and how to convert C code.
   It is writen in a very conversational way and it always have some code besides the explenation (I for one enjoy reading the code also when I'm reading the explenation of a new feature!).
   This book is realy good for teaching people the basics!
   I hope you will enjoy this book as much as I do (I ain't finished with it as I'm writing this review).

No comments about Challenges With C++. a Compilation of 550+ Mcq's.

3 comments about C Style: Standards and Guidelines : Defining Programming Standards for Professional C Programmers.

1. Distinguishes between commonly accepted practices and areas with several feasible alternatives. The author reserves his example of the ideal standard to the appendix. The chapter on "Psychological factors" provides many insights into how standards can improve the programming process. Elements such as pattern recognition, filtering, habit, redundancy, cues, context, chunking, the rule of seven, context switching, eye focus, eye movement, looking ahead, looking back, subconscious, and natural ambition can affect both programmer productivity and program correctness. Comprehensively covers commenting, naming, layout, language usage, data usage, and programming usage. This material is also relevant for C++ programmers. Excellent source of ideas for developing an individual, group, or company coding policy.



2. Here's a readable reference on a subject many people love to avoid: coding standards. Why have them? How to choose? How do they help developers? In-depth chapters on the psychology of how people understand code (when they have to read it in order to change it), and on how to deploy a coding standard successfully.
   
   Of course, the bulk of the book is a detailed explanation of almost any kind of item you could put in a coding standard, with reasons and considerations. While these chapters are really a reference, I can see reading through them over time in order to become a better developer. To those who (rightly) are concerned about creativity, consider Straker's response:
   
   "The creative element in programming is more in the design, than in the coding. All but the most stringent standards and the most detailed designs leave plenty of creative scope for the coder. The only creativity that is to be frowned on is that which adds unnecessary complexity to the code."
   
   By the way, the author has recently put the entire text of the book online [...], but I'm still ordering print copies because I'd rather re-read under a tree than at a PC.
   
   Update: Now I've read the print copy -- there's a big difference reading from a book. Straker is thorough, and it's worth reading every word -- there's a temptation to skim and skip online. When you get tired, put the book down and come back to it later. Well worth it!



3. I use this standards and guidelines with misra-C, C coding standards.
   This include followings;
   Psychological factor
   general principle
   commenting
   naming
   code layout
   file layout
   language usage
   data usage
   programming usage
   implementing standards
   
   MISRA-C do not include naming and layout.
   But there are very important for productivity on team development.

3 comments about Starting Out With the C++ (2nd Alternate Edition).

1. I have spent hours in book stores looking for the perfect book to teach myself C++, and I have finally found it!!! I feel that this book was well worth the money. I had no previous expierence with teh language, but I was able to learn quickly with this book. Tony Gaddis explains everything very well. The examples are explained in full detail. If you are learning C++ on your own, or studying it in school, this book is an excellent choice!!!



2. I got this book because I had to take a C++ class as part of the requirements for a Masters degree program at Johns Hopkins, and a friend told me that C++ was not an easy nut to crack. I had never programmed in C++ before, but I was determined to learn as much as I could before the class started. This book by Mr. Gaddis gently introduced me to the world of C++ and, before I got half-way through it, I was not only comfortable with the language, I understood the essential ideas behind the language. The essential pros of this book are: 1) It is very detailed and concise at the same time. 2) The style of writing is very clear and easy to follow. 3) It covers virtually everything that any serious C++ programmer needs to know. 4) It comes with a floppy disk which contains all the codes in the book 5) It "streches" your C++ muscles through a challenging application (The Serendipity Booksellers Application) which you develop throughout the book 6) It provides numerous (maybe too many!) exercises and programming and design challenges 7) It has, scattered throughout the book, several tips on software engineering. I really love those tips. 8) The summaries in the inside book covers 9)The book is simply great.

   The cons of the book are few, but they must also be listed: 1) It does not highlight certain very important facts. The facts are there, but the author did not highlight them well enough. E.g you need certain header files before you can use certain library functions. Although the author stated this, he did not make the fact stand out.

   Summary: This is a great book if you are new (or not so new) to C++, and you have a limited time to cover the essentials of the language. It is also a beautiful book to have as a reference. Overall, it is an excellent book to have.




3. So i took a data structures class and the book was the most confusing thing id ever read. So i ordered this book and not only is this the best book for C++ but it also makes data structures simple and covers most all of the major ones. This book is well worth the money. Great pictures and format.

No comments about Data Abstraction and Object-oriented Programming in C++.

5 comments about Mastering Visual C++ 6.

1. This book relies heavily on Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC), the title should really be "Introduction to MFC, using Visual C++".

   Here is my experience: I have an extensive background in application programming (mostly Macintosh) and needed a book to help me get a Windows app up and running quickly. I started with this book and got something going, but soon found that MFC just makes life more confusing. MFC is not well documented, and to do anything you have to set up multiple objects and it is always mysterious what they are doing. Often, they can ONLY do the very simple things that they have been designed to do, and modifying them is a big chore (or impossible given the lack of documentation).

   After struggling to get my app to do simple things, I tossed it out and started from scratch using direct calls to Windows, using Schildt's Windows 98 Programming as a guide. This is working much, much better (though there are still simple things that need better documentation like how to deal with child windows).




2. Not for beginners as the name suggest.
   If you want to learn graphics programming using Visual C++ this
   is the right book.
   Rich in examples.



3. This book is horrible, it is not worth the paper it is written on. They did NOT know how to publish an informative book! Chapter 13 program does NOT even WORK!!! Even on the cd they provide it does NOT compile! Do not waste your money on this book!



4. The book is quite good in terms of how the author presents the topics, as well as his instructions. However, there are a lot of typos. I've read only chapters 11 & 12 and found at least 4 typos already (and I only skimmed through the pages). I don't know how many more I'd find did I read the text word by word. Would recommend this book for a beginner only as far as windows programming and MFC are concerned. An experienced programmer would find this book quite trivial.



5. This is NOT a book for someone beggining C++ UNLESS they are familiar with the C language.
   I dont care what anyone says, it does not go into any detail at all for beginners.
   The best quiality about this book is that it appeals to anyone wishing to learn to use the wizards.
   Its is very confusing, has many typos, and hardly goes into detail about what the code does.
   Itll show you some code to type, then say what the code does, but it wont explain how each line of code works.
   WASTE OF MONEY ( I got mine free from a friend )

5 comments about MCAD/MCSD Visual Basic(r) .Net(tm) Web Applications Study Guide (Exam 70-305).

1. I think this book is excellent. Yes, it could have been edited a little better, but I thought the information was presented extremely well and in an interesting way. I have passed the 70-306 exam and think that this book will definately help me pass the 70-305. I have absolutely no regrets in buying or reading this book cover-to-cover. I feel I am learning from every chapter.



2. This book is the best book available in the market. There are lot of errors but still covered all the aspects of the exam very well. I have passed the 70-305 exam.



3. This book contains a number of errors, both in the text itself, and in the programming examples. The errors are obviously confusing and frustrating, since you're trying to learn the material and prepare for the test - the last thing you want to be doing is trying to figure out the authors' mistakes.

   The core material *is* covered in the text; it's just that you'll be spending time going back and forth between pages trying to reconcile contradictory statements, or going nuts trying to figure out why step 3 in some exercise doesn't produce what the authors said it would.

   If you already know ASP.NET and ADO.NET fairly well, you should be able to guess what the authors were shooting for, and this may be a decent exam prep for you. I wouldn't try actually trying to learn from this (i.e., if you're under a tight deadline to learn the material and get certified).




4. I purchased this book (a while back) because it was one of the first couple that was available, and as is usually the case with books that are rushed to market, it contains a number of mistakes. Probably one of the worst areas is in the last chapter of the book, concerning URL security. I feel this is a big let down because a lot of test questions concern URL authorization. Maybe at this point, the editor just got tired of reviewing material. A number of mistaken and contradictory statements were made here, that led me to be very confused. Basically, I had to go to the source (MSDN) to figure out that the book was wrong in several places. Maybe they have fixed some of these errors by now. As well, a lot of the "Practice Questions" were vague and not well thought out, and acutally a couple were misprinted entirely. The practice exam that comes with the book's CD is pretty much worthless, buy Transcender or Measure Up instead. This being said, they do cover all the basic study material, and if you are planning on getting everything you need out of your study book, there is a good chance you will fail anyway. However, as stated previously, I would look for some of the more recently published books, as they are probably more accurate than this one.



5. This book covers all the material you will need to pass the 70-305 exam. In order to follow this book you will need previous knowledge of Visual Basic, it is certainly not for beginners. It is an excellent book for people who want to migrate from VB to VB .Net. It has lot of Exercises that give you hand on experience with code, while going through the chapters.

2 comments about The C++ Answer Book.

1. This book contains lots and lots of practical examples which covers almost all the aspects of C++ programming. It is an excellent book for those who are trying to learn C++ by themselves. All the examples are explained in detail.



2. This book is very clear and concise. Best of it's kind that I've seen!

5 comments about Practical C++ (Practical).

1. I gave this book 5 stars, even though it doesn't completely cover C++, and here's why: it accomplishes what it sets out to do. Like the back cover says: "Instead of ... having you gain mastery of C++, this tool focuses on ... the most commonly used features." It doesn't get into advanced topics, like multiple inheritace. It keeps it simple, and as a result it's very easy to read and understand. It helped me big time in college.

   The only warning I would give is that the author is used to programming in a Microsoft environment, and so he uses conventions like prefixing class names with a "C" and pointer names with a "p", a few examples use the Visual C++ IDE, and many screenshots are of Windows message boxes, etc. But the code is largely standard C++.




2. This was a decent book.... however the quality was hindered by major typographical errors, and relatively few examples. It also had the potential to be a great reference book for those with a little more experience, but the lack of detail (and marginal index) hinders it in that area. Overall, the book does a decent job of reaching the intended audience, but there must be better works out there.



3. Giving this book 1 star is being nice.

   None of the code in this book will compile as is, which means its NOT a book for beginners. He has ONE page on resolving compiler errors which is very very basic and has no detail. IF you get stuck, thats the end of this books usefulness.

   Topics are not covered enough, some are skipped entirely and then used in example code expecting the reader to just know them...

   Honestly this book is just trash. It has no redeeming value. Dont buy it.




4. This book is good for those starting out in C++. Whether or not another programming language is known. It explores most of the meat in C++, and then a little more (the chapter on Algorithms will prove most helpful). If you're starting in C++ and want to buy one book, might I suggest this one?



5. Don't expect this book to explain how to enable you to call a program from the command line, there's no way to now how to get it to work unless you're shown.Since VC6 is everywhere, the author might have shown how to enable this feature.
   
   By page186, where he covers Variable-Argument lists, you'll be lost.Surprisingly, this program works, but you'll never know why based on the author's explanation.
   By the next program, author has you converting strings to all uppercase or all lowercase. Fat chance. Forgetting that he lists include files such as iostream.h, which should be iostream, stdio.h, which should be cstdio, this program will not work as written.
   There is a short explanation after this program listing. Why read an explanation for a program that doesn't work?
   Another reviewer said that every program using strings failed, maybe that's what happened here. Even if you're just looking for a review of c++ this book won't get you anywhere.
   
   You can consult the MSDN for help on these items, though you shouldn't have to. And the MSDN covers hundreds of variations on every topic. You'd be better off not going to the MSDN.
   
   I ask myself why some have rated this book so highly, others have ranked it so low. Maybe some of the reviews are shills for the publisher. One reviewer stated he'd gotten to page 50. Maybe the book is good to that point, wait til you get further.
   
   Those who stated they read the whole book and found it superb confuse me. One doesn't "read" a programming book like a novel. If you try, you'll think you know a lot, but you don't. You must type programs in, then goof around with them for fun.
   
   Anyone who "reads" this book and hs not actually "worked" the examples are kidding themselves if they think this book is a good brush-up.
   
   I will avoid books from Que publishing in the future. If all books were written like this, no one would learn C++.
   I will go on to the next chapter, but I'm ready to dump this book if I catch any(or many) more problems. If you're good enough to fix some of these errors, you din't need this book to begin with.