Customer Reviews

C All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a great book and I learned a lot about programming with it. Dan seems to be a good author, and he takes you through it one step at a time.

On the back of the book it says:

1.Understand the C skeleton and source code
2.Use conditional statements, constants and variables, strings,
arrays, and functions
3.Debug your code
4.Program games and graphics
5.Develop programs in Windows® and Linux®


Umm... litle problem on number 4...

This book has some sample game source code, which is pretty decent, but it barely even touches on graphics! I have a little programming experience, so I got this book to strenghthen my knowledge of C and to get into some graphics programming... and I didn't find any!

Overall, this is a great book to begin learning, and/or solidifing your knowledge of, the C programming language.

I found this book to be a true learning experience. I had bought the "C for Dummies, 2nd ed." book before and needed a fast hands-on experience with the C language. Though I'm not a computer newbie (chemical engineering major), this book has made, I believe, as a smooth transition to C software development as it is possible with any book.

I used this book to learn C having come from a Java and scripting background. I simply couldn't penetrate some of the other books and this definitely got me up and running. I'd say it's more of an intro book, though it's sheer size allows him to cover quite a bit. I would definitely NOT get this book if you're already a C-stud! You'd probably enjoy a more advanced book.

As a software engineer, I usually expect to get a book like this along with a real reference book (I also got C in a Nutshell which although it's very detailed and quite good, can tend to assume some the reader knows a lot already). So I don't have the typical developer's complaint that it's too basic because I believe it does it's job well.

I went through the book manually typing in the examples in about a month of pretty consistent self study. It was pretty much pain free and I don't recall more than one or two code errors. That's pretty darn good in a nearly thousand page book! I've emailed the author and he's actually responded and answered my questions. Five stars from me...keep it up Dan!

If you are a newcomer to C, buy this book. If you are a rusty veteran, like I was -- out of practice with C but wanting to get back in -- buy this book. Start at the beginning, work thru the exercises, and you'll get to a respectable level of sophistication very shortly. Gookin is methodical, thorough, and humorous (without being silly), and covers all the main issues in C including pointers (several good chapters on this one point :-'), functions, structures, and linked lists. The examples he gives you to help you thru the coding exercises are clear and easy to follow, and should serve as handy models for you own coding in the future.

It doesn't hurt to have a copy of Kernigan & Richie to review the standard functions and header files as he covers them, and to ensure that you become familiar with the KR writ.

If you are thinking of learning C then this is the book.Go and buy it. There are a host of other books on C like the classic K&R, How to program in C [Deitel & Deitel], C for Turbo C++ [Robert Lafore], C Primer Plus [Steven Prata] etc., all these books have their own merits as well as draw backs but Dan Gookin's is the very best.Dan teaches C like no other.If pointers or linked lists scare you to death. Have a look in this book! You will see how simply it is explained an executed. Yes, if you want to learn C BUY THIS BOOK!! Thanks Dan.

I had learned to program on an "as needed basis". A "cook book" programmer cutting and pasting my way through various projects and problems. Without an understanding of the foundations of C and it's syntax I struggled with the most basic coding problems.

I purchased a few suggested text books and found them useful. However, not one started at the very beginning. C for Dummies (All in one desk reference) is just that book. I can not tell you how much fun it's been reading this book. The light bulb above my head lit up and has remained lit for an astonishing length of time. Programming is fun again, an adventure.

The author makes this subject fun and you'll find this text to be refreshing and easy digest. Enough humor to lighten up an otherwise heady subject, but not so much that you lose the point.

If like me you learned programming from the middle out, you must invest in this book. I expect to have this volume near by for some time to come.

If you need to learn the C language, there is no better book than the "C All-In-One Desk Reference". The book is FUN to read, and gently (and effectively) takes you from the simplest of C concepts like variables, conditional statements and loops, through pointers, references, and arrays, to advanced topics like double-linked lists. The book is OK as a reference, but it EXCELS at presenting the C language to the new programmer. No other technical book in my personal library has helped me (and my career) as much as this one.

This book is great. Its funny, entertaining, and I haven't found any typos yet and I'm more than half way through the book. It covers all the topics of "C" and in great detail with lots of examples. Don't bother with any of those other editions of "C for Dummies", get this all in one desk reference because it's the best by far. I was a complete beginner to programming before I started this book and it was NO problem at all.

I learned to program in Java. C always seemed so complicated. In one weekend, I went from being confused to knowing how to code in C. I still prefer Java, but it's nice to take the mystery out of the "mother language".

This book was extremely helpful when I took Intro to C Programming. I was somewhat struggling with the class, then I got this book...and it made the course a lot easier. The author did explains concepts in laymen terms. As others have pointed out, this book covers a wide range of topics in C Programming. C All-in-One Desk Reference for Dummies is definitely a great source for beginners.