C++ for Dummies, Second Edition [Paperback]

Stephen R. Davis (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1568846142 | ISBN-13: 978-1568846149 | Publication Date: October 1996 | Edition: 2

This text covers C++. It has been revised and updated to include the latest C compliers and object-orientated programming techniques.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

C++ for Dummies, like all of the Dummies books, is an exercise in edutainment. The book is littered with cartoons, one-liners, cute symbols, checklists, and hints. Beneath all of the fun, author Stephen Davis provides a handy road map of C++ complete with warning signs to help beginners avoid stylistic and conceptual mistakes. The book contains useful pointers for programmers who use Microsoft and Borland C++ compilers and highlights some of the nonstandard features of these compilers. C++ for Dummies is full of apt metaphors that bring some of the more difficult-to-grasp concepts to life.

From the Back Cover

The features of C++ programming are like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Understanding how they fit together is important. C++ For Dummies, 2nd Edition, shows beginners and experts useful tips on how to get a better grasp of the C++ language. Unlike other C++ programming books, this handy reference considers the "why" just as important as the "how." This down-to-earth guide also includes a review of the C language in case your knowledge of C is rusty.

Inside, find helpful advice on how to:

• Get your feet wet with an introduction to the non-object-oriented features of C++
• Catch up on the object-oriented learning curve so you can write programs right away
• Write effective, complete, industrial-strength classes
• Streamline your programs with inheritance
• Use the optional features of C++ to become a polished programmer
• Test your skills and see what you've learned with Stephen's new 25-minute Workout
• Plus, Stephen's Top Ten Lists, Including:
  • Ten ways to avoid adding bugs to your program
  • Ten most important compiler switches

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 2 edition (October 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1568846142
• ISBN-13: 978-1568846149
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,056,061 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I can't believe all the negative reviews!, December 17, 1999

By 

Virgilio B. Velasco Jr. - See all my reviews

This review is from: C++ for Dummies, Third Edition (Paperback)

I found this book to be extremely helpful, and so I don't understand all the antipathy on the part of some reviewers.

To be fair, if you're a totally inexperienced programmer (an "absolute dummy"), then this book probably won't be useful. Similarly, if you're an experienced C++ programmer, it won't be useful either. However, if you already have a working knowledge of C, then this book is a great way to jumpstart your C++ expertise.

This book quickly helped me get up to speed on C++ concepts, syntax and techniques. I found it to be exceptionally well-organized. Unlike many other books, it focuses on the most important concepts first before delving into the meatier subjects. It does leave you wanting more, but after all, it was meant as an introductory course -- and it does have a worthy successor in "More C++ For Dummies."

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good book, but could be a little better..., January 16, 2000

By 

Winston Kotzan - See all my reviews

This review is from: C++ for Dummies, Third Edition (Paperback)

I found this book very helpful as an introduction to C++ from C. It talks about why C++ is better than C and stresses on object-orientation. While some of the examples get annoying after a while because of their repetition, most of the explanations are clear.

This book is good if you're moving from C to C++, but is not for beginning programmers. Although the first few chapters are a review of C, it doesn't go deep enough to master the C programming language.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars If you are a dummy, you have no business writing C++ code, August 1, 1999

By 

surfandsand "surfandsand" (Florida USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: C++ for Dummies, Third Edition (Paperback)

The title of this book implies that even a dummy can simply read this little yellow book and... bam!...just like that become a C++ programmer. This is simply not the case. C++ is a broad and complex language, and combined with the learning curve associated with object oriented methodologies, I can see how a reader would get very frustrated. This could be the reason this book has gotten so many poor reviews. That said, however, this book is not without its merits. It assumes a prior knowledge of C (kind of a cop-out according to the title) so no real explaination of the kernel language is presented. However, it actually does do a pretty fair job of introducing the elementry concepts of C++ and object oriented programming in down-to-earth language.