You Can Program in C++: A Programmer's Introduction

This C++ text is considerably less verbose than most, as it makes some significant assumptions about the reader's prior programming knowledge.

These knowledge assumptions are the book's primary weakness for beginners. Early on the book presents concepts that many readers, even those with prior, but non-C++, programming experience, will not have previously encountered. For example, the author presents the term side-effect without explanation. As early as page 31 basic exception handling is presented in a small program. Iterators are first mentioned without an adequate discussion of what iterators are. Other items from the STL are also presented with explanations so limited that most novice C++ reader's will find the presentations very difficult, if not impossible, to follow.

The author spends too little time providing details for a reader completely new to C++ or object-oriented methods to properly understand many of the new concepts presented, and too little time presenting well-coded exemplars. In chapter 3, e.g., the author states, "I deliberately leave some of these problems in my code because I want you to check code rather than taking my word for it." For beginners, this approach seems fraught with problems. I would have preferred to see programs correctly coded in the presentation sections, with code demonstrating poor practices, explicitly identifying what those poor practices are and providing examples correcting those weaknesses. Otherwise, code with potential problems should be left to the exercises. What reader's need are appropriate examples of good coding practices that they can emulate, not poorly written code examples. Snippets of code can be an excellent approach to presenting key concepts, but fully coded examples should demonstrate appropriate coding practices.

Concepts are "fleshed-out" in later chapters, but "newbies" may find this book does not provide the solid understanding of the basics that they seek.

Additionally, the improved and updated software does not always respond in the same way the earlier software versions used by the author did. For example, in the author's first floating point program, he deliberately leaves off an #include statement and comments that the user will see the compiler complain about this. However, my version of the updated C++ compiler, which is a later release of the one used by the author in preparing the text, accepts this situation without a problem and successfully compiles and runs the program.

Many, in my opinion, unnecessary sections of the book relate to the author's inclusion of a graphic software package he developed called Playpen. This package provides extremely limited capabilities, and simply takes too much time and effort to learn. The package has essentially no value beyond the course. The author would have been better served to provide basic explanations of how to use the built-in graphics capabilities of the major OS systems currently in use. Perhaps he could have selected one, e.g., Microsoft's OS, and as he did for the IDEs mentioned earlier provided additional information on other OSs, e.g., Apple's, presented on the CD. This would have been far more helpful to readers, and have had real value beyond the course. I hope this approach will be followed for latter editions of this work, thus allowing the Playpen package to be removed. This package's limited educational value takes time away from important topics that could otherwise have been covered.

However, in spite of, or because of, the author's conclusion about his readers knowledge level, many readers with some, even limited, background in C++ will appreciate this book's "get to the point quickly" approach. The author is also excellent in presenting appropriate C++ idioms, and showing where idioms carried over from other programming languages, even C, are inappropriate for C++. The author also takes time to explain why they are inappropriate.

In summary, although the book indicates that it is appropriate for those with knowledge of another programming language, I don't concur. However, for those with prior C++ experience or knowledge gained from prior self-study of C++ basics, this is quite a nice book. It gets the reader programming from the start, and provides lots of short, complete, and easily understood programs illustrating key C++ concepts. It provides clear and appropriate short programming exercises throughout. It successfully brings many important advanced features of C++'s together in an authoritative manner.

Thus, although it is not recommended as a first C++ book, it may be a good choice for those with some prior C++ knowledge or experience.

Right away I knock off 1 star for forcing the user to use an outdated ide and custom library that's is totally unnecessary to learn C++. Plus the fact that the author doesn't seem to be supporting the said library doesn't help any. Also, the author once again like his older book, doesn't provide any source code to go along with the book. I think 99% of all other programming books I've read do provide it either on a cdrom that comes with the book or as a download on a website. The author's argument is that you will learn more typing in all the program yourself but it doesn't work if the author purposely provides incorrect code or just snippets or incomplete programs!
Anyway, getting back to the book it start off strong by contrasting C++ to just about every major language in use and the author does an excellent job here pointing out the differences.
After that he quickly starts covering the basics of C++ and most of the common idioms you will see used with it.
One of the things someone that has already used C++ will notice is the author prefers to use the initilizer form for initialzing variables like int i(0); // create an int object initialized to zero and bind it to i. Most people will be used to and see the older c style int i = 0; used in code so that right there might throw them off. Also, he uses the alternative tokens for the Boolean operators like and instead of && which is fine but will error on microsoft visual studio express ,which I assume most new programmers will be using.
If you can work through various idosyncrasies and problems I mentioned above in the end this book redeems itself if you are able to work through it by providing plenty of sound programming advice which you don't want to learn the hard way like: warning--There is a potential for something very nasty happening if you write code that both
increments a variable and uses that variable a second time all within the same statement. Notice
that I wrote `potential'. Such statements have what is called `undefined behavior' (which I will
address directly in Chapter 6).
You get you money's worth in Chapter 6 since it covers a group of related topics that are essential
for correct use of C++ for writing robust and reliable programs which are Behaviour, Sequence points and evaluation order.
So in summary, if you are just starting out in C++ the information contained in this book is essential so if it's not the first C++ book you read at least make it the second so you are aware of the important points I mentioned above.
If it wasn't for the disasterous choice of ide and playpen this book would be one of my top books for learning C++. Even so I still recommend getting a copy just for chapter 6 and to browse all the warnings and tips which are highlighted and easy to pick out.

Since the author did not provide a version of playpen for macosx or visual studio(probably most popular ide for windows) I went ahead and did it. I have the instructions posted here for anyone else interested in using this book here:
[...]

Actually, the author doesn't use playpen as much as in his previous book, so it's not as big of a dealbreaker if you can't get it to work since you should still be able to work through most of the book without it. Unlike his prior book, which culminated in the creation of a graphical turtle clone, this book ends with just a text-based chess game.

Francis Glasborow is one of the most frequent problem solvers on comp.lang.c++.moderated. And he has done a wonderful job authoring the book.

I can recommend this book to anybody who knows basic programming (in any language) and wants to learn C++. In addition to the coverage of C++ basics that you find in many other C++ primers, you will find invaluable caveats and tricks.

There are a few typos in the example programs in the later chapters. In spite of those, I still rate the book 5 stars as I could learn more C++ from this book than most others. After going thru 388 pages of this book, I find myself capable of taking on advanced C++ books -- like Modern C++ Design.