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C++ For Dummies
The fun and easy way to start programming with this popular, object-orientated language.
This friendly guide is now updated to cover the latest ANSI C++ standard. Even if you're a programming newbie, you;ll be building and debugging C++ programs, creating source code, developing C++ pointers, making programming easier with the exciting new Standard Template Library and more - all before you know it.
This friendly guide is now updated to cover the latest ANSI C++ standard. Even if you're a programming newbie, you;ll be building and debugging C++ programs, creating source code, developing C++ pointers, making programming easier with the exciting new Standard Template Library and more - all before you know it.
418 pages, Paperback
First published April 4, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 24, 2008
Stephen R. Davis, C++ for Dummies (IDG, 1994)
One of the main problems (from my perspective) with the vast majority of C++ books on the market is that they're written for C programmers who want to migrate. What's a person to do who knows very little about C and wants to learn C++? The obvious answer is that he gets on an insanely steep learning curve, unless he wants to go back and learn C before tackling the plethora of C++ how-to books on the market.
Davis' book is no exception, despite being from the much-vaunted (by everyone except the programming community) for Dummies line of books. To be fair, the cover does say that the book's perfect for C programmers who want to learn C++. And it would be hard to fault a 1994 book for not taking Windows programming into account, another common failing of C++ manuals (if you want Windows programming, you either get a platform- specific book [and most commercial C++ programming platforms hide the Windows programming internals] or you're stuck with the unintelligible reference books from Microsoft itself). So my two main complaints with the book are really not complaints I can complain about in great detail.
That doesn't make the book perfect. One of the common complaints about the for Dummies books relating to C++ is that the authors of those books tend to ignore the ANSI standard for C++ (Michael Hyman actually touches on some of the more egregious discrepancies in Visual C++2 for Dummies and gives the justification the authors used, but that doesn't make it any less annoying for those who like to see good code), leading to legions of coders who believe that `void main()' is a perfectly
acceptable statement. At the very least, if you're going to use the for Dummies books on C++, find a resource that lists out the discrepancies (or that's closer to the standard, e.g. the comp.lang.c++ FAQ or Bruce Eckel's Thinking in C++ books) and make the changes in your copy of the book when you find them. Your co-workers will thank you.
All that said, C++ for Dummies was my first major C++ reference after one comp sci course that touched on C back in my college days, and despite that learning curve, it did give me enough of a basis in C++ that after two or three re-reads I'd pretty much figured out most of what Davis was on about. Eight years on, it's hard to separate what he should have taken more time to cover with what wasn't standardized yet, but I think I'm pretty safe in faulting him for not taking a lot more time covering templates, and I know that I've read a number of descriptions of pointers that make a whole lot more sense. As any C++ programmer will tell you, the proficiency of his colleagues lives and dies with an understanding of pointers. This particular book took a lot more re-reads and a lot of outside references before I figured out pointers, and I'm still not completely comfortable with them.
I should point out a few of the good things about the book, if only to justify the rating I'm giving it, shouldn't I? Despite the whole ANSI standard controversy mentioned earlier, Davis does give us some excellent rudimentary tools many programmers would be wise to adopt (most notably the signature fields he introduces towards the end of the book, which are wonderful tools for figuring out pointer errors). The concept has been built upon and done better since, but for its time it was an excellent concept, and it's much easier for the beginner to handle than some of the more complex run-time error-checking routines that have appeared since. Signature fields alone may be worth the price of admission for the beginning user.
In short, there's definitely a decent skeleton here, but it could use (and may have gotten after eight years) a lot of work. ** ½
One of the main problems (from my perspective) with the vast majority of C++ books on the market is that they're written for C programmers who want to migrate. What's a person to do who knows very little about C and wants to learn C++? The obvious answer is that he gets on an insanely steep learning curve, unless he wants to go back and learn C before tackling the plethora of C++ how-to books on the market.
Davis' book is no exception, despite being from the much-vaunted (by everyone except the programming community) for Dummies line of books. To be fair, the cover does say that the book's perfect for C programmers who want to learn C++. And it would be hard to fault a 1994 book for not taking Windows programming into account, another common failing of C++ manuals (if you want Windows programming, you either get a platform- specific book [and most commercial C++ programming platforms hide the Windows programming internals] or you're stuck with the unintelligible reference books from Microsoft itself). So my two main complaints with the book are really not complaints I can complain about in great detail.
That doesn't make the book perfect. One of the common complaints about the for Dummies books relating to C++ is that the authors of those books tend to ignore the ANSI standard for C++ (Michael Hyman actually touches on some of the more egregious discrepancies in Visual C++2 for Dummies and gives the justification the authors used, but that doesn't make it any less annoying for those who like to see good code), leading to legions of coders who believe that `void main()' is a perfectly
acceptable statement. At the very least, if you're going to use the for Dummies books on C++, find a resource that lists out the discrepancies (or that's closer to the standard, e.g. the comp.lang.c++ FAQ or Bruce Eckel's Thinking in C++ books) and make the changes in your copy of the book when you find them. Your co-workers will thank you.
All that said, C++ for Dummies was my first major C++ reference after one comp sci course that touched on C back in my college days, and despite that learning curve, it did give me enough of a basis in C++ that after two or three re-reads I'd pretty much figured out most of what Davis was on about. Eight years on, it's hard to separate what he should have taken more time to cover with what wasn't standardized yet, but I think I'm pretty safe in faulting him for not taking a lot more time covering templates, and I know that I've read a number of descriptions of pointers that make a whole lot more sense. As any C++ programmer will tell you, the proficiency of his colleagues lives and dies with an understanding of pointers. This particular book took a lot more re-reads and a lot of outside references before I figured out pointers, and I'm still not completely comfortable with them.
I should point out a few of the good things about the book, if only to justify the rating I'm giving it, shouldn't I? Despite the whole ANSI standard controversy mentioned earlier, Davis does give us some excellent rudimentary tools many programmers would be wise to adopt (most notably the signature fields he introduces towards the end of the book, which are wonderful tools for figuring out pointer errors). The concept has been built upon and done better since, but for its time it was an excellent concept, and it's much easier for the beginner to handle than some of the more complex run-time error-checking routines that have appeared since. Signature fields alone may be worth the price of admission for the beginning user.
In short, there's definitely a decent skeleton here, but it could use (and may have gotten after eight years) a lot of work. ** ½
August 8, 2024
Outdated, unsupported and unintuitive.
August 6, 2025
A lot of the knowledge here is great, and the book is admittedly well-written. The reason I'm giving it 1 star is that there are not any programming problems, or even knowledge-tests in general, in the entire book. If I want STL trivia, I can go on the geeksforgeeks or cppreference website. If this book is supposed to teach you C++ and help you to become a good C++ programmer, I don't see how it can do that without having any exercises.
January 21, 2025
Excellent book for those who is diving into complex software engineering. Describing most of Cpp syntax basics this book provides a lot of additional and useful information also. Be sure, this one would be a valuable investment into your knowledge.
May 23, 2017
it was very informative
January 8, 2022
Almost everything works as advertised - a few things didn't pan out but overall this was helpful and informative.
Read
March 23, 2022I read this as a kid like 17 or 18 years ago. It was fine but, apparently, entirely forgettable.
Then I never touched C++ again—all's well that ends well, I suppose.
Then I never touched C++ again—all's well that ends well, I suppose.
September 30, 2023
Get out your magnifying glass and old dos system.
This is a review of the Sixth Edition.
The book starts straightforwardly. And does a fair job of instructing on how to install the CD. It assumes you already know what product “code: block” yet helps you load and execute it. I got as far as the build and it said it did (however, I could not find the file). Then the run command said that first, you have to build it. Now the loop begins.
I suspect that the problem is that even though Vista -64 has been out for a year and this is supposed to be a version for 2009 that the GCC or the compiler options like the IBM c/c++ “-q64” that are not discussed in this book are not geared for a 64-bit operating system.
Long story short the CD is useless. Now there is also very little chance of getting hold of anyone from the Dummies publishers or the Author to get this corrected. The codeblock.org does not show that they have a version that works on Vista 64-bit but their list is of compilers, not operating systems.
This is a review of the Sixth Edition.
The book starts straightforwardly. And does a fair job of instructing on how to install the CD. It assumes you already know what product “code: block” yet helps you load and execute it. I got as far as the build and it said it did (however, I could not find the file). Then the run command said that first, you have to build it. Now the loop begins.
I suspect that the problem is that even though Vista -64 has been out for a year and this is supposed to be a version for 2009 that the GCC or the compiler options like the IBM c/c++ “-q64” that are not discussed in this book are not geared for a 64-bit operating system.
Long story short the CD is useless. Now there is also very little chance of getting hold of anyone from the Dummies publishers or the Author to get this corrected. The codeblock.org does not show that they have a version that works on Vista 64-bit but their list is of compilers, not operating systems.
April 16, 2012
This is an amzaing book for those who are interested in learning how to create computer programs and softwares using C++. The -for Dummies series of books are great in teaching the basics of a programming. The author however, could be alitte more specific on the more advance things and be more details. Some of the things written in here can seem misleading, but with practice, one could learn really smooth and quickly.
March 21, 2013
I read an older version of thsi book. It was a good introduction. It covered Object Orientented programming. I got this from a used books store. If I was to get into this programming, I would need to get a more up to date book.
December 9, 2014
Not a bad book for beginning C++ programming. Author touches upon all the high level C++ constructs. Though I find the humour irritating at times. Overall, would recommend for somebody starting out on C++
Read
April 24, 2016Good intro to C++ programming language.
June 17, 2023
Nice easy description
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews