C++ PROGRAMMING

[Ioannis Vranos]

C#/CLI has the garbage collection of a CLI VM. C++ has also access to
the same garbage collection mechanism and other features of a CLI VM
(like generics).

For example the freeware programs in my site are all garbage collected, since they are
..NET applications.

In addition, one can "plug in" various garbage collectors in his C++ applications, if he
thinks he needs to.

Or use smart pointers, or both!

 

[Kirill Kuvaldin]

You can just begin with C++ and most people these days recommend doing that.
The reasons for recommending going straight to C++ are:

Bad idea. Starting programming with C++ is not recommended because C++
is "very multiparadigm" language. It's better to learn each paradigm
consecutevly apart from other ones.

1. Learning C you will spend a fair bit of time on stuff that most
well-written C++ programs don't use (though you can generally still use it
in C++ if you want).

2. Learning C means you get into the habit of doing things a certain way and
may then be reluctant to switch to the better ways that C++ offers for some
tasks.

There is an argument on the other side:

1. Learning C forces you to become skilled in some things (notably pointer
manipulation) that are not greatly used in C++ but still need to be mastered
if you are to become really proficient as a C++ programmer. With C, you are
forced to be a little closer to the hardware, which can provide useful
knowledge.

Naturally, there are counter-arguments and counter-counter-arguments and...

Personally, I would recommend against extended study of C if your ultimate
goal is C++. However, it is a toss up whether or not you should read, say,
one C book before starting on C++. Some C++ books assume some level of prior
knowledge of C even when they claim they don't (i.e., they cover the C part
of C++ so quickly that it is rather hard to follow if you have no C
background).

I would recommend to take Scheme as a first language to learn.

 

[Ioannis Vranos]

Bad idea. Starting programming with C++ is not recommended because C++
is "very multiparadigm" language. It's better to learn each paradigm
consecutevly apart from other ones.

I guess everyone is affected by the approach that he followed himself. Myself learned C
first because I had to, and then I learned the rest of my C++ knowledge (haven't finished
it yet) directly as C++. That is C++'s OO, templates and namespaces.


I find no reason why one would not be able to learn C++'s procedural programming along
with the other paradigms, as a part of the language, by reading a good introductory C++ book.