Rating:  - Missing the newest C++ coding techniques
The book does not utilize the standard class in most cases, instead it uses the "C" style class or creates it's own "String" class. This book is an incomplete upgrade from previous editions, old coding techniques are updated without bringing the examples fully up to the latest standards for C++. It does a good job of explaining inheritance and polymorphism, however.
If you are new to C++, then a book that shows the industries preferred techniques (also safest) should be used. The Standard class, which is now preferred over creating your own "String" class or using "C" style "Cstring" in C++ programs, is fully illustrated in Stephen Prata's "C++ Primer Plus (5th edition)".
I guess you can never get it all in one book!
Rating:  - Excellent Coverage, but examples can be rather bland...
I've always been rather hesitant to read programming books with titles that imply a sacrifice of depth for gained ease in learning, but this book is a very well done and complete treatment of the fundamentals of the C++ language.
It assumes no previous knowledge -- just a willingness to learn. It begins with "Hello, World", the classic example first introduced in the K&R C book, and then continues for the next few "days" to cover the funamental C aspects such as basic I/O, variables, functions, branching, data types, and operators.
After that preliminary information is covered, the authors begin showing basic class useage -- the general form of a class, constructors, destructors, data members, and member functions.
In the final "day" of the "week", control statements (for, do...while, switch, etc.) are given a good, and thorough treatment.
The next "week" moves on to more advanced concepts such as pointers, reference variables, function overloading, inheritance, and polymorphism. By the end of this week, you will be pretty proficient, and probably ready to implement more substantial projects, however, the book still covers more.
In the last week, other, more advanced, concepts are introduced such as friend functions, file manipulation, low level bit manipulation, and a lot more to help you become a master of this beast of a language.
This book also goes through each and every example program and provides a thorough analysis -- so you're never left in the dark as to what a program is doing or how.
This work does have some shortcomings, but they're not that significant. Yes, some of the example programs are extremely boring and you're left thinking whether you should bother entering and compiling them. Sometimes explanations are offered for the most trivial of concepts in programs, but overall, it's a great book at a great price.
In short, if you want to learn C++ and you want to learn it thoroughly, then this is your book!
Rating:  - It's in-your-face tech knoledge.
I found the information good, accurate, and intensely stuffed into the twenty one days. It's a good book.
Rating: - Very Good For Learning The Basics
Not sure about 21 days, but I started with C++ Primer Plus. I would now recommend starting with C++ In 21 Days and then moving to the forementioned.
Rating: - Complete in content...
The book deals with C++ and related nuances exhaustively. For a beginner, this book can also make a good reference if all he wishes to read about is specific language related details.
The authors have taken care to be elaborate, and have presented concepts such as pointers, constants, and streams lucidly - to name a few.
I would like to see a re-arrangement of content in the next version. For example: the chapter on OOAD comes too early - even before Inheritance (and Polymorphism) in C++ has been introduced. Similarly, templates are discussed in detail before macros have been introduced. Some exercises that are very lengthy can be broken into smaller /simpler ones.
My advise to a beginner would be to focus on the content he is able to grasp, and keep the rest for another reading. Yes, this is a book that can be read more than once as it deals with topics that are a beginner's level and beyond (which in my opinion is good).
|
