   Question about a book listed in the "For Beginners" section
  Hello GameDev.net! I've just joined this website today because this website is a valuable resource to me. I've been using this website to figure out what books to read on my path to game development. Anyway, I was wondering if the particular book called "C++ Primer" on the "For Beginners" page of the website is up-to-date. Is GameDev.net recommending that the 3rd edition of this book be used to begin learning C++ or should we read the newer 4th edition? Does it even really matter or does the 4th edition have any important updates? Thanks for the help! Hopefully I also helped GameDev.net if they didn't have knowledge of this newer edition of C++ Primer as well. :)   
Quote:Does it even really matter or does the 4th edition have any important updates?It very much matters yes. The 4th edition is a significant rewrite. It's more concise yet effective, and more focused on communicating modern C++ style of programming.You may want to read the Accelerated C++ authors take on the 4th revision. You'll notice Barbara Moo listed as one of the authors of AC++, and then as one of the authors for C++ Primer, 4th ed.   ;  I'll check into that. Thank you! I've been researching for quite some time on what book to start learning C++ from (because I want to make sure that I learn C++ properly). This book (C++ Primer, 4th edition) seems like a great place to start. I've also found a book called "Programming: Principles and Practice Using C++" written by the creator of C++ for beginners! I couldn't believe it when I came across this book. What could be better than a beginner's guide created by the father of C++? It's also a pretty new book, so that even makes it a more valuable find (a lot of Bjarne's books were written many years ago and are outdated, although I've heard that "The C++ Programming Language" is a must for serious C++ programmers). I was wondering if this book is a good beginner's book as well. I've read a lot about Bjarne Stroustrup's writing style (programming principles first, language later), so I'm really not sure if it would be a good introductory book. I love his approach to teaching his language. What do you guys think? Thanks again!   ;Quote:I've read a lot about Bjarne Stroustrup's writing style (programming principles first, language later), so I'm really not sure if it would be a good introductory book.If you are an experienced programmer trying to quickly pick up C++, that book would not be a good idea. You don't need to be taught how to program. Since you are posting in the for beginners section, you'll still appreciate the book given that you have some limited programming experience. (C++ isn't your first programming language, I hope.)   ;Quote:Original post by mtgfan2006I'll check into that. Thank you! I've been researching for quite some time on what book to start learning C++ from (because I want to make sure that I learn C++ properly). This book (C++ Primer, 4th edition) seems like a great place to start. I've also found a book called "Programming: Principles and Practice Using C++" written by the creator of C++ for beginners! I couldn't believe it when I came across this book. What could be better than a beginner's guide created by the father of C++? It's also a pretty new book, so that even makes it a more valuable find (a lot of Bjarne's books were written many years ago and are outdated, although I've heard that "The C++ Programming Language" is a must for serious C++ programmers). I was wondering if this book is a good beginner's book as well. I've read a lot about Bjarne Stroustrup's writing style (programming principles first, language later), so I'm really not sure if it would be a good introductory book. I love his approach to teaching his language. What do you guys think? Thanks again!I have the 3rd and 4th edition of the Primer book and I actually refer to the older 3rd edition more myself. But that's only because I actually know C++ now and it has some great examples and it's goes way more into depth than the newer edition. Then again if you are just starting out you'll probably want the 4th edition since the older 3rd is so long and big you'll probably never finish it and it'll just sit on the shelf LOL.I also recommend the new Stroustrup Swan book. Don't use it to learn C++ though since that's not really the point of the book. It's more like having a programming mentor by your side guiding you to what sort of things you should do in programming and how to go about doing things.;Quote:C++ isn't your first programming language, I hope.It is. I spent quite a while deciding on what programming language to learn first as well. I chose C++ because it is so widely used and many people recommend it as a language to begin with.Quote:Then again if you are just starting out you'll probably want the 4th edition since the older 3rd is so long and big you'll probably never finish it and it'll just sit on the shelf LOL.Very true. LOLQuote:I also recommend the new Stroustrup Swan book. Don't use it to learn C++ though since that's not really the point of the book. It's more like having a programming mentor by your side guiding you to what sort of things you should do in programming and how to go about doing things.I think I will read this book as well then since I am just now starting to program. Not as a way to learn C++, but just for a better understanding of programming in general.I appreciate all the help. I think I'm set now to continue the long (and maybe painful) process of learning C++. I plan on becoming an expert at the language eventually. :) I can already write a Hello World program in C++ and a couple others. lol   