Re: Looking for a book about C with special criteria

santosh <santosh.k83@xxxxxxxxx> writes:

Richard wrote:

santosh <santosh.k83@xxxxxxxxx> writes:

Richard wrote:

"josephhallett@xxxxxxxxx" <joseph.hallett@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:

If you can cope with it I'd try Knuth's Art of Programming (volume
one). It takes you through a lot of detail about how computers
represent things like lists and arrays internally, and all that and
all in terms of classical computing.

I have never, ever, been able to understand how ANYONE can recommend
these to a beginner. They are not eminently readable at all. They
are
a classic work used for reference. They are in NO WAY suitable to
teaching someone how to program a computer.

Technical reference, or a resource to look up some good legalize in
order to dazzle the clc regulars, maybe, but a beginners reference?
Come off it.

They are suitable for someone who is quite proficient with
mathematics. The concepts are not difficult at all for an
undergraduate or graduate, as long as he can understand the maths.
That's the part where most give up.

"Most". Thank you.

These are reference books.

I wouldn't call TAoCP as mere reference books. They broke new ground
when they were first published. They are a classic work in the field.

When they were first published. They are reference books. Tutorials do
not "break new ground" in CS.

I know they are classic works. I have them. I also have a BSc and other
qualifications in CS and EE (sorry, but here I think its justified to
mention qualifications a little in order to dispel any idea I am
clueless about technical references), but I never used these books and
know no others who used these books as part of their courses.


The ONLY way to program is with a suitable language and a good
tutorial. Hands on. Lets say "C" here. 99% of good programmers are not
mathematics gods - they are logical thinking, ordered people.

I did not say otherwise. I was just explaining that *some* programmers
might enjoy TAoCP. But even they are no substitute for practise. BTW, a
programmer who is weak with mathematics is ultimately doomed, no matter
what code he manages to churn out. IMHO of course, YMMV.

The best introduction to programming I ever read was, and still is,
the tutorial part of K&R.

Among the best yes.

Gracious of you. You will note I said "I ever read".


My first language was z80. I spent ages with pen and paper and my
Rodney Zaks. Yet I learnt more using a monitor on a nascom in 10
minutes than I did in days of "paper work".

Knuth is not recommended as a beginners "programming tutorial". It is
something for all programmers to keep in their library in order to big
it up a bit IMO.

I agree. Recommending TAoCP and the C Standard is probably inappropriate
for the OP, but *some* people are likely to enjoy reading the former,
and even fewer number might enjoy reading the latter.

So we are agreed. Its "generally" a stupid idea to recommend either to a
nOOb looking to learn how to program.


If the OP wants to know the machine specific details of C, a good option
is to get an architecture specific book and an assembly language text,
for the appropriate system of course. A general book on computers might
also help.

You are losing it Santosh. The guy is looking for a C tutorial. Not a
dissertation on assembly optimizations in the C framework on platform
dependant setups.

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Looking for a book about C with special criteria
    ... It takes you through a lot of detail about how computers ... a classic work used for reference. ... I wouldn't call TAoCP as mere reference books. ... I was just explaining that *some* programmers ...
    (comp.lang.c)
  • Re: Book Suggestions
    ... > Reference as a reference where needed. ... > traps when only using it as a reference to the standard library functions. ... I have ordered the following 2 books from Amazon. ... although computers are great and some belive that books may soon ...
    (alt.comp.lang.learn.c-cpp)
  • Re: Book Suggestions
    ... > Reference as a reference where needed. ... > traps when only using it as a reference to the standard library functions. ... I have ordered the following 2 books from Amazon. ... although computers are great and some belive that books may soon ...
    (comp.lang.cpp)
  • Re: C the complete nonsense
    ... Whilst the book is entitled a "reference" it is in fact a tutorial. ... It is in line with the ordinary usage of hard-working programmers who ... correcting Schildt. ... constitutes a language with many different dialects. ...
    (comp.lang.c)
  • Replies to Seebach - attempting to post to clc moderated
    ... Schildt only gives the programmer a subset ... but the stack has priority because you can write slow OSen without ... is that programmers don't want to think outside their jobs. ... I agree that there is a "class divide" in computer books, ...
    (comp.lang.c)