How to Learn Visual C++ and Visual C# ?

I would start with Visual C++ 2010 Express[^]

You can start by learning C++ or you can start by learning C#. If you start by learning C++, which by the way is a bit harder, I think you will have the chance to become a better developer.

Best regards
Espen Harlinn

I won't comment on C#, I don't feel qualified to comment on it. However I need a rant first, Please excuse me...

You don't learn "Visual C++". If you ask someone if they "know" VC++ you're a recruitment consultant, not someone that knows what they're talking about. VC++ is just a set of tools you use for writing programs in C++. Saying you "know" VC++ is like saying you "know" how to drive a Ford Focus as a special skill - you know how to drive and the Focus is the tool you use to do it. And you know where the hazard lights are.

Now I've got that off my chest, learning C++.

There are two things you need - one is how to program in a computer language (hard bit), the other is learning how to use the tools (easy bit). If you do want to learn C++ it's probably a good idea to practise using a couple of sets of tools, pick another tool set aside from VC++ - e.g. mingw.

So how do you learn C++? Many years ago, when the world was young and dinosaurs stalked the Earth, I taught myself C++ from a variety of books and practising. It was a nightmare. There weren't any good books. These days there are two:

- "Accelerated C++" by Kernig and Moo. This is great if you already know a programming language and a bit about computer science and software engineering. It's actually a very quick read but a long study.

- "Programming -- Principles and Practice Using C++" by Stroustrup. This is great if you've never programmed before. It's very lucid, very complete but a bit dry in places. Having said that when I read it a couple of years ago it taught me things and I've been using the language for ~mumble mumble~ 21 ~cough cough~ years now.

Much as I respect CPallini on a lot of things he's dead wrong about one thing: it's not worth learning C first (there you go, that's the strong dispute he mentioned). If anything knowing C will give you loads of reflexes (pointers, manually managing resources) that are at best pointless and at worst reduce the safety of code you write in C++. And more importantly you'll miss all the very high level bits that make C++ such an excellent language to program in.

Another thing I'd suggest is trying to learn another programming language that's completely unrelated. This will stop you getting into the whole "C++ is the only programming language, why do I need anything else?" mode that I end up in so often. Try Haskell or Python as they're different mindsets to C++ or any of the Algol languages.

So:

- Go learn C++ as well as you can. It's a big language and the more you learn you more you'll realise you don't know
- Practise writing programs
- Use a couple of toolsets to do it
- Learn another unrelated language

And if it's not fun, don't do it. There's nothing worse than working with a programmer just there for the money. Don't be that person.

Cheers,

Ash

My opinions:

• Don't learn Turbo C++. As already noted, learning it (today) does not make sense.
• Learning either C++ or C# requires a relatively big effort. At first, I would focus on one of them.
• If you prefer code development speed over raw application performance then choose C#. Viceversa if execution speed really matters then choose C++.
• (Very, very personal, disputed opinion) learn C before C++.
• Usually I read a book in order to learn a programming language (CodeProject has a list of "Useful Reference Books"[^]).

My opinion is to learn C# first, C# got more functionality than C++ and way easier. When you're done learning it, you can learn the C++ programming language.

If you want to learn C# by yourself, check out thenewboston's playlist on C# programming: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL590DAD73FF2CA46D&feature=plcp or check out the Pro C# 2010 and the .NET 4 Platform plus the MSDN (Microsoft Developer Network) resources: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/vstudio/hh341490