I saw in another thread you are a registered Android developer, if you go for C++ you could also develop for Samsung's bada platform and/or Nokia Qt.
I always find I get a better understanding of a language if I come up with an idea for a project and then try and crack it, so maybe choose your best app for Android and try and recreate it in C++ for bada.
The Samsung SDK/IDE hasn't been released to the public yet but it is due to be soon. I managed to get my hands on a copy of RC1 and it's pretty cool, it's Eclipse based with a tidy little form designer. I understand RC13 was released to Samsung partners yesterday and the public release could be later this month.
I've just started learning C++ for this very reason. My initial impression is it's hideously ugly, full of unnecessary punctuation and it can make simple things complicated but it certainly doesn't strike me as rocket science.
To learn C+ or C# properly?
-
the.weavster
- Addict
- Posts: 1576
- Joined: Thu Jul 03, 2003 6:53 pm
- Location: England
Re: To learn C+ or C# properly?
I was kinda in the same boat until I got a mac. I always wanted to learn C++, but books never seemed to hit home, they would never show me anything that I actually wanted to do.
But when I got a mac and an iPod Touch, I started using objective C++, for making iPhone games - and I was amazed at how much I already knew, understood, and could learn quite easily.
Books make BASIC programmers fear C++, and there's no need, especially not if your using PureBasic and are not a noob when it comes to structures and structured code. For me I had to get away from the PC to learn it, as I think it's easier to fool your brain into thinking it's starting from scratch. My mentor sent me a basic sprite example and let me get stuck in, after about 3 weeks I'm confident enough to start game projects, with no real roadblocks.
I think the best thing to do is find a need for C++, whether it's a plugin for PB, or a completely fresh platform. The more you want to learn C++ the more you will try, the more you NEED to learn C++ the more you will learn. Ancient Chinese proverb, I'm sure you've heard it. Teach yourself nut scratching in 10 days books are useless, unless someone has a gun to your head forcing you to learn mind numbing techniques that you will pick up as you go anyway - maybe like a coders version of Se7en. I think that the best C++ books are technical references, I'm sure I have the C version of 'C++ Pocket Reference', which is just a little book with 70 pages or so, but very handy - a bit like a load of C++ cheat sheets. Sometimes, all you need to know is the syntax, with all programming knowledge accumulated, sometimes just the syntax is enough and you'll figure it out for yourself.
So I would say, find a need to learn C++, or Delphi, or whatever - but get stuck in because it's getting damn old to have this BASIC coder thing over ones head, and all the while a lot of C++ coders and authors keep their gates clear by obfuscation. Every single C++ book mentions this other C++ book that you should read, or this website that has all these books for a small fee and blah blah blah for £30 a time. The little pocket reference was very cheap, and I'd recommend those to anyone. The main one is object orientated design though, whoever said that was a difficult concept needs a slap. I've been a procedural coder since I could read well enough to code - and the thing with procedural coders is that it is easy for us to accept rules and abide by them, because we have no other option a lot of the time. But I think that's to our benefit - when it comes to Objective-C/C++, well it's a rule that must be followed, it's not a lifestyle, religion, hell it's not even worth worrying about. I dragged my heels for years then after day 1 I wondered what all the fuss is about.
Maybe developing something for Android as a means of learning C++ is worth considering,
But when I got a mac and an iPod Touch, I started using objective C++, for making iPhone games - and I was amazed at how much I already knew, understood, and could learn quite easily.
Books make BASIC programmers fear C++, and there's no need, especially not if your using PureBasic and are not a noob when it comes to structures and structured code. For me I had to get away from the PC to learn it, as I think it's easier to fool your brain into thinking it's starting from scratch. My mentor sent me a basic sprite example and let me get stuck in, after about 3 weeks I'm confident enough to start game projects, with no real roadblocks.
I think the best thing to do is find a need for C++, whether it's a plugin for PB, or a completely fresh platform. The more you want to learn C++ the more you will try, the more you NEED to learn C++ the more you will learn. Ancient Chinese proverb, I'm sure you've heard it. Teach yourself nut scratching in 10 days books are useless, unless someone has a gun to your head forcing you to learn mind numbing techniques that you will pick up as you go anyway - maybe like a coders version of Se7en. I think that the best C++ books are technical references, I'm sure I have the C version of 'C++ Pocket Reference', which is just a little book with 70 pages or so, but very handy - a bit like a load of C++ cheat sheets. Sometimes, all you need to know is the syntax, with all programming knowledge accumulated, sometimes just the syntax is enough and you'll figure it out for yourself.
So I would say, find a need to learn C++, or Delphi, or whatever - but get stuck in because it's getting damn old to have this BASIC coder thing over ones head, and all the while a lot of C++ coders and authors keep their gates clear by obfuscation. Every single C++ book mentions this other C++ book that you should read, or this website that has all these books for a small fee and blah blah blah for £30 a time. The little pocket reference was very cheap, and I'd recommend those to anyone. The main one is object orientated design though, whoever said that was a difficult concept needs a slap. I've been a procedural coder since I could read well enough to code - and the thing with procedural coders is that it is easy for us to accept rules and abide by them, because we have no other option a lot of the time. But I think that's to our benefit - when it comes to Objective-C/C++, well it's a rule that must be followed, it's not a lifestyle, religion, hell it's not even worth worrying about. I dragged my heels for years then after day 1 I wondered what all the fuss is about.
Maybe developing something for Android as a means of learning C++ is worth considering,
Re: To learn C+ or C# properly?
That's because there is a lot of cludge brought along with C. It also allows a wide variety of syntax variations from its evolutionary history.I've just started learning C++ for this very reason. My initial impression is it's hideously ugly, full of unnecessary punctuation and it can make simple things complicated but it certainly doesn't strike me as rocket science.
C++ can be beautiful and a real pleasure to program in. The problem is that when learning you'll undoubtedly discover that there are many ways to do the same thing. I recommend looking at the style guides from some of the large open source projects and see which one you like. Then stick to it.
I use a strict style but it's my own variation of a few styles. The important part is that I'm consistent and I strive to make my code clear and legible even if it requires adding more code than something a little more clever.
As much as I love PureBasic it's no longer my production language. I'll use it for writing small tools, simple programs, or for quick prototyping. But my primary language now is C++, if that's any bearing for you.