Mail Archives: djgpp/1996/08/10/16:30:15
Eli Zaretskii wrote:
> On 6 Aug 1996, Graham Howard Wile wrote:
>
> > I need to brush up on my C programming. Will a textbook on
> > straight ANSI C/C++ programming serve me well if I plan to program in
> > DJGPP?
>
> Yes.
I second the motion. I know too many people who have learned C (or C++) by
programming in some particular window-based operating system, so in actuality
it's not C that they know all that well, it's C with Macintosh Toolbox or C
with the Windows API.
You'd find it surprising how many, say, Macintosh programmers (and excellent
ones, mind you) are very poor C programmers. It's the Macintosh
idiosyncracies that they got used to, and wrapped their knowledge of C around
these, instead of learning C first and then learning the Macintosh. Windows
is moderately similar, but the Macintosh is 1. originally Pascal-based, making
C environments a little strange to begin with, and 2. forces all kinds of
curious memory, resource, and file I/O paradigms on the programmer, hiding the
true nature of the C language even further. (I'm not bashing the Mac here;
I'm just using it as a notorious example.)
Further I'd suggest that the original poster be very careful when using DJGPP
to distinguish when some feature they're relying upon is ANSI C (or draft
standard C++) compliant, and when it's not (and just an extension that's
supported by DJGPP). This will help you immensely when you move onto other
platforms in the future.
--
Erik Max Francis, &tSftDotIotE http://www.alcyone.com/max/ max AT alcyone DOT com
San Jose, California ICBM 37 20 07 N 121 53 38 W R^4: the 4th R is respect
War's a game which were their subjects wise/Kings would not play at. -- Cowper
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