Features of this C++ website (Conquering C++)

 

Why this website?

 

I began this website when I was doing my 2nd year engineering (undergraduate), in 2001. My classmates found C++ hard and a friend asked me to develop a tutorial. And the result of that suggestion is this website (4 years back seems like yesterday). Nowadays, C++ forms the basis of software programming and even employers expect their candidates to be strong in the subject. This website will also aid fresh candidates who are trying to enter the software industry (it will aid in preparing for the C++ written tests as well as for the technical interview).

After reading through the tutorial some people wonder why I'm obsessed with biology and bacteria; well, you can check out my paper: http://www.nd.edu/~swarm03/Program/Abstracts/SelvanSwarm2003.pdf


Features of this tutorial?

 

Well, I am not an expert in C++ but I do keep learning whenever I can and whatever I can. And as I learn I keep improving on this website. I've tried (and am trying) my best to cover all the fundamental concepts and am trying to provide that extra bit wherever possible. Some of the features are listed below (if they already aren't in the website, it means that I'll soon be putting them up - it takes sometime to convert a text document into a formatted webpage):

  • Attempt to relate concepts of OOP directly with C++ programming (rather than treating them separately)

  • Increased coverage of pointers and OOP.

  • Answers to frequently asked students' questions (see below for such questions).

  • Workshops after every 2/3 chapters. The workshop is divided into logical, interview/viva, programming and a crossword (C++ is fun to learn).

  • Prior programming knowledge not required.

  • Has evolved over a period of 3 years (and 11 months and 29 days!) based on readers suggestions and comments.

  • Markers titled "remember" (to stress on important concepts) and "beware" (pointing out pitfalls) scattered throughout.

  • An introductory chapter on data structures (and STL).

  • A separate Q & A chapter.

  • Recap at the end of every unit.

  • By a student and for students.

Answers to some puzzling questions that students pose (green ones are answered in the website - the other answers will come up soon):

  • Why do we use int main( ) instead of void main( )?

  • How does the compiler know which function to call at run-time? (How are virtual functions implemented?)

  • What are these relationships: 'isa', 'hasa' etc.?

  • How to access the printer?

  • Is pointer accessing faster than array indexing?

  • Why is the 1st dimension not required by a function with a multi-dimensional array as its argument?

  • What is data hiding (who are we hiding it from)?

  • Is it useful to make a function private in a class?

  • If cout and cerr are both used for display, what's the difference?

  • What's the difference between a linker and a loader?

  • When overloading the assignment operator, why should we return by reference? Are there any alternatives?

  • Is i+++++j legal?


Some of the comments (it's hard to put up everything) that this website has received

(of course I'll only post the positive comments!)- well, actually everyone has been very supportive and I've tried to incorporate suggestions.

MCA student: It is very nice to have a site of this.i thank for developing this site which can help many people in learning things.i have to go through more this site so, that i can give more suggestion.

 

Programmer: It is quite helpful for anyone who starts from scratch and navigate till advanced level

 

graduate (searching for a job): hi mate! u r doing a great job for people of non computer background like me...please continue to do... i wll be thankful to you

 

Occupation:   4th Grade Student What you think of the site:   This site is awesome! Its great!

 

Occupation : :   Student What you think of the site:   The site is very qualitative unlike others and deals topic by topic for its learning.It has strengthened my concepts continue to do so.

 

Occupation:   Systems Administrator What you think of the site:   The content is superb and the example is made clear and precise.

 

Occupation:   Physics Student What you think of the site:   Very foward and helpful. I am trying to learn C++ for Physics research and this site helped me pick up the basics quickly. Thanks!

 

Occupation:   student What you think of the site:   this site is so good that its not funny. u should b proud of it.

 

Occupation:   Student What you think of the site:   Man..ur site is perfect.thank u thank u thank u..its cool,it offers me everything i needed, I hated C++ before, but thank to u,it turned out to be so easy and simple,thanks again :)

 

Occupation:   student What you think of the site:   its nice, though as i already know some programming, i think it takes a long time to get to the actual programming

 

Occupation : :   Student What you think of the site:   Great work here. Ive kind of been slacking off in class (Object-Oriented Programming), but this has brought me up to date twice now. Thanks for writing all of this, best of luck in your future works.

 

Occupation : :   Instructor What you think of the site:   Hi there...this page is really helping me from the past 2 years. I feel anyone can go through this page and they get smarter on C++ concepts. I wish u gud luk... and keep on updating....

 

Occupation:   programmer What you think of the site:   it very intersting site i ever browse thank you hope to read your new books. thank you from ethiopia

 

Occupation:   SysAdmin What you think of the site:   I refer to it daily as I attempt to teach myself C++. I find the information very useful. Im grateful you took the time to make this site. Dal

 

Occupation:   Aviation Tech (mechanic) and Pilot What you think of the site : :   Excellent , Keep teaching and i will be happy to keep learning

 

Occupation:   employee What you think of the site:   Before I enter to your Web site I considered myself as a newbie about C++,,,,but after I have read your comments I could tell you that I got a lot important information and I undestand some source code that I have downloaded from Internet.

 

Computer engg. Student:  It is an excellent online resource for those who want to learn c++ on their own without any bodys help

Any Suggestions to improve the site:   I suggest to keep a similar resource on java which can help many people like me to learn and enrich. Because these days the whole job market is almost demanding java it is better if u can keep up one such thing for java also.

 

student:  its a cool site but needs a few improvement.

 

Occupation : :   Student What you think of the site:   Excellent !! Actually I am a chemical Engineer and I am in the process of learning JAVA which derives its base from C++. Your tutorials are really excellent.

 

Occupation:   computer engineer What you think of the site:   this is a fabulous work o your part ! pleased to find such a grt web page with gamut of information . God Bless you..and if any help required ..feel free to drop in a mail in my mailbox. i am into c,c++, .NET TEchnologies God Bless !

 

Occupation : :   character design/ PR for amateur video game development team What you think of the site:   Extremely well put together, and easy to understand. Since my team has a limited number of people to create a game, its necessary to know multiple fields, and this site most certainly helps us achieve that, at least allowing us to expand to programming.

 

Occupation:   B.E(Fresher) What you think of the site:   I am a Telecommunication Engineer. C++ was an elective for us. I had not taken C++. But now as im interested in learning C++, i found this website will be very useful for someone like me who is weak in progg. Thanks a lot. Really u have done a good job

 

Occupation:   Educator, R & D What you think of the site:   Its a nice piece of work. Especially C++ stuff is quite good.

 

Occupation:   IT Exec. What you think of the site:   It's very good and understandable. I juz search through the web on C++ and I found your site. It happened that I'm going to interview and the company that want to hire people need somebody who knows the C++ well. I used to take class in C++ during my study

 

Occupation:   student What you think of the site:   It's great and it really helped me a lot in my research. Keep up the good work! God Bless!

 

Occupation:   Student What you think of the site:   I thought this site was excellent. I already knew c++ but you were able to teach it in a much clearer way than the way i was taught it.

 

Occupation:   lab assistant What you think of the site:   I think you have done a great job. I will be using your site for tutoring ideas.

 

Occupation : :   Webmaster, Teacher, Student, and Mother What you think of the site : :   I love the simplistic way you have written the basics of the C++ language. I have an upcoming final test this month and found your site to be the easiest of all to understand. I will be using it again tonight, and will also suggest it to other students

 

Occupation:   Network Manager What you think of the site:   I think it is very nice site. It is also quite useful for someone who has never done any C/C++ programming before. Thanks a lot for this I would like to encourage you to keep up such good works.

 

Occupation:   Student What you think of the site:   I am sorry that i found you so late after having problems grasping this course.

 

Occupation:   Self Emp. What you think of the site:   I think this is a wonderful site, I can't imagine that you have done all this effort! I am reading it and I find it very useful, yesterday I made a little program and I was so happy. Well really thank you very much. If you need anything from Egypt pls. Any Suggestions to improve the site : :   We would like a "candle" like you to light the world with other languages ex. V.basic etc..

 

Occupation:   Programmer/Analyst What you think of the site:   This is a very interesting site. I think you have done a wonderful job of explaining programming concepts to newbies. I sure wish there was a website like this around when I was first learning programming.

 

Occupation:   Student What you think of the site:   This site has help me a lot in my studies. The example are easy to understand. You have actually tailored the tutorial for a beginner which I find difficult to get from other site. Thank you so much for such a wonderful tutorial.

 

Occupation:   Student What you think of the site:   Your site is probably the best internet resource to learn C++. I have learned a lot from this site. Your tutorials are very good quality. Keep up the good work.