Learning C with Older books ?.

[Jhon smith]

Hi all,Just wondering are there any problems with learning c from older
books,as I have picked up some from 1988,1994,1997, 1998.
By using books of this age(Im on a tight budget)am I going to missout on
anything in the langauge or has C remaind similar.
I intend to use Dev-C++ on the windows platform.
If any one feels theres anything I should be aware of,please help me out,I
feel a bit lost with all thats out there regarding this language.
Many thanks.
--
comp.lang.c.mod erated - moderation address: cl**@plethora.n et

[slurper]

Jhon smith wrote:

Hi all,Just wondering are there any problems with learning c from older
books,as I have picked up some from 1988,1994,1997, 1998.
certainly not, one of the best books is from the designer of c (Kernighan
and Ritchie) and that's an old book (mine is from 1990, the first edition
was from 1970 or so)
By using books of this age(Im on a tight budget)am I going to missout on
anything in the langauge or has C remaind similar.
I intend to use Dev-C++ on the windows platform.
If any one feels theres anything I should be aware of,please help me out,I
feel a bit lost with all thats out there regarding this language.
Many thanks.

[Hans-Bernhard Broeker]

[F'up2 cut down --- should have been done by OP!]

In comp.lang.c.mod erated Jhon smith <jh**********@h otmail.com> wrote:

Hi all,Just wondering are there any problems with learning c from
older books,as I have picked up some from 1988,1994,1997, 1998.

Not really. You'll be missing out on the changes introduced by the
C99 standard, but that's not of very high practical relevance yet, and
can relatively easily be fixed up later. Stay away from any books
older than roughly 1990 though --- you don't want to learn
pre-standard C.

--
Hans-Bernhard Broeker (br*****@physik .rwth-aachen.de)
Even if all the snow were burnt, ashes would remain.
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[B. v Ingen Schenau]

Jhon smith wrote:

Hi all,Just wondering are there any problems with learning c from
older books,as I have picked up some from 1988,1994,1997, 1998.
By using books of this age(Im on a tight budget)am I going to missout
on anything in the langauge or has C remaind similar.

The book from 1988 might be a bit out-dated, unless it is a very
high-quality book, like the second edition of "The C Programming
Language".
The other books will do fine date-wise, but be warned that there are a
lot of bad books in circulation, regardless of when they were printed.
If you want to know if your books are any good, check if you can find a
review for them at http://www.accu.org/ or ask us (please tell us the
title, author(s) _and_ version of each book).

Bart v Ingen Schenau
--
a.c.l.l.c-c++ FAQ: http://www.comeaucomputing.com/learn/faq
c.l.c FAQ: http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/C-faq/top.html
c.l.c++ FAQ: http://www.parashift.com/c++-faq-lite/
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[Jeroen Wenting]

The core language has remained the same more or less.
Of course C++ was introduced which added a lot and changed things around as
well but for pure C that's not relevant.

There have also been some libraries added maybe which you will not learn
about but that's the extend of your potential shortcomings.

As a book you should certainly get: The C programming language by Kernighan
and Ritchie, creators of C.

"Jhon smith" <jh**********@h otmail.com> wrote in message
news:cl******** ********@pletho ra.net...

Hi all,Just wondering are there any problems with learning c from older
books,as I have picked up some from 1988,1994,1997, 1998.
By using books of this age(Im on a tight budget)am I going to missout on
anything in the langauge or has C remaind similar.
I intend to use Dev-C++ on the windows platform.
If any one feels theres anything I should be aware of,please help me out,I
feel a bit lost with all thats out there regarding this language.
Many thanks.
--
comp.lang.c.mod erated - moderation address: cl**@plethora.n et

--
comp.lang.c.mod erated - moderation address: cl**@plethora.n et

[Ron House]

Jhon smith wrote:

Hi all,Just wondering are there any problems with learning c from older
books,as I have picked up some from 1988,1994,1997, 1998.
By using books of this age(Im on a tight budget)am I going to missout on
anything in the langauge or has C remaind similar.
I intend to use Dev-C++ on the windows platform.
If any one feels theres anything I should be aware of,please help me out,I
feel a bit lost with all thats out there regarding this language.
Many thanks.

There are some changes in the more recent C, but as long as your book
describes some version of ANSI/ISO C, it will be reasonably close. Older
(K&R) C books are likely to be more misleading. Check if it mentions
ANSI or ISO at the front of the book.

--
Ron House ho***@usq.edu.a u
http://www.sci.usq.edu.au/staff/house
--
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[Stuart Gerchick]

"Jeroen Wenting" <be*******@horn et.beefjerky.de mon.nl> wrote in message news:<cl******* *********@pleth ora.net>...

The core language has remained the same more or less.
Of course C++ was introduced which added a lot and changed things around as
well but for pure C that's not relevant.

There have also been some libraries added maybe which you will not learn
about but that's the extend of your potential shortcomings.

As a book you should certainly get: The C programming language by Kernighan
and Ritchie, creators of C.

"Jhon smith" <jh**********@h otmail.com> wrote in message
news:cl******** ********@pletho ra.net...

Hi all,Just wondering are there any problems with learning c from older
books,as I have picked up some from 1988,1994,1997, 1998.
By using books of this age(Im on a tight budget)am I going to missout on
anything in the langauge or has C remaind similar.
I intend to use Dev-C++ on the windows platform.
If any one feels theres anything I should be aware of,please help me out,I
feel a bit lost with all thats out there regarding this language.
Many thanks.
--
comp.lang.c.mod erated - moderation address: cl**@plethora.n et

As long as the book covers standard ANSI C you are fine. Check the
cover or the intro for that. The K&R ANSI C version is a good book to
use.
--
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[Jhon smith]

Thanks for all,the help,I will look through the book review section on
ACCU,Thanks for that one.

"Jhon smith" <jh**********@h otmail.com> wrote in message
news:cl******** ********@pletho ra.net...

Hi all,Just wondering are there any problems with learning c from older
books,as I have picked up some from 1988,1994,1997, 1998.
By using books of this age(Im on a tight budget)am I going to missout on
anything in the langauge or has C remaind similar.
I intend to use Dev-C++ on the windows platform.
If any one feels theres anything I should be aware of,please help me out,I
feel a bit lost with all thats out there regarding this language.
Many thanks. --
comp.lang.c.mod erated - moderation address: cl**@plethora.n et

--
comp.lang.c.mod erated - moderation address: cl**@plethora.n et

[Jhon smith]

HI all again,I just thought I give you a list of the books I have for you to
say yay or nay to as far as good learning tools.

I don`t know if it`s relevent,but I have a little machine code and assembler
experence from the old c64 days,I never really used basic,and have no real
experence of other languages,I don`t like being kept to far removed from the
machine,thats what i liked about the old MC/assem all those bit/byte opps.

I have looked at things like Pure basic,as as a start in PC programming,but
I like somthing about C,I hate the idea of great big fat programs,when it`s
not needed,however I am finding it a daunting task,as If I look on the net I
see reference to things,libarys, headers,API`s and many other things,Yet no
firm explanation of what is C,and what is purley added buy others,What is
needed to learn and what is at least for the time being,not nessesary.

With the `Basics` it seems much more defined,Learn the basic your
using,learn windows/hardware your using it on,Just with C I know where to
start,I just don`t know Which direction to go and howfar in that direction
to go.

My goal really is to learn C,then if Im upto it,more about using C on the PC
with MS windows(ie windows,graphic s,sound),If I ever get that far,and
possibly C++.

The other BIG problem is that I am pretty damn thick,but I really would be
happy if all I can learn to do is simple apps,such a Phone book,with
input/output,disk loading/saving,sorting and such,But I don`t want to have a
basic language do it for me with a few commands,where` s the fun and thinking
in that!.

Any way enough ranting,Here`s my books.

C The complete reference---Herbert schildt first edition,1987
Simple C,Ian sinclair ---1988
Absolute beginners Guide to C,Greg Perry,second edition---1994
C++ Primer plus,Stephan prata,second edition---1995
Learning to program in C,N kantaris---Reprinted 1997
C/C++ Programmers bible Kris jamsa,Lars klander,first edition,---1998

Thanks again.
"Jhon smith" <jh**********@h otmail.com> wrote in message
news:cl******** ********@pletho ra.net...

Hi all,Just wondering are there any problems with learning c from older
books,as I have picked up some from 1988,1994,1997, 1998.
By using books of this age(Im on a tight budget)am I going to missout on
anything in the langauge or has C remaind similar.
I intend to use Dev-C++ on the windows platform.
If any one feels theres anything I should be aware of,please help me out,I
feel a bit lost with all thats out there regarding this language.
Many thanks. --
comp.lang.c.mod erated - moderation address: cl**@plethora.n et

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[Jonathan Leffler]

Jhon smith wrote:

HI all again,I just thought I give you a list of the books I have for you to
say yay or nay to as far as good learning tools. C The complete reference---Herbert schildt first edition,1987
Nay! See http://www.lysator.liu.se/c/schildt.html
Simple C,Ian sinclair ---1988
Absolute beginners Guide to C,Greg Perry,second edition---1994
C++ Primer plus,Stephan prata,second edition---1995
Learning to program in C,N kantaris---Reprinted 1997
C/C++ Programmers bible Kris jamsa,Lars klander,first edition,---1998

I don't remember these - check the ACCU book reviews at

http://www.accu.org/bookreviews/public/index.htm

Simple C isn't there.
Absolute Beginners Guide isn't there.
C++ Primer Plus 4th Edn is reviewed.
Learning to Program in C is reviewed.
C/C++ Programmer's Bible isn't there.

If you already program competently, then K&R is still very good.

--
Jonathan Leffler #include <disclaimer.h >
Email: jl******@earthl ink.net, jl******@us.ibm .com
Guardian of DBD::Informix v2003.04 -- http://dbi.perl.org/
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