What are some good books on C?

[php111]

What are some good books on the pure C language? What I mean by pure C, not C++, or C#, or both. Just C alone so I call it by pure C.

I do have The C Programming Language but it's not for me. I had went over to cboard.cprogramming because when I do main() the forums corrected it by saying int main(). That is why that book is no good for me. I didn't know I had to do int. How am I suppose to do? I am relying on the book to tell me instead of letting my complier fail. I have also asked would C for Dummies be a good book. Someone said in their mind that For Dummies are really books going from one field to another, such as Python to C++. In my case I am going from no experience to C. For a while I reading tutorials. I rather a book now.

I do have Visual Studio C++ complier.

I am asking this forum what would be a good book? Would The Complete Reference of C be a good book? I can never spell the name but the write would be Sch or something. I understand K&R would be the last book to pick up, right?

[Tony]

php111 @ Thu Oct 02, 2008 10:54 am wrote:

In my case I am going from no experience to C.

if you are going from no experience, then C is likely not the language for you.

Though if you insist, then you will need a book beyond a reference -- something that would actually introduce you to the basics (so that you'd have an idea of what to look up in a reference book). That being said, C is not the best choice for learning the basics.

[php111]

Tony @ Thu Oct 02, 2008 11:57 am wrote:

php111 @ Thu Oct 02, 2008 10:54 am wrote:

In my case I am going from no experience to C.

if you are going from no experience, then C is likely not the language for you.

Though if you insist, then you will need a book beyond a reference -- something that would actually introduce you to the basics (so that you'd have an idea of what to look up in a reference book). That being said, C is not the best choice for learning the basics.

Thank you, Tony. What would be a good language to learn C but before C? What did you learn before C?

[php111]

Does anyone knows what programming before I can start with that comes before C? I was more thinking of Python, am I right or wrong?

[Dan]

I like C Primer Plus my self but in first year we used the text book C How to Program, but i did not like it that much and it seems to be a mix of C, C++ and Java.

[php111]

Dan @ Thu Oct 02, 2008 4:50 pm wrote:

I like C Primer Plus my self but in first year we used the text book C How to Program, but i did not like it that much and it seems to be a mix of C, C++ and Java.

Dan,

Would you start with C as your first programming language? If not, what would you start with?

[OneOffDriveByPoster]

If you want to start with C, I would suggest that you go with a C compiler and not a C++ compiler (like MSVC++).
I would also suggest getting a book that uses the latest revision of the C standard (C99 plus some corrigenda).
Draft copies of the standard are available from open-std.org.

[Dan]

Well i think there is some value in starting with C and going to more high level langues. That way you understand more of the low level consepcts with out going as deep as ASM (asembely) and then go up to things like OOP when you get to high level langues.

However if you are looking for somthing that you can easly implment algorthims and conscepts you will be learning when first starting programing Ruby and Python might be your best bet. Also as much as part of me hates Turing it is one of the easyest langues to jump in to graphics and making simple games as long as you don't excpet it to scale or become profshenonal at all.

When it comes down to it learning programming is more about learning the consepcts then the syntax, so what langue you start with does not matter as long as it allows you to learn the concepsts and get you excicted about progamming.

Also i have to adgree with OneOffDriveByPoster about using a C complier (like gcc if you are on *nix or cygwin) and not VC++ (MSVC++) if you are going to start with pure C.

[php111]

I understand. I will try that C Primer Plus a try. What would be a good pure C compiler?

[Dan]

I like GCC but it is made for *nix based operating systems like linux and unix (and is noramly included in most distros). It can also be run on windows threw cygwin (how to: http://www.eecg.utoronto.ca/~aamodt/ece242/cygwin.html).

I have a fealing tho you are more looking for a IDE that comes with an complier, in witch case you might like Dev-C++ witch can be set to complie as C if Visual Studio is not your thing.

Personaly i think it is best to start with a comand line complier and then to move to an IDE but behond gcc threw cygwin i am not sure of many good C comand line compliers for windows.

[php111]

Dan @ Fri Oct 03, 2008 6:45 pm wrote:

I like GCC but it is made for *nix based operating systems like linux and unix (and is noramly included in most distros). It can also be run on windows threw cygwin (how to: http://www.eecg.utoronto.ca/~aamodt/ece242/cygwin.html).

I have a fealing tho you are more looking for a IDE that comes with an complier, in witch case you might like Dev-C++ witch can be set to complie as C if Visual Studio is not your thing.

Personaly i think it is best to start with a comand line complier and then to move to an IDE but behond gcc threw cygwin i am not sure of many good C comand line compliers for windows.

Thank you. I don't do much command line, only in a few cases. When it comes down to KillDisk, format C: /sys. Or with XP, I use Lame or ipconfig /relase follow by ipconfig /renew, or when I reset both the TCP/IP and Winsock catalog.

As for apps, I prefer GUI.

[[Gandalf]]

Dan @ 2008-10-03, 6:45 pm wrote:

but behond gcc threw cygwin i am not sure of many good C comand line compliers for windows.

MinGW is quite decent, however last I checked it was a bit outdated.

[btiffin]

For C, go with Ch. C with an interactive console. Wicked for learning.

http://www.softintegration.com/
http://www.softintegration.com/products/chstandard/

For non C, perhaps a List Processor. DrScheme has a nice interface.
http://www.drscheme.org/

For a different way of looking at things

REBOL
http://rebol.com
http://www.rebol.com/view-platforms.html
http://www.rebol.com/docs/core23/rebolcore.html

But to stay on the path you have started, I'd recommend Ch. Good stuff. Lets you try shell programming as well.

Cheers

[php111]

I am not sure which free product to download. I am uploading an attachment with a drop down list of CH options.

btiffin @ Fri Oct 03, 2008 8:23 pm wrote:

For C, go with Ch. C with an interactive console. Wicked for learning.

http://www.softintegration.com/
http://www.softintegration.com/products/chstandard/

For non C, perhaps a List Processor. DrScheme has a nice interface.
http://www.drscheme.org/

For a different way of looking at things

REBOL
http://rebol.com
http://www.rebol.com/view-platforms.html
http://www.rebol.com/docs/core23/rebolcore.html

But to stay on the path you have started, I'd recommend Ch. Good stuff. Lets you try shell programming as well.

Cheers

[btiffin]

I always go with Standard Edition;

http://www.softintegration.com/products/chstandard/download/

And for docs to get going with the console;
http://www.softintegration.com/docs/ch/gettingstart/

If you like what you see, and you have a Student Id number, the free Student Edition ships with a few more goodies. But I'd try Standard Ed, see if it suits your tastes at all.

Cheers