Reader comments on The C++ Training Guide
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#: 21795 S0/CompuServe Mail [MAIL]
10-Feb-98 07:54:16
Sb: C++ Training Guide++
Fm: Andy Brown +44 1245 242112 > INTERNET:andy.brown@gecm.com
To: Steve Heller [71101,1702]
Steve
I have read (and watched) your book on C++ Training Guide and found it
to be an excellent introduction to the concepts of C++ programming.
You mention in the book that you may be writing a follow on which
carries on from the Training Guide. Any news on this?
Alternatively, would "Efficient C/C++" be a reasonable follow on
for someone who now has a full understanding of the Training Guide.
Andy Brown
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#: 21622 S0/CompuServe Mail [MAIL]
05-Feb-98 21:17:24
Sb: C++ Training Guide...
Fm: INTERNET:Bloodshed0@aol.com
To: Steve Heller [71101,1702]
Steve Heller,
...
BTW, good book!! You have a lot of good concepts on how to write a C++
programming book for people to understand. I had a slow start because I new
quite a bit already, but it's good that you build the basics for people. I
even suggested that my mother read it (atleast the first few chapters about
computers) and she's the biggest computer illiterate around. I ESPECIALLY
like the fact that you also went over what exactly the compiler does when it
compiles. That kind of information can be handy when debugging. (I have a
question too... since the compiler sets up RAM locations the way it does.
Then the size of your identifiers shouldn't effect the size of the compiled
program, correct? Because I got into a habit of creating the smallest
possible identifers that I can.) I also like the one on one style of
writting... I feel more like I have a special tutor then I'm reading a boring
textbook. Thanks for the time... AND the book!
-Erick Brown>>
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#: 20528 S0/CompuServe Mail [MAIL]
10-Jan-98 01:30:18
Sb: Compiler Installation problem!
Fm: MIKEDIANDA > INTERNET:MIKEDIANDA@aol.com
To: Steve Heller [71101,1702]
Hi, my name is Mike. I recently purchased your great book "C++ Training
Guide", it is real easy to follow and thanks to you (Steve) and Susan is also
easy to comperhend.
...
Thank you, New faithful reader
Mike MikeDianda@aol.com
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#: 20447 S0/CompuServe Mail [MAIL]
07-Jan-98 21:24:17
Sb: C++ Training Guide
Fm: Rick443 > INTERNET:Rick443@aol.com
To: Steve Heller [71101,1702]
I think the book's great - just what I need. I'm a sometime C programmer but
haven't had to do any programming for a year or so, so I appreciated the
review.
...
Rick
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#: 20300 S0/CompuServe Mail [MAIL]
04-Jan-98 05:26:09
Sb: Online OOP Classes
Fm: Donnie Hamlett > INTERNET:saungkh@webtv.net
To: Steve Heller [71101,1702]
I am a EE who has programmed in Fortran and Basic for a number of years.
I taught myself C sometime ago and I am currently making the switch from
those outdated languages to Visual C++, Java and enventually Corba. Your
book on C++ was truly well written it enabled me to gleen the concepts
and information that I needed to get a better conceptualization of
classes and how they are used. If you have a online learning academy
then please forward the cost and the dates. Thanks a lot for your work
Donnie Hamlett, NY
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#: 19942 S0/CompuServe Mail [MAIL]
26-Dec-97 18:45:22
Sb: C++ Training Guide
Fm: XX > INTERNET:xx@xx.com
To: Steve Heller [71101,1702]
I just bought your book at Encore Books. I am 12 years old and I want
to learn C++. I have knowledge in html, but not C or C++. I looked
at all of the C++ books, but all of them either required C knowledge
or looked extremely boring. I read your introduction and I knew your
book would be great. The only problem, however, was that the CD-rom
isn't working. My suggestion is you make the CD easier to load and
set up. And package it better. (My computer said the CD was dirty).
Your book on C++ is so good that when I learn Java and JavaScript, I'm
going to use your book.
Thanks
xxx
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#: 19450 S0/CompuServe Mail [MAIL]
16-Dec-97 21:50:12
Sb: Comments - & more to come
Fm: "John A. Simkiss, III" > INTERNET:jas3@netreach.net
To: Steve Heller [71101,1702]
I am a former programmer: 6502 & Z80 assembly, and Basic (as a teenage
hack) & Pascal, Logo, Prolog, etc. (as a serious student) who hasn't
coded since college (10 yrs. ago). Yours appeared to be just right for
getting my feet wet with C++, in which I have a renewed interest thanks
to my recent decision to install Linux on an old hard drive. The book
looks great, and my background in Pascal should prove very helpful.
I'll forward you my comments when I finish the book and movies.
...
I've read and viewed up to Chapter 4 so far and am going back for another
review of them this weekend before I move on. So far its been smooth
sailing thanks to my extensive, although somewhat aged, programming
experience. BTW, I'll install the CD on my notebook when I travel over the
holidays and let you know how it runs under NT4.0 Workstation. I would bet
that it works fine, except that I'll need to edit the autoexec.nt file
(instead of autoexec.bat), which is the default run before each DOS
session/window is opened in NT.
Comments so far:
1). Yes I did get the CD with the missing LNK file. That was a bit of a
pain in the butt and a generally large oversight ! Who goofed ?
2). The Steve - Susan dialog is generally very helpful. Sometimes it seems
to me to be going a bit overboard, but I think you probably know what your
doing, e.g. the distinction between = and == in comparing v. assigning seems
obvious, but that may be because of previous experience. So like I said, I
assume given your experience teaching, that you know novices get stuck on
this. I am therefore probably not the best test subject since I'm not
coming to the subject cold.
3). The tone of the book is great. Besides people without a sense of humor
shouldn't learn to program anyhow. They'll certainly need that sense of
humor if they ever do any serious programming, e.g. I once spent 4 and a
half hours staring at a Pascal source file to try to get at a mysterious
compiler error that (like many compiler errors used to be) was too vague to
be of any help (no line #s - nothin' - just "syntax error"). Lo and behold,
the printout on the lineprinter made Os (ohs) and 0s (zeros) the same shape.
It wasn't even possible to see the error on paper. Finally on screen I saw
I had typed F0R instead of FOR. And a friend at Anderson Consulting once
spent 2 weeks debugging code for PacBell before he found an error in the
compiler! The humorous tone makes what is a technical topic much easier to
get through and allows the reader to do so in larger chunks than otherwise
possible.
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#: 19325 S0/CompuServe Mail [MAIL]
14-Dec-97 00:53:12
Sb: The C++ Training Guide
Fm: Gary Heronemus > INTERNET:gherone@ibm.net
To: Steve Heller [71101,1702]
Mr. Heller -
I found your book at Micro-Center in Dallas Tx. I'm enjoying the
approach (especially now that I have the .lnk file) to the subject.
I've been at computers a long time, but no exposure to C++.
Thanks,
Gary Heronemus
gherone@ibm.net
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#: 17358 S0/CompuServe Mail [MAIL]
11-Nov-97 19:47:20
Sb: The C++ Training Guide
Fm: INTERNET:DMCJK@aol.com
To: Steve Heller [71101,1702]
I bought the C++ Training about a week ago and it is Great. People have told
me how difficult C++ can be to learn, but the style of writing you use makes
it very easy to understnand. I read the first page of the appendix last night
where you said that we had learned about 5% of the language and I was
wondering if you could recomend a book that continues the study of C++ from
where you left off.
...
Thank you for responding to my E-mail. Will Who's Afraid of Advanced C++ be
out beore Christmas? If not when will it be out? Feel free to use any
comments I ever send to you.
Peat
P.S. I'm 16 and taking a class in school called Object Oriented Programming
but instead of using C++ as a language we use Visual Basic. We started doing
classes yesterday and nobody in the class could understand them but me. This
is because of your book. Thank you again for writing such an easy to
understand book.
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#: 16581 S0/CompuServe Mail [MAIL]
13-Oct-97 02:11:20
Sb: Installation notes for "The C++ Training Guide"
Fm: "S. Allen" > INTERNET:endu@nemcom.nec.co.jp
To: Steve Heller [71101,1702]
Dear Mr. Heller,
Yesterday I purchased your book "The C++ Training Guide" at Kinokuniya
Bookstore in Tokyo, and I'm enjoying it very much.
...
Many thanks for your great work on the books, and I look forward to hearing
from you.
Sincerely,
Shaun Allen
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#: 16230 S0/CompuServe Mail [MAIL]
01-Oct-97 22:51:28
Sb: first heard
Fm: INTERNET:gocadd@icanect.net
To: Steve Heller [71101,1702]
Dear Steve:
The book that I have is C++ training guide. I purchased at about a week
ago, and I can tell that certainly is very good, so good that I think is
important to let you know that.
I was checking the local "Barnes and Noble " bookstore and i review briefly
most of the books and god, there were like 50 different books on C++, I
took yours, and red the line that says that you picked Susan, a person with
absolute no knowledge of programming, to be taught.....So THIS IS MY BOOK.
...
Sincerely.
Carlos
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#: 15595 S0/CompuServe Mail [MAIL]
17-Sep-97 21:17:24
Sb: Compiler
Fm: "Michael W." > INTERNET:Fengchi@classic.msn.com
To: Steve Heller [71101,1702]
Hello! Thank you so much for the help on Hexadecimals! After I read that it
almost seemed simple. :) Well, almost..
...
As far as using any of my comments, you are more than welcome to them. I know
they haven't done me much good over the years... :) I would take it as a
privelage to write a review for The C++ training guide. I am continually
astonished at how well it is written, and how easy it is to understand. This
was exactly the book I needed to start with. Do your other books go more in
depth on C++? Pretty soon I'll be ready for them!
...
Once again, thanks for everything!!
Michael
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#: 15456 S0/CompuServe Mail [MAIL]
15-Sep-97 03:02:01
Sb: C++ Training Guide
Fm: Simon Bond > INTERNET:bondi@brighton.starway.net.au
To: Steve Heller [71101,1702]
Dear Mr Heller,
My name is Simon Bond, im a 14yr old student a private school
in Melbourne Australia. My dream in life is to make money through the
computer industry. Just last Friday i was chatting to a friend of mine
who had tought himself C++ through the use of books, over a course of
12 months. After listening to what he had to say, i have become very
enthusiastic on learning the language of C++. On Saturday I bought your
book, my friend told me to go for books listed for begginers/novice..
And usually i look for a Cd :)
Well here i am, taking my first step , into the long journey of learning
C++. I read the first chapter of your book, already I feel i can relate
to your way of explaining... I like how Susan has comments written
throught the book, this makes the questions that I have on my mind,
answered.
The book i bought was the C++ Training Guide.
Do you think this is the right book for me? (Honestly, seeying i have
little programming experience, but im willing to learn).
Hopefully in a year or maybe couple of years time i will
have the avibility to do game programming.
Thanks very much for your time, and now ill continue onto chapter 2..
-Keep in touch (See how i progress)
...
I would JUMP to the idea of you using my comments in another prining of
your book, or another book you write. Since Saturday ive been gripped to
your book... I dont want to miss a beat, so ive decided to read it and then
study the definitions etc. and all of your main points, chapter by chapter.
That way i dont rush through a chapter without understanding what something
means.
About the fix for the compiler, my book came with a little disk, with the
extra lnk file i think.
Also I would love to write a review of you book for amazon.com as soon
as i get further into the chapters.
thanks for your time!
-Simon Bond
p.s. How would i go about giving you my comments. Should i email you
after every couple of pages, or so, giving you all my questions etc.
and comments like Susan has done? Keep me informed.. Thanx once again!
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#: 14051 S0/CompuServe Mail [MAIL]
12-Aug-97 22:26:12
Sb: C++ Training Guide
Fm: INTERNET:halmay@mail.msy.bellsouth.net
To: Steve Heller [71101,1702]
Hi Steve,
Just bought "C++ Training Guide" from Barnes and Nobles. I went
through every book they had on C++ but your book seemed to have the same
goal in mind for the reader that I have for myself-I want to know how
the programs work.
I bought my first computer 3 years ago last Memorial Day a 486dx2/66.
It has been through many upgrades and now I have a Pentium 200 MMX.
Hardware learning has been fun and I am very conformable installing
stuff and upgrading. Now, I want to learn the ins and outs of software
programing.
About a year and a half ago, I had a special project at work which
consisted of updating the records of all the equipment in the plant (I
am the warehouse manager in a grain elevator) at this time I did not
have a computer at work. The thought of writing this information by hand
with no easy way to keep current seemed an overwhelming task to say the
least.
The facility had just been automated and computers were being use by
operators to run the plant. We deal with massive data daily, weights
and logistics involved with grain exporting and shipping. The company
who put us on line used a data base program called Paradox (for windows)
to manipulate this data. I spotted this program and decided it would
work for my task as well. I got the program and the book and page by
page and 6 months later I had built something I call my "Equipment
Program". Crude as it might be, (and I am sure after reading your book I
will find bigger and better ways to get the job done) I can type in a
piece of equipment and up it comes with all its components, attributes
and data. I was impressed and excited. Now, I have a Pentium at work
to use for my very own. (You must understand my excitement; the office
was still using 286's and 386's. There was only one 486 in the place
before the plant was put on line.)
Since then we have had a major improvement everyone has Pentiums and we
are running Windows NT through the Corporation.
Being the newly appointed Warehouse Manager, I have been busy trying to
better organize the warehouse. We maintain a parts warehouse for the
equipment. There is so much I want to do but I lack the skills, I have
no formal training in computer or programming. There is a local PC club
I have joined and I am in a SIG " Windows Application Development"
most of it is over my head but I am hanging on hoping Osmosis will
occur.
Now back to your book, I have high hopes, looks like the right place to
start this journey. Thanks for writing it.
PS. Hope I wasn't too long winded. I get carried away.
Harriet
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#: 13758 S0/CompuServe Mail [MAIL]
08-Aug-97 23:16:13
Sb: C++
Fm: INTERNET:tdavis7@mail.bna.bellsouth.net
To: Steve Heller [71101,1702]
Steve,
Feel free to use any comments I make. I am thoroughly enjoying The C++
training guide. It is helping me to understand concepts that were
skimmed over in school. I also ordered Efficient C++ programming and
Introduction to C++ to further reinforce my knowledge. Keep up the good
work.
Sincerely,
Timothy Davis
tdavis7@bellsouth.com
p.s. Keep writing books!
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#: 13579 S0/CompuServe Mail [MAIL]
07-Aug-97 04:34:00
Sb: About C++ Training Guide
Fm: COURANT Patrick > INTERNET:101622.3317@CompuServe.COM
To: Steve Heller [71101,1702]
Just a word from a French groopie.
First of all, I want to thank you very much for such an well built and
interesting book. As some reader pointed out, you feel you read a
novel more than a technical and austere book. It's a real pleasure.
Thanks again.
...
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#: 12378 S0/CompuServe Mail [MAIL]
01-Aug-97 20:19:22
Sb: The C++ training guide
Fm: Rick McElderry > INTERNET:face@connet80.com
To: Steve Heller [71101,1702]
Dear Mr. Heller;
I recently bought you book "The C++ training guide". It has certainly
helped me out a great deal.
...
Your book The C++ training guide really helped me understand classes
better than most text books. I read a lot of the before I even bought
it. But then again, that is way I bought it. I don't have any
programming experience, except for a little c programming. The
concepts of classes were not very clear to me. Your examples and
explanations convinced me how C++ is a more powerful programming
language.
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#: 11896 S0/CompuServe Mail [MAIL]
15-Jul-97 12:52:07
Sb: Quick Response
Fm: INTERNET:GaryRoe@aol.com
To: Steve Heller [71101,1702]
Thank you for responding so quickly to my problem of getting the C++ compiler
going. That was uncommonly courteous and professional. I won't have time to
try it until this evening, but I wanted to respond as quickly as you did.
I started out in this business 32 years ago as one of those kids who ended up
teaching the class. I particularly loved SNOBOL, which you may have run
across. After learning about a dozen different languages, I started a little
company and have been programming in COBOL for the last 27 years. Then a few
months ago I had cause to learn BRIEF MACROS (similar to C), which reminded
me how much fun it could be. So last night I started on your C++ Training
Guide, and it's a blast. I will simultaneously be learning Object COBOL
starting next week, so I can get our programs running on the PC.
I mention all that to put in context how your quick response has prevented
any dampening of my new found enthusiasm. Thanks again.
Gary Roe
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#: 14793 S0/CompuServe Mail [MAIL]
22-Apr-97 05:45:00
Sb: The C++ Training Guide
Fm: INTERNET:kane@micronet.net
To: Steve Heller [71101,1702]
Hello Mr. Heller,
I recently purchased your book, The C++ Training Guide, at the local
Barnes and Noble Book Store here in Anchorage, Alaska. I found your book
by browsing the book shelves in search of a beginning book on C++
programming.
I just wanted to let you know that I'm really enjoying your book and I
also like the style you've used in writing it.
...
I've put my comments on Amazon about your book. I meant every word.
I'm one of the sort that likes to know why what is happening is
happening the way that it is. Your book does that very well. I had a bit
of assembler when I was going through electronics school and your
explanations filled in a lot of blanks.
...
--
Kane W. Basie
mailto:kane@micronet.net
Anchorage, Alaska USA
http://www.micronet.net/~kane/default.htm
Life can be readily summed up as a long
series of getting kicked out of nice
warm, safe places.
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