Ebook: C++ In Action: Industrial Strength Programming Techniques (With CD-ROM)
Author: Bartosz Milewski
- Genre: Computers // Programming
- Tags: Библиотека, Компьютерная литература, C / C++
- Year: 2001
- Publisher: Addison Wesley Publishing Company
- Language: English
- djvu
And along comes this book with the attempt to build an OO layer that encapsulates the horrendous details of the Windows API. Of course, only a limited subset of this monolithic API is addressed in the book, which is understandable. One might consider the whole subject of the book a case study rather than a shrink-rapped solution, which is well-worth the time and money spent on it. If you have programmed with either Win32 or MFC before, and have being stung by their awkward design, or lack thereof, then consider this book a mandatory reading assignment.
However, the main problem with this book is that it attempts to be a one-size-fits-all material. The first chapters vainly try to introduce the reader to the C++ programming language. And the remaining chapters are bloated with subsections covering the finer details of the language as they are needed. The whole assumption that a total C++ novice can understand the Win32 API (the problem), the OO layer (the solution), AND the C++ programming language along the way is a very ludicrous one. A novice will struggle endlessly with it, and will ultimately find him or herself given up and reverting to more classical texts on C++ and OOP before being able to stomach reading this book again. Alas, the wasted space on introducing C++ could have been put to better use by adding more depth to the material.
So, you might ask why the four stars. The subject matter is unique and direly needed. And the coverage is adequate if you realistically set your expectations. By all means, buy it and read it. You might find it useful or at least enlightening. I know I did. But don't come unprepared.