[how long did it take you to learn c++] - Computers



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how long did it take you to learn c++

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Posted by: metrosomething

hey i was just wondering how long did it take you to learn c++

not really master it but learn it

lets say you were able to write a simple program without help

thanks



Posted by: johnyB_24

Well,you can learn to write a "hello-world" program in 10 minutes.But really learning the language can take up to years.It depends on the person,how fast you can learn,and of course how much you study it.



Posted by: foolsdelyte

Have to better define simple. If you're talking Hello World simple, half a minute... Learning a language is an ongoing process of picking up syntax to implement concepts.



Posted by: metrosomething

yeah i kinda figure that ...thanks.
i just wanted to know...how well did you understand c++...after a month or two



Posted by: foolsdelyte

I don't know if other people would agree, but I don't think someone new to programming (as you've said you are) can sit down and study one language and say 'I understand about x% of C++' after n months. You should be more concerned with understanding programming concepts rather than syntax. To answer your question, after a month of studying the basics of C++ you might know about its data structures, class construction, inheritance, exception handling, etc. Whether you can write anything useful at that point is up to you.



Posted by: weewun

there is a book called 'learn c++ in 21 days' that i have for uni, that is pretty useful.. would be pretty intensive to go through it in 21 days, but possible... i use it as more of a referance :D



Posted by: M4A1

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by foolsdelyte [/i]
[B]Learning a language is an ongoing process of picking up syntax to implement concepts. [/B][/QUOTE]

I don't think it's much of an ongoing process. You do need to learn the syntax, but more importantly, as you said, implementing concepts, design, flow, etc...

A strong foundation lies in if you can correctly map out what you want to do, ONLY then do you implement it with proper syntax.



Posted by: Chankama

I think after a while you finish learning the language. There's really no more constructs that you can learn - there are a finite number of them.

How much you can do with the language after 2 months depends on you.. Learning C++ is not enough - should learn about design patterns too. Otherwise, it will be really bad code :D



Posted by: buddhistgrandma

It depends. For me, at that point, I could write minor apps, but the code structure was pretty poor. The code was all jumbled up and inefficient. At some point, you should work on making your code more coherent and able to flow smoothly. Pick up a book or two, they will teach you how to make your code better. I recommend Big C++, and Learn C++ in 21 Days. DON'T pick up Learn C++ in 24 HOURS. just don't. Most important of all, HAVE FUN!:D



Posted by: ryno

Trick question. You never stop learning.



Posted by: buddhistgrandma

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by ryno [/i]
[B]Trick question. You never stop learning. [/B][/QUOTE]

Yup. There is always something more to learn.



Posted by: neuterman

Well, I just started on a SAMS book for learning beginner's programming in 24 hours. It says it shows how to program in Visual BASIC, C++, and Javascript. So I guess the answer to your question would be somewhere in hour seven :p.



Posted by: blackhawk13

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by neuterman [/i]
[B]Well, I just started on a SAMS book for learning beginner's programming in 24 hours. It says it shows how to program in Visual BASIC, C++, and Javascript. So I guess the answer to your question would be somewhere in hour seven :p. [/B][/QUOTE]

SAMS will be the death of me this semester at school :(. I had to buy a SAMS book for UML coding (dumbest thing ever). And it comes with a program called Poseidon. Apparently UML is some sort of object-oriented language or something, I don't know. It's stupid in my opinion.

edit: p.s. I'm learning C++ this semester also, and so far it's easy enough. If you understand the structure of coding, every language just kind of flows and you just get it. ;)



Posted by: ryno

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by blackhawk13 [/i]
[B]SAMS will be the death of me this semester at school :(. I had to buy a SAMS book for UML coding (dumbest thing ever). And it comes with a program called Poseidon. Apparently UML is some sort of object-oriented language or something, I don't know. It's stupid in my opinion.

edit: p.s. I'm learning C++ this semester also, and so far it's easy enough. If you understand the structure of coding, every language just kind of flows and you just get it. ;) [/B][/QUOTE]

Unified Modeling Language (UML) is used in the design of programs and databases. It is not a programming language in itself. By creating a design in UML you can discover flaws in your logic before you write a single line of code.

Think of it this way. When an architect/contractor wants to build a house, what does he have to do? He first has to ask his client what exactly he/she wants the house to look like and have. Does the client want one story or two? Two bathrooms or three? How many bedrooms? Does the client want a fireplace? Etc, etc, etc. This is called the planning stage where you find out exactly what you are going to have to build.

The next stage is the design stage. This is the stage that pertains to UML. The architect/contractor now has to take the specifications and write up a blueprint. So he writes up a blueprint and then discovers, by looking at that blueprint, that if he puts the fireplace on the west side of the room the structural integrity of that wall may be compromised and weakened. So he moves the fireplace to the north wall instead.

A UML diagram for software developers is no different than a blueprint for contractors. It allows you to find mistakes and inefficiencies in your applications before you start actually writing them. Sure, you might be a talented software developer. Sure, you might think you know exactly how to make this application. However, if you find that your design is not going to work half way through writing the application, you are going to have to spend a LONG LONG time fixing that problem. If you find that mistake during the design phase... you've lost about 15 minutes.

Design is the most important aspect of software development. You could know the STL like you know the back of your hand, but if you don't know how to design an object oriented application, your knowledge means absolutely nothing.



Posted by: Stormdev

Very well said ryno! ;)



Posted by: williamwu

I have learned c++ since 2003, but I still don't understand it deeply today.
:(



Posted by: forrestcupp

You can learn basic c++ syntax in no time, especially if you have any programming background. The problem is that there are countless libraries, and frameworks that you add to the basic syntax, and you'll never finish learning all of that. Early on, you might want to mess with strings, so you might include the String library. Sometime, you might want to make a GUI program, so then you'll have to find some framework like wxWidgets or something, and then you're opening a whole new world of programming that still uses basic c++. But it's a new world of things to learn. C++ is the easy part. It's what comes after that that gets harder. And like other people have said, logic is the most important thing. You can know every programming language, but if you can't work things out logically, you'll be stuck just copying other people's tutorials the rest of your life.



Posted by: revenge2

[QUOTE] there is a book called 'learn c++ in 21 days' that i have for uni, that is pretty useful.. would be pretty intensive to go through it in 21 days, but possible... i use it as more of a referance [/QUOTE]

i just bought that book, lol im in the process of learning c++, i do understand some of it if i tried hard enough and im only 16. But since im a absolute beginner the best advice i could give any newbie is go learn python because that is easier than c++.

...plus: when you look at the difference in code between the two python looks simple. ( thats simply judging by appearance)





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