Citation
Hutton, D.M. (2003), "More Exceptional C++ – 40 New Engineering Puzzles, Programming Problems and Solutions", Kybernetes, Vol. 32 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/k.2003.06732cae.009
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2003, MCB UP Limited
More Exceptional C++ – 40 New Engineering Puzzles, Programming Problems and Solutions
More Exceptional C++ – 40 New Engineering Puzzles, Programming Problems and Solutions
Herb SutterAddison-Wesley2002ISBN 0-201-70434-XPrice: £26.99
This is another book in the welcome series “C++ in depth” by Bjarne Stroustrup published by Addison-Wesley. The author's earlier book – “Exceptional C++” which was published in 2000 was well received and potential readers of the new book would be well advised to read it first. These books take the form of a series of articles in which a problem is set with questions about some aspect of the language. The text then provides some of the author's possible solutions. The author takes some pains to justify some of his possible solutions by giving the arguments for and against each one. In addition, some guidelines are given concerning the code to be generated.
In the latest book 40 such articles are included with each problem graded according to difficulty. Where more complex problems are posed the author sub-divides them into sub-problems.
The author obviously aims at making the user think hard about the problem and encourages the reader to look at all aspects before settling on a possible solution. In effect this is what all computer uses should do to gain a much greater understanding of the task before rushing into code.
The subjects included in the book are often quite complex and the problems presented are graded accordingly. It was pleasing to see such topics as the “C++ Standard Library”, “Safety issues”, “performance” and “generic programming” included in the text.
Books written in this fashion have a place in the learning process although they only contribute to the essential manuals that are on offer. There is always more to learn about any programming system or language and C++ is not an exception.
Cyberneticians and systemists who now use C++ ona regular basis already know how powerful the language and system are.There is always room for improvement beyond the basic knowledge of such a language. To go “the extra mile” is to use this book to advance ones ability to communicate problem solutions expertly and efficiently in C++.
This is not a reference book but one that needs working through in a structured manner.The forward by Andrew Koenig sets the scene but the user is very much on his/her own when it comes to the choice of which of the 40 problems are to be tackled.
This is a recommended text for anyone who has the incentive and the time to improve their working knowledge of what has become a more than “Exceptional C++”. The author is now, no doubt working on yet another follow-on book. Perhaps it will be called the “Very Exceptional C++” or perhaps “Even more exceptional C++”.
In either case these books have become valued texts and appeal to an ever increasing readership.
D.M. Hutton