Also include any other books you recommend I should read to learn about programming, I'm not completely computer illiterate, but I only know the very basics, that an average user would have. I also plan to major in CS, so any good reads that could help me on my way to my degree would be much appreciated.
Thanks for reading/posting!
Posted Mar 15, 2010, 2:51 AM UTC
You have no programming background whatsoever?
C++ is a complex language with an API that can seem daunting. I would recommend starting with C.
Find a copy of Kerrighan and Ritchie's The C Programming Language and get a reasonable grasp on C first - C++ is based on C, so most of the concepts/techniques you'll learn with C are applicable. The book is short and has been around for a while, so you can find a used copy easily.
Once you're comfortable, then find a good C++ reference book. I've had good luck with C++ Primer (Lippman, et al.) Be sure to get a later edition (fourth or higher), as it is considerably better-written than previous ones.
http://www.reddit.com/r/carlhprogramming
You should donate that money to carlh.