Visual C++ 7 or .NET

[Chris Smith]

Got a question, and not sure if this is the best newsgroup to ask, but if
not can someone please direct me.

I am trying to pick up a new language for me (C++). I have Visual Studio
..NET 2003, and am a very proficient vb and vb.net developer. I am looking
for some good books, links, movies... that anyone can recommend, as there is
a lot of "not so good" stuff online.

Thanks,

Chris Smith

 

[Guest]

Good morning Chris,

I was interested in your note because a year or so ago I went through the
same process. I had done a lot of work in the various forms of VB but had
settled on C++ and became reasonably proficient in that language. When .NET
came along I wasn't sure which way to go: .NET C++, .NET VB, .NET C#? I
eventually chose C# and am very glad that I did. Its a very elegant
combination of the best features of both VB and C++ but it also shields the
programmer from one of the most irritating things about C++ which is the
"Who's got the pointer?" problem. Automatic garbage collection is just a
great feature which has saved me many hours of messing around trying to
figure out where pointer operations are going off the track.

I'm not sure if this is the answer you wanted (you seem to have set your
mind on C++) and if it isn't just ignore this note.

As far as books are concerned, my experience appears to be like yours with
the net there is an awful lot of stuff out there that isn't very useful. But
the books I do have (which I bought in a book sale) are from Wrox and they
are OK but they also do what other writers do which is things like inserting
pages and pages of material which is near enough to a copy of stuff which is
available in the on-line help.

Anyway, good luck!

Plumer

Good luck