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I attempted to learn C years ago, but the tedious nature of pointers, memory management, and most importantly, the unawareness of the tools needed to competently develop in C (ie. Valgrind) kept me away from it for a long time. But in order to be a competent programmer, you really need to be able to understand C, even if you don't develop in it often. It is the language of all system calls and libraries on any Unix variant (Linux, BSD, Mac) that your "scripting" language links to. Even Windows has essential system calls (Win32 or Win 64) that export an interface to C. C is everywhere. You need to be able to at least read C code, and understand what is going at a basic level, and how higher level, garbage collected languages relate to C. For better or worse, C code will continue to be around a very long time.
Zed Shaw's course is like having a mentor guide you through not just the language, but the modern C development environment. Included are
tips on what tools to use, and traps for the naive.
This book, by no means, should be your only C book. This book is for you if you have modest programming experience in a high level, garbage collected language on a Unix-like system (ie. Python, Perl, Ruby, etc.), and need to learn how to speed up parts of the program by writing in C. Given the audience it is written for, certain things are oversimplified. But that does not mean the book is bad.
On the contrary, it is likely the best introductory book for new C programmers. If you are a kernel hacker who has dreams that correctly compile, you are likely to be disappointed.
Some caution about getting a used copy: make sure you get one that has the DVD, as it has info not contained in the text. They supplement each other, and the book isn't nearly as useful without it.
Other texts worth study (after this) include: 21st Century C: C Tips from the New School and Practical C Programming: Why Does 2+2 = 5986? (Nutshell Handbooks)
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From the Publisher
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| Price | $17.90 | $13.46 | $29.70 | $48.13 | $30.07 |
| Title | C Programming Absolute Beginner's Guide, 3/e | Learn C the Hard Way: Practical Exercises on the Computational Subjects You Keep Avoiding (Like C) | C Programming in One Hour a Day, Sams Teach Yourself, 7/e | C Primer Plus, 6/e | Programming in C, 4/e |
| Author(s) | Greg Perry, Dean Miller | Zed A. Shaw | Bradley L. Jones, Peter Aitken, Dean Miller | Stephen Prata | Stephen G. Kochan |
| Page Count | 352 | 384 | 720 | 1080 | 600 |
| List Price | $29.99 | $39.99 | $39.99 | $59.99 | $49.99 |
| Pub Date | 08/07/2013 | 09/04/2015 | 10/11/2013 | 11/26/2013 | 08/18/2014 |
| Binding | Paper | Paperback with DVD | Paper | Paper | Paper |
| Print ISBN | 0789751984 | 0321884922 | 0789751992 | 0321928423 | 0321776410 |
| Series | Absolute Beginner's Guide | Zed Shaw's Hard Way Series | Sams Teach Yourself | Developer's Library | Developer's Library |
| Brief Description | Write powerful C programs. ..without becoming a technical expert! This book is the fastest way to get comfortable with C, one incredibly clear and easy step at a time. You’ll learn all the basics: how to organize programs, store and display data, work with variables, operators, I/O, pointers, arrays, functions, and much more. C programming has never been this simple! | Perfect for beginning C programmers eager to advance their skills in any language. Follow it and you will learn the many skills early and junior programmers need to succeed by working through 52 brilliantly crafted exercises with accompanying videos and exercises from Zed Shaw. Fix your mistakes. Watch the programs run. As you do, you’ll learn what good, modern C programs look like; how to think more effectively about code; and how to find and fix mistakes far more efficiently. | Filled with carefully explained code, clear syntax examples, and well-crafted exercises, this is the broadest and deepest introductory C tutorial available. It delivers step-by-step, hands-on experience that starts with simple tasks and gradually builds to professional-quality techniques. Each lesson is designed to be completed in hour or less, introducing and clearly explaining essential concepts, providing practical examples, and encouraging you to build simple programs on your own. | This book teaches principles of programming, including structured code and top-down design. Many short, practical examples illustrate one or two concepts at a time, encouraging readers to master new topics by immediately putting them to use. Review questions and programming exercises at the end of each chapter bring out the most critical pieces of information and help readers understand and digest the most difficult concepts. A friendly and easy-to-use self-study guide, this book is appropriate for serious students of programming, as well as developers proficient in other languages. | Whether you’re a novice or experienced programmer, this book will provide you with a clear understanding of this language, which is the foundation for many object-oriented programming languages such as C++, Objective-C, C#, and Java. This book teaches C by example, with complete C programs used to illustrate each new concept along the way. Stephen Kochan provides step-by-step explanations for all C functions. You will learn both the language fundamentals and good programming practices. Exercises at the end of each chapter make the book ideally suited for classroom use or for self-instruction. |
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Customers say
Customers appreciate the book's approach, with one noting how it teaches hard concepts in simple steps and provides useful examples and insights. Moreover, the content receives positive feedback, with customers considering it a good beginner's guide. However, the video content and DVD availability receive mixed reviews, with several customers reporting that the video course is missing and the DVD is not included.
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21 customers mention approach, 17 positive, 4 negative
...programming book already after the first few exercises, I love the approach. It explains the things you really should know....Read more
Great book with lots of useful exercises.Read more
...I am a big fan of Zed Shaw's Learn Python the Hard Way. It's a great method that fits well with how I like to learn....Read more
...the 70's and 80's, but amount to software which is far more secure, practical, accurate, and reliable in the present age than what you can achieve...Read more
19 customers mention content, 18 positive, 1 negative
Great book. I learned C over 20 years ago and didn't touch it in 15 years....Read more
This is a great book for beginners or like myself, someone who needed to rekindle that love for C. Outstanding job Zed....Read more
Excellent book!Read more
...; what it is - a one-of-a-kind crash course into one of the most fascinating and storied programming languages in use....Read more
9 customers mention video content, 4 positive, 5 negative
...Right? The book has no links to the videos and there is no mention of a website where to watch them anywhere in the book....Read more
...He has a lot of pointers (heh) on writing code. + The videos are very good....Read more
I received my book but there is no DVd included! And there is no video course as well!!! Please help!Read more
...Then there are the videos. The book comes with a DVD and 56 videos that are easily the best part....Read more
6 customers mention no dvd included, 2 positive, 4 negative
I just got the book, but NO DVD!!! And no mention of how or where to get the contents of a DVD online!...Read more
...Then there are the videos. The book comes with a DVD and 56 videos that are easily the best part....Read more
I received my book but there is no DVd included! And there is no video course as well!!! Please help!Read more
Ordered this for my husband. It came with NO dvd, even tho it is listed multiple times in the description and is a critical part of this text....Read more
Kindle version incomplete
The information in the books is good; but I bought the kindle version and it's incomplete. It ends at Exercise 10.. I want my money back. see attached image. it is 100% at exercise 10. :(
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2018
Zed is like a mentor who shows you not only the language, but the tools for competent C development.
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Top reviews from other countries
- Alexander KornishevReviewed in Canada on October 28, 2016
It is excellent book! It will take you on really painful ...
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase -
VincentReviewed in France on August 25, 2018
Apprendre à la maison
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase -
ZweilindtReviewed in Germany on March 30, 2016
Eine Überraschung unter den C-Büchern
Format: KindleVerified Purchase -
Cliente AmazonReviewed in Brazil on March 4, 2019
Ótimo livro vale a pena!
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase - KBReviewed in the United Kingdom on February 9, 2016
The Not so Hard way to Learn C
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
