Coincidentally, it's also been about 15 years since I've done any C++ programming.
About a week or so ago I downloaded the free 90 trial of Visual Studio Professional 2008 from the Microsoft website.
I figured I could use it, together with my existing library, to brush up my C++ skills,
I soon realised I needed a little help in understanding how to use Visual Studio 2008 and the concepts involved (e.g. solutions and projects, etc).
After downloading Visual Studio 2008 SP1 and the MSDN library for Visual Studio 2008 SP1 it became obvious that I needed more than just a little help.
The MSDN library has a wealth of information about Visual Studio but trying to learn from it just didn't work (at least for me when starting from scratch).
When I saw Ivor Horton's book in my local bookstore I realised it was exactly what I needed.
In the couple of days since I've bought the book I've been working my way through every page while resisting the urge to skip pages (ignoring the thought 'yeah I know that!').
I've typed in each example so far, sometimes making deliberate mistakes (although with my typing who needs deliberate mistakes) or adding extra code just to refresh my usage/understanding of C++ and to see what the compiler did.
The style and content of the book seems designed perfectly for me.
With most computer books I usually find that important points are either inadequately explained or not explained at all.
Not so here, every time I've had pause to wonder about a point it's been covered in the next few sentences.
The only exception so far is at the bottom of page 85 where the binary representation of the variable 'number' is shown (both before and after a 2 bit right shift).
It took me a while to brush away the cobwebs from my mind (I must need more Omega3) and remember how 2's complement arithmetic is used for negative numbers.
I understand that the book Introduction says that the reader needs to know 'how data and instructions are stored' and that the book can't explain all the basic stuff.
I certainly wouldn't expect a full explanation of 2's complement arithmetic in this book.
However, just a one liner tip to note that binary representation of numbers use 2's complement arithmetic would have been useful (Ivor - a note for Errata or a second edition perhaps ?).
I know it's a minor almost trivial point but it's the only 'criticism', if that's the word to use, I can make so far about this really great book.
If you need a Visual C++ 2008 book get this one.
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