Good free C++ Compiler?

[Drizzt]

Az, use C++ without O²P, it's the best solution for you. Pascal and C++ are totally different, unless you where referring to Delphi.

[az]

Sorry, but what is O²P?

I just meant that I shadily remember that variable declaration, functions etc. were similar in Pascal.. but I know that there's lots of stuff that's totally different in C++

AZ

[Drizzt]

OOP (or O²P) is Object Oriented Programming.

[az]

But the book is about learning C++ as an OOP language, and as I understand it OOP can be very powerful.. why do you think I shouldn't use it? Too complicated?

AZ

[Drizzt]

OOP is really powerful when working in large teams, in large companies, when you have to:
- Share your code with everyone
- Grant the maximum portability
- Grant the maximum level of (manteinance + bility)
- Grant the maximum re-usability of you code.


OOP it's not simplier, gives slower exe and gives heavier exe.


(only reason for the need of OOP is that programmer are becoming dumber and dumber...)

[Zao]

I say go ahead and learn OOP, just because you've learnt it doesn't mean you'll have to use it.
Even if I think you should.

[az]

I think I'll try Borland's free C++ command Line compiler and TextPad first.

AZ

[thop]

Learn C first. Stay away from OOP for now.

Better yet start with a scripting language to become familiar with programming. Because in the end all languages are similar. Try Perl or Python.

[runderwo]

"You could use gcc, but you can't use cygwin. So your software would only be available on *nix OSes. Since using gcc without cygwin is impossible on windows."

Try MinGW.
Borland has a nice free C++ compiler available for Windows, albeit with no IDE. lcc-win32 has an IDE and is free but I don't think it does C++.

[runderwo]

I suggest Perl too, it's a great place to get started.

[Zao]

runderwo: Dev-C++ uses MinGW.

[KeiFront]

I'm with thop, I'd recommend C first before learning C++ (altough C++ is great for those wonderful little command-line tools ).

Though neither language is easy, C is less complicated, so you can have learned a complete language in less time, whereas learning C++ first will require much more time, although learning C afterwards will require mostly "unlearning" much of what you learned in C++ .

And afterwards you could learn some OOP programming (OO/C++). Definitely get yourself a good C/C++ book you will need it.

Why not take the java route it's easier to learn and there's a really good free IDE available www.eclipse.org.

[az]

I have bought myself a (good, I presume ) book about C++, that's why I started this thread

I don't think I want to learn any scripting language before now, I have had Pascal at school, so at least I know what a function is

The book I have starts very basic, but introduces OOP quite early, so I'll learn OOP while learning C++.

I just installed the free Borland C++ Builder 5.5 command line compiler, will use TextPad (at least it has syntax highlighting and can call the compiler) for editing.

I just compiled my first .exe

#include <iostream>

using namespace std;

int main()
{
	cout << "Hello MURC";
}

AZ

[Raptor^]

If you want to learn C++, don't learn C first.

The main reasons for this are

C++ has easier to use memory allocation and file I/O. If it turns out you need to use the C versions, its far easier to go back and learn them once you're familiar with the rest of the language.

There are things that are good practice in C, but bad habits in C++. It makes sense to learn the C++ way of doing things than learn the C way and then have to unlearn it again. #define springs to mind as the obvious example.

C++ doesn't mean you have to use OOP, you can just ignore that part and come back to it later

Using OOP isn't always slower at runtime anymore either, provided you use a decent modern compiler (ie not gcc, which is horrendous at OOP). In some cases its a little faster, in others a little slower.

If that first program comes from your book, I'd be slightly suspicious of it because of this line

using namespace std

Take a look here for books and also free compilers if you decide you don't like the Borland one.

[cjolley]

Here is a good read too, to get you started in the right direction.

http://www.mindprod.com/unmain.html

chuck
(Do as I say, Not as I do.)