Product Description
Presents a complete guide to ANSI standard C language programming. Written by the developers of C, this new version helps readers keep up with the finalized ANSI standard for C while showing how to take advantage of C's rich set of operators, economy of expression, improved control flow, and data structures. This 2nd edition has been completely rewritten with additional examples and problem sets to clarify the implementation of difficult language constructs. 7 x 9 1/4.Amazon.com Review
Just about every C programmer I respect learned C from thisbook. Unlike many of the 1,000 page doorstops stuffed with CD-ROMsthat have become popular, this volume is concise and powerful (ifsomewhat dangerous) -- like C itself. And it was written by Kernighanhimself. Need we say more? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (285)

the seminal book on c is .... small?
I don't know why I haven't read/seen this book before but I was surprised when I opened up the package and saw such a small book, don't get me wrong -- it covers a lot but I felt it could have been expanded on a bit

Great for Unix Hackers
The C Programming Language is a classic text within the realm of computer science and, if programming languages were religions, this would be C's holy book. Within the community of hardcore, bearded C hackers, the book is known simply as "K&R." In fact, if you follow the coding guidelines in the text, your C code is said to be "K&R style." The guidelines for the Linux kernel even go so far as to say "if it's good enough for K&R, it's good enough for us."

It's important to note that the original incarnation of this text is more than 30 years old, written before the era of personal computers, more than a decade prior to Microsoft Windows! With that in mind, this book is a must have for any individual serious about hacking on Unix-like systems. I use what I have learned from this text on a daily basis when developing on Linux, OSX, and FreeBSD.

However, individuals with a background only in Microsoft Windows will find this text significantly less useful than those on Unix-like systems. Most programs mentioned in the book are provided by default on Linux distributions, but simply cannot run on Microsoft Windows. If you only use Microsoft Windows, you would almost certainly be better served purchasing a book geared towards the Windows development platform.

Unfortunately, the high quality of the material in this book is not reflected in the text's typesetting. Things you take for granted in modern documentation, like examples with syntax highlighting, are not present in The C Programming Language. The text is also significantly less crisp than modern offerings and it can, at times, be difficult to distinguish between characters.

While this book is definitely worth it for anyone interested in Unix-like systems, it's definitely beginning to show it's age. The text is also not geared towards beginners, so amateur programmers may be happier with a more introductory text.

Best book in my collection
This is probably the best book I have ever bought.I had to pick it up for an advanced Unix and C class.I am an infant in the IT world, as I have only been taking computer classes for the last 4 years.I have had to learn several languages though, and I can say without a doubt that this was the most clear, most logical book which I have learned from.

As you may have read from other reviewers, this book may be daunting if you are unfamiliar with programming or programming in an object-oriented language.However, if you really want to master C, then this is the book to have.

Learning C
This is the perfect book for anyone wishing to learn C. Written by he creators of C, it covers all the features of the language systematically with many examples and programming exercises. This book is well organized and succinct enabling it to function as a good reference manual for the C programming language.

Great help from the people who wrote the language!
This is the book when it comes to knowing C. It's well written and an invaluable tool for anyone learning or using C. ... Read more

Product Description

THE #1 BESTSELLING BOOK ON OBJECTIVE-C 2.0

Programming in Objective-C 2.0 provides the new programmer a complete, step-by-step introduction to Objective-C, the primary language used to develop applications for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac OS X platforms.

The book does not assume previous experience with either C or object-oriented programming languages, and it includes many detailed, practical examples of how to put Objective-C to use in your everyday iPhone/iPad or Mac OS X programming tasks.

A powerful yet simple object-oriented programming language that’s based on the C programming language, Objective-C is widely available not only on OS X and the iPhone/iPad platform but across many operating systems that support the gcc compiler, including Linux, Unix, and Windows systems.

The second edition of this book thoroughly covers the latest version of the language, Objective-C 2.0. And it shows not only how to take advantage of the Foundation framework’s rich built-in library of classes but also how to use the iPhone SDK to develop programs designed for the iPhone/iPad platform.

Table of Contents

   1    Introduction

Part I: The Objective-C 2.0 Language

    2    Programming in Objective-C 

    3    Classes, Objects, and Methods

    4    Data Types and Expressions

    5    Program Looping

    6    Making Decisions

    7    More on Classes

    8    Inheritance

    9    Polymorphism, Dynamic Typing, and Dynamic Binding

  10    More on Variables and Data Types

  11    Categories and Protocols

  12    The Preprocessor

  13    Underlying C Language Features

Part II: The Foundation Framework

  14    Introduction to the Foundation Framework

  15    Numbers, Strings, and Collections

  16    Working with Files

  17    Memory Management

  18    Copying Objects

  19    Archiving

Part III: Cocoa and the iPhone SDK

  20    Introduction to Cocoa 

  21    Writing iPhone Applications

Part IV: Appendixes

  A    Glossary

  B    Objective-C 2.0 Language Summary

  C    Address Book Source Code

Customer Reviews (114)

Repetition is key
Not since the Learning Visual Basic 6 Step by Step book I read nearly a decade ago has a programming guide been so well thought out and written.

Mr. Kochan starts out by explaining that he set out to write a book to teach the Objective-C language in a way that would be comprehendable to those that have no prior language with any programming language.Again, having had some experience with Visual Basic may have helped so that I could skip certain areas of the book (i.e., the Decision-Making chapters with if...then, for...next, and do...while loops), but I have to say: Mr. Kochan hit the target on the mark.Not once did I ever feel like anything was being left out, and the only time that I felt particularly thick was during the chapter on various math-related concepts (I'm no math major, and I never will be).

The chapters are laid out in perfect order, each building upon lessons taught by the previous.And at the end of each chapter, you're given various exercises to solidify your grasp on the content you just learned.Adding further insult to injury over my severe lack of math prowess, the ongoing project that you're adding to through each chapter is a calculator that becomes increasingly complex, though not without more than sufficient explanations en route to the final product (which looks to receive a GUI makeover in the final chapters).

I have yet to finish the book, but from what I've seen through actual reading as well as skimming through various points of interest, I think that this was money well spent.

HIGHLY recommended.

This is my first try at programming in any language.This book is AWESOME!
I tried reading a few other books that teach objective-c via iphone development before picking this book up.I think this book is a better way to go for Newbies and Beginners.I had no previous background in programming and I was able to follow along with each example with relative ease.If you are just starting out with objective-c or OOP in general you can't go wrong with this book.

The only thing that prevented me from giving this a 5 star rating is because of the many typo's and error's in coding.When you are like me and completely trust the printed code you will be VERY frustrated when you click "Build and Run" and your code contains multiple errors.Yes, I know there is a website with corrections and the errata, but it's a maze like forum environment and very difficult to find out if the code you typed actually has an error or if you are just doing something wrong.

Don't let this prevent you from getting this book.I knew absolutely nothing about OOP and Objective-c and I'm well on my way to writing my first app for my iphone/ipod touch..

One other thing.I skipped some of Chapter 4.After reading only a few pages I had the biggest headache..Read Chapter 4 at your own risk.(grin)

A good book for the beginner and as a resource
I am new to objective C, and I found this book to be quite informative. It starts from the beginning, assuming no knowledge of objective C and very little knowledge of C and C++. It is a very comprehensive book, and therefore I can see it as being a good reference. The examples are nice and short, but cumulative and well explained. At the end of the book you get to build an iphone fraction calculator that you developed throughout the book. At the end of each chapter are questions to test your knowledge, and

The book does not touch on Xcode. It only shows you enough information to get the code to running. Like the cover says, it is only about the language. The book got four stars out of five because I am not in love with it; however, I would recommend it.

The best you can get !!!
Well my review is not English native and even when my English is not native I can rate this book as 5 stars which means that EVERY one can read learn and implement code in Objective c when reading this book. If "classes", "object oriented programming" and such terms make you dizzy and sick, this book is certainty for you. This book is well written, flows and everything is understandable, amazing job. On chapter 3 you will start your object oriented programming (classes) and after completing this chapter you will actually code in object oriented, again amazing. Thank you Mr. KOCHAN.

Very good book for beginner
I was a developer knowing C and C++. I have never known how to program in Objective C. I am interested to learn developing iPhone applications. Reading from blogs and reviews, I learned that the first step is to build a solid foundation on Objective C, and this is how I came to purchase this book. I must say this book has enabled me to achieve my goal. It starts with programming basics, leading to concept of OOP, and eventually dive deep into the foundation framework. I want to give this book a 5 stars. If you are in same situation as me, I strongly recommend this book ... Read more

Product Description
Learn C programming from one of the best. Stephen Kochan’s Programming in C is thorough with easy-to-follow instructions that are sure to benefit beginning programmers. In its third edition, the style in this book remains true to the simple, instructional style of previous editions. It provides you with updated and relevant examples of how C programming can be used with small, fast programs, similar to the programming used by large game developers such as Nintendo. If you want a one-stop-source for C programming, this book is it!

Programming in C, Third Edition is a revised edition of a classic programming title. Author Stephen Kochan's style and thorough explanations have earned him a place among the most respected of computer book authors. Although the C programming language hasn't undergone any major changes, it's enjoying new life among game programmers and small device programmers, where its simple elegance makes it the ideal choice for small fast programs. Large game developers, such as Nintendo, use C almost exclusively. This edition combines the time-tested instructional style of Stephen Kochan with updated and relevant examples. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (31)

Hallelujah!
I wanted to learn C so that I could program microcontrollers.This is the book I chose after scouring almost every modern C book on the market.I looked at several books for about two months and was really discouraged from programming, because i had no faith in my text choices. They were either disorganized/scattered, too terse, or lacked a thorough linear approach that was presented with confidence.

This book was truly a godsend for me.I went through the first two chapters and I was hooked immediately to the writing style, flow, coverage/explanations, examples, etc.It took me about two months to finish the entire book and all of the problems at the end of each chapter.

All i had to do was read this book and do the problems.That simple.

Why can't all books be like this!?
----

Even a dum dum like me can learn C, so can you!

A very easy understand Programming book, I would give another star if I could.
-Like I stated above.-
-This book does an excellent job of building you to more and more advanced concepts.The book is well written for first time programmers, with little to no experience.The author really can't make it any easier than he did in this book.Many of the first few chapters can be skipped if you are only using this book to quickly learn C, and have some basic knowledge already.
-All the positive reviews are on point.
-This book is an excellent book for really learning C.

Great reference covering aspects K&R do not well enough
Face it, too many books, electronic and in print, that cover this language.What I enjoy most about Kochan's book is the presentation of material from a digestible introduction onto more complex topics but with the presentation of the core code first.

What I would expect that K&R do not always bring.I own both texts in print if it is not obvious by now and recommend both for understanding basic and essential concepts, especially about pointers and structs.For the price and heft, Kochan's book can not be beaten and his coverage of OOP especially in this time is appreciated.

No, C is not Object Oriented but I am looking at diving into Objective C (Kochan published a book) when I have learned more data structures.I am using this book for a class now that is Systems Programming and heavy with UNIX and, of course, C.If you buy it, I am certain it will retain value as a reference beyond completion of study.

More theoretical/academic than practical
Having not seen too many textbooks on this topic I'm not sure if it's considered very well-written. The explanations are mostly easy to follow but examples seem more theoretical/ academic than real world/practical. For someone out of college and working in the real world, it's not as practical and easily accessible as other popular titles on the shelves thesedays.

Review of Programming in C
This text book starts with the very basics of computer programming and is a good learning tool for people with a wide range of programming experience, from the no nothing to those who might already know a few languages. ... Read more

Product Description
The first edition of C Programming: A Modern Approach was popularwith students and facultyalike because of its clarity and comprehensiveness as well as itstrademark Q&Asections.Professor King's spiralapproach made it accessible to a broadrange ofreaders, frombeginners to more advanced students. With adoptions at over 225 colleges,the first edition was one of the leading C textbooks of thelast ten years.The secondedition maintains all the book's popularfeatures and brings it up todate with coverageof the C99standard. The new edition also adds a significant number of exercises and longer programming projects, andincludes extensive revisions and updates. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (55)

C Progamming - Great Book!
With about 800 pages of material this book covers both the C89 standard and the C99 standard. It also has about 500 exercises. In terms of how this book is structured it seems to be tailored for College students, as it has questions at the end of each chapter. Some of the questions are multiple choice, while some are structured questions. At the end of the book King discusses the differences between C89 and C99. He also provides C standard library functions supported in both C89 an C99.

Overall I would say this is a great book, just so you know the past edition of this book was used by over 225 Colleges, a clear sign that Professors from different Universities like King and his style of writing. If you are serious about learning C programming, this is the bookfor you!

C Programming: A Modern Approach, 2nd Edition

one of the excellent programming book
This book is one of the excellent programming book I've seen.
The explanation is very clear, and the examples are concise.
Also, most chapters refer to previous chapters minimally, so a reader can understand later chapters even if he skip some of the previous chapters.

This book works excellent for both a school textbook and a reference.

Great C Book
There are two C books you absolutely need to read. This one, and "Programming in C" by Stephen G Kochan. don't bother with the K&R C book - It's so outdated. I frequently hear people say that the only C book u need is the K&R book, but they're so wrong!

Learned more from this book than others I bought on the subject
This is a great book if you are learning C.It explains the "whys" better than any of the previous books I bought on the subject (3) and has Q&A as well as exercises to try out what you have learned from each chapter.Even though I read all the other reviews, I was still skeptical about the learning curve but this book really breaks it down well.The only downside is the exercises don't have answers to them and to get them you have to be a faculty member of a teaching institution.

C Programming: A Modern Approach
An excellent book for someone starting with C.
It covers everything and includes a library reference and some brilliant tips.
Quite an old publication but still totally relevant.
Recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
There are lots of introductory C books, but this edition of Practical CProgramming is the one that has the no-nonsense, practical approach that has made Nutshell Handbooks(R) so popular.C programming is morethan just getting the syntax right.Style and debugging also play atremendous part in creating programs that run well and are easy to maintain.Practical C Programming teaches you not only the mechanics of programming,but also how to create programs that are easy to read, debug, and maintain. This third edition introduces popular Integrated Development Environments onWindows systems, as well as UNIX programming utilities, and features a largestatistics-generating program to pull together the concepts and features inthe language. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (50)

Not good enough to be stand alone book but 2 stars for effort
I could find better stuff just looking around the internet.I could see the author put alot of work into it but is not a good instructor.I'm sure he understands C but as for teaching it that is another story.I was hoping it would be good beginner book but in my opinion it is not. It starts off with the basic stuff all right but the author expects you to jump from point a to point g without explaining b,c,d,e, and f.I mean ok sure the first few chapters get you interested and your thinking it's going to teach you the ground work on programming but it falls really short.Then it just jumps into more complicated stuff and the complicated stuff just isn't very good.There are not many examples and I think that is the heart of programming.If your going to learn you have to build up with easy programs and then get into the difficult stuff.Well I'm off on my search for better books.Any suggestions would be welcomed.

Actually 3 1/2 Stars
Well, first off I'd like to mention I am not a programmer, and actually come from more of an engineering discipline.I'm not totally new to programming concepts having done work with assembly language along with some basic unix shell scripting tasks in the past.

I picked up this book primarily because I was looking to learn more about the internals of unix systems but needed a primer on the C language first.

For me, the book wasn't very engaging.It is technically correct, but throughout the text I felt there was simply something missing that failed to keep me wanting to read it.Apologies in advance if other readers feel I am being vague or too subjective, but in reality it may have a lot more to do with the way I tend to personally learn, and the particular writing style this author has.Again, I remind those reading this review of my stated purpose for picking this book up in the first place: that is, priming myself on the fundamentals of the C language.

The book itself has a neo-textbook feel in that it provides programming exercises throughout the book to practice on the concepts touched upon.There are also helpful diagrams and figures that help explain subjects such as arrays and stacks.
Overall a decent piece of work.

Personally, I feel for the way I tend to learn new information, the book C Programming Language (2nd Edition) by Brian W. Kernighan and Dennis M. Ritchie is going to be my goto book for continuing to learn this amazing programming language.
For me, this book has a cleaner flow to it but readers totally new to programming in general might want to have a look at Practical C as it may better suit them.

great for self-learners
For anyone who has suffered through trying to read a beginners book on C only to end up getting lost half way through, you will find this book a huge relief. This book stresses things like how code so from a perspective of communicating logically. And how to comment thoroughly so their is no doubt what the code does. This is not the end all book on C, so you will want to move on to more advanced books on C after this one.

File Creation!
This book starts off very strong and the author is very clear and concise. I learned alot... but then something happens... the author decides to wait for covering floats until after he covers File I/O and he rushes through that. I was completely left hanging with not one example of writing data to a file and the author expected me to be able to complete an exercise in which I need to write data to a file. After this...the next chapter back tracks to covering Floats... which should have been covered previously with the other data types.

Perfect for beginners, but recommend a second book!
First of all, this book was absolutely wonderful.It did a very good job teaching me how to write C with very little knowledge of the language.However, there were some things that the author did (and skipped over) that are cleared up in "The C Programming Language", by Dennis Ritchie.I would definitely recommend this book to someone who doesn't have very much knowledge of C, because the writing style is clear and easy to follow.The author, for the most part, does a great job of explaining difficult concepts in an easy to understand manner; such as linked lists and trees.Once again, I would recommend another book as a follow up, such as "Expert C Programming". ... Read more

Product Description

Written for experienced C programmers who wantto quickly pick up some of the insights and techniques of expertsand master the fine arts of ANSI C, this volume passes on the wisdomof a highly experienced C compiler writer and his colleagues to helpprogrammers reach new heights, and avoid common software pitfallsalong the way. Using an original approach and a humorous style thatmakes deep knowledge both easy and accessible, it gathers into oneplace, tips, hints, shortcuts, guidelines, ideas, idioms, heuristics,tools, anecdotes, C folklore, and techniques that are often penciledin margins and on backs of papers by those working in the programmingtrenches—working on many different kinds of projects, over many,many years. Each chapter is divided into self-containedsections. Includes extended discussions of major topics such as declarationsand arrays/pointers; offers a great many hints and mnemonics; coverstopics that many C programmers find confusing; and features one ofthe best introductions to C++, and the rationale behind it. Throughout,technical details are interspersed with many true stories of how Cprogramming works in practice, and each chapter ends with an amusingC story or piece of software folklore. For softwareengineers and computer programmers who are writing, developing, testing,debugging software on either IBM PCs or Unix systems.

Customer Reviews (88)

C != C++
I just read the table of contents and can give you a review....
I have almost 30 years experience at programming embedded systems and have been programming C/C++ since their inception. This book has headings that are all cryptic like it's a patronizing little game to program in C. Personally, I'd find this very annoying if I were to use this book as a reference, and most developers will want to use an expensive book as a reference.
That being said, my main issue with this book was when I saw the chapter "You know C, so C++ is easy". This has been the failing of most C++ efforts I've seen that have failed. C++ is NOT an extension of C. The best way to learn how to program C++ cleanly and efficiently is to remember the maxim...."THIS IS NOT C", and to unlearn C, before starting to learn C++ and to treat C++ as a brand new language....because it is.

This might be an OK read for a newcomer to the language if they can ignore that C++ chapter, and if they get it for under $5 in a used bookstore. I'm sure there are better books out there to learn the language from...

Pretty good
This was definitely a good book full of great pointers. however, i'd say skim through the book quickly, and slow down in areas that sound useful. It's really hard to describe how the book is written - it feels like it was a lot of recollections that the author remembered, wrote down, and somewhat organized into a book. I'm not slamming the author, but the this book will definitely not make you an expert c programmer. If anything, you'll definitely have had some great pointers, and common pitfalls pointed out.

I'd say at least you'll probably have learned a few things you may not have known.

Excellent!
This is probably one of the only books on C that I have truly read word for word, cover to cover. Peter van der Linden does an excellent job keeping the material from becoming too boring, while providing clear explanations and insignt into the "dark corners" of the C programming language. Information presented within is concise and accurate. Well worth the $$!

damn good read
even if you no longer program in C, this is still a good read just for the history, stories, and technical content. and if you are a C programmer, this book will definitely make you a more knowing C programmer.

Expert C Language
A better title for this book is "Expert C Language". It is more like a English grammar book that give you fundamental yet in-depth knowledge about C programming language itself, rather than something like writing database in C.

Any programmer can write a Hello World program in C, but not everyone understand "char * const * (*next)()". If you wonder what it is, then dive into the chapter "Unscrambling declaration in C" which benefit me the most. The most confusing thing to begininer about C is probably the pointers, you get *ptr, **ptr, (int *)ptr, void (*ptr)(), int (*ptr)[]. If you have got no clue about these and you want to be an expert, then this is the book for you.

The down side about this book is, it is a bit dated, therefore it didn't include C99 standard that were published after this book. You would see some K&R style programming that seems like violation or bug to younger folks.

I would definitely recommend this book to every C programmer working at low-level software such as embedded software and device driver.
... Read more

Product Description
For beginning programmers, this updated edition answers all C programming questions. This bestseller talks to readers at their level, explaining every aspect of how to get started and learn the C language quickly. Readers also find out where to learn more about C.This book includes tear-out reference card of C functions and statements, a hierarchy chart, and other valuable information. It uses special icons, notes, clues, warnings, and rewards to make understanding easier. And the clear and friendly style presumes no programming knowledge. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (116)

Best programming book I've seen
First, I'm not a programmer, but a mere hobbyist who has desired to learn a real programming language (i.e. other than BASIC or HTML) for a long time.I've attempted several books in the past with no success, because they lost my attention one may or another--they were boring, too advanced, or otherwise poorly written.

Greg's book is none of those.It's fairly short (less than 400 pp), with small chapters each covering a new topic in C.The book somehow manages to keep your attention and is fairly entertaining.I'd recommend it to anyone who is looking to really understand programming.No, C is not frequently used by most programmers these days, but most popular languages are based on C, so this is a good primer.

Just bought my 2nd copy
This is a great programming book. A friend of mine also told me that her professor recommended Greg Perry's programming books in college. Personally, I had the print version for a while, but having an ebook reader device, I just thought it worth it to buy the digital version as well, just because I have been so happy with this book. I don't really know how many other beginner's programming books are out there, but this book still remains a top choice. I have worked and taught many engineers about computers and programming over the years, but I still see a great many engineers having a less than rudimentary understanding of how programming/development works. Reading, practicing, and digesting this book would give any student/learner, a good foundation to approach more advanced programming books or reference material. If you are just starting out and have been frustrated with other books, I strongly doubt you will regret getting this one.

pretty weak... if you know any c at all don't buy this -- absolute beginner indeed
this book is designed for the absolute beginner to learn some c, it covers basic programming concepts as well...

if you know any c you don't need this at all

Great intro into C programming
I'm only about half way through this book so far it's been a great book to learn the basics of C programming.The author does a great job of breaking down the information into manageable chucks.I always seemed to get bogged down by other C books because of the great level of detail but this book gives the basic information required to get a 'handle' on C programming and from there, the reader can take it further if he/she chooses.

Probably the best introduction to C (or any programming language) you could ever find
I'm not really an "absolute beginner", as I had a few semesters of Java programming in college (and Java took a lot of inspiration from C and C++) and a little exposure to C itself, but I definitely wasn't comfortable with writing C code.

This book was an excellent introduction, and I really believe that anyone who hasn't touched a line of code in their life would have no problem learning it via this book (I'm now testing this theory out on a friend who asked to loan it, who has never programmed a day in his life).Every concept is laid out, well-explained, and naturally segues into the next.

I'll have to track down some more of this author's programming books! ... Read more

Product Description
If you are new to programming with C and are looking for a solid introduction, this is the book for you. Developed by computer science instructors, books in the for the absolute beginner? series teach the principles of programming through simple game creation. C is not an easy language to learn, but fortunately the clear explanations, examples, and pictures in this book make learning C easy and fun. Each chapter contains programming challenges, a chapter review, and a complete program that uses chapter-based concepts to construct an easily built application. You will acquire the skills that you need for more practical C programming applications and will learn how these skills can be put to use in real-world scenarios. Additionally, by the time you finish this book, you will be able to apply the programming principles you?ve learned to the next programming language you tackle. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Descent book on C.
A good book for beginners/students. It's easy to read and well structured. With each chapter you build on the knowledge gain in the previous chapter. For me chapter 10 on memory functions could have been left out, since I think programmers won't care so much for these functions given the amount of memory and the much better memory handling of modern computers. Overall it's a good book, whit lots of examples, which convey the concepts to the reader. Each chapter is closed with a complete program showing the structures tought in the chapter. There are also a few exercizes at the end of each chapter. C is also a great langauge to start with. Once you learn C, you have the ground for basically anyother programming language. After studying this book, you will be able to write some good C programs. It's a good book.

If you are ready for a somewhat more in depth coverage, try A First Book of ANSI C, Fourth Edition. And if you want to give Java a try, checkout Java Programming for the Absolute Beginner (For the Absolute Beginner (Series).).

Try also google: C tutorial, or C programming, or anything like that. There are lot of great sites outthere with eitehr tutorials, or text, or sample code, or tests. Try it. You'll learn a lot.

disappointed
I was disappointed that I was not able to see this on my PC. I got a "This title not available on Windows PC" message. ... Read more

Product Description
* Covers everything users need to get up to speed on C programming, including advanced topics to take their programming skill to the next level
* Walks C programmers through the entire development cycle of a C program-designing and developing the program, writing source code, compiling the code, linking the code to create the executable programs, debugging, and deployment
* Provides thorough coverage of keywords, program flow, conditional statements, constants and variables, numeric values, arrays, strings, functions, pointers, debugging, prototyping, and much more
* Addresses some advanced programming topics such as graphics and game programming as well as Windows and Linux programming
* Includes dozens of sample programs that readers can adapt and modify for their own uses
* Written by the author of the first-ever For Dummies book-a man known for his ability to take complex material and present it in a way that makes it simple and fun ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Very Good
I learned to program in Java. C always seemed so complicated. In one weekend, I went from being confused to knowing how to code in C. I still prefer Java, but it's nice to take the mystery out of the "mother language".

Fantastic!
I had learned to program on an "as needed basis". A "cook book" programmer cutting and pasting my way through various projects and problems. Without an understanding of the foundations of C and it's syntax I struggled with the most basic coding problems.

I purchased a few suggested text books and found them useful. However, not one started at the very beginning. C for Dummies (All in one desk reference) is just that book. I can not tell you how much fun it's been reading this book. The light bulb above my head lit up and has remained lit for an astonishing length of time. Programming is fun again, an adventure.

The author makes this subject fun and you'll find this text to be refreshing and easy digest. Enough humor to lighten up an otherwise heady subject, but not so much that you lose the point.

If like me you learned programming from the middle out, you must invest in this book. I expect to have this volume near by for some time to come.

Excellent for beginners, excellent review for experienced C folk
I've been programming in C, on and off, since the mid-80s, and burned a lot of midnite oil reviewing and updating my C skills.This I believe is the best general introduction and refresher on that sometimes quirky language.I especially liked his leisurely and thorough tour through pointers, strings, and structures.His sense of humor is fun but very much aimed at reinforcing the points (ha ha, a pun) he is making.Highly recommended.

GOOD WORK
The book arrive on time no hassle.No problem with shipping or any thing at all

Great Introduction to C
I used this book to learn C having come from a Java and scripting background. I simply couldn't penetrate some of the other books and this definitely got me up and running. I'd say it's more of an intro book, though it's sheer size allows him to cover quite a bit. I would definitely NOT get this book if you're already a C-stud! You'd probably enjoy a more advanced book.

As a software engineer, I usually expect to get a book like this along with a real reference book (I also got C in a Nutshell which although it's very detailed and quite good, can tend to assume some the reader knows a lot already). So I don't have the typical developer's complaint that it's too basic because I believe it does it's job well.

I went through the book manually typing in the examples in about a month of pretty consistent self study. It was pretty much pain free and I don't recall more than one or two code errors. That's pretty darn good in a nearly thousand page book! I've emailed the author and he's actually responded and answered my questions. Five stars from me...keep it up Dan! ... Read more

Product Description
Programming in Objective-C, Third Edition is a concise, carefully written tutorial on the basics of Objective-C and object-oriented programming for Apple's iOS and Mac platforms.

The book makes no assumptions about prior experience with object-oriented programming languages or with the C language (which Objective-C is based upon). Because of this, both beginners and experienced programmers alike can use this book to quickly and effectively learn the fundamentals of Objective-C. Readers can also learn the concepts of object-oriented programming without having to first learn all of the intricacies of the underlying C programming language.

This unique approach to learning, combined with many small program examples and exercises at the end of each chapter, makes Programming in Objective-C ideally suited for either classroom use or self-study. While the Objective-C language itself has not gone through many changes since the introduction of Objective-C 2.0, the Apple development tools that programmers use for Objective-C development on the Mac and on iOS continue to change significantly from year to year.

This new edition of Programming in Objective-C adds information about programming for the iPad and iOS4 generally, and updates all information for the latest revisions to the iPhone SDK and Xcode. ... Read more

Product Description
Provides solutions to all exercises in Kernighan & Ritchie's new ANSI C book. Ideal for use with K&R in any course on C. Careful study of this answer book will help understand ANSI C and enhance programming skills. Tondo & Gimpel describe each solution and completely format programs to show the logical flow. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Pointers aha
The value in this book is not the answers themselves, but the explanations of why these are the answers. If you are having trouble grasping the finer points of pointers, this is the place to clear that up.Short, succinct, and focused.

bad fonts for listings
C Answer Book, The (2nd Edition) (Prentice Hall Software Series)

I'm disappointed on this product.
Since it is an answer book on a computer language book,
most of its content are listings. The problem with these
listings is that they are set with a font of a dot matrix printer.
The is no longer of our times, and a discrase for Prentice Hall.
Due to the bad font the listings read badly. Use a modern courier
font instead and things will be a lot more clear.

Nice Book
This is a nice companion to the K&R book. Note that you can find online web sites that give solutions too, but sometimes they use libraries or concepts not yet covered by the K&R, whereas the answer book, for the most part stays at about the same gradient as the corresponding K&R page number. It also uses a fairly similar approach as the examples in K&R. Explanations are fairly short, but helpful. One thing it doesn't have (though the questions it answers don't really ask for it), is a working main function to test drive the solutions. In a way, this is a nice study to learn more about the topics but can be frustrating in the pointers section (see 'An aside' below).

I purchased this book used for around $7. I don't think I would purchase a new copy for a solutions book -- the condition was quite acceptable when it arrived even thought the seller described it as being in dismal condition. Got lucky I guess. That being said, if you're really serious about learning C, I would think this would be a worthwhile additional purchase to K&R. FWIW, C Programming All-in-one and C in a nutshell books have also been helpful to me.

An aside: As a newbie, I started using char *someParam = "a literal" and then I'd get an error when passing this as an arg to a (char *s) parameter if/when the function needed to 'manipulate' the string. I'm still not sure if I understand this correctly, but it seems that mutable strings need to be declared char [SOME_SIZE]someString = "a literal". Since arrays are pointers, this works as an arg to the (char *s) and the function will be able to manipulate the string. I mention this because the solutions would crash unless I did this!

Great Solution Guide
I took the C programming class from Dr. Tondo and I appreciate the clarity of his explanations which are included in this book.5 stars sure!This book is a little gem...

Answers, not questions
This book contains solutions to all the questions and exercises in the K&R C second edition. If you can figure everything out easily, then you don't need this book. If you want to cheat or need some help, get this book. I have it as a reference and to show my students. ... Read more

Product Description
Hard core C programming textbook based on almost fifty years of software development experience. Includes over fifty sample programs.Linux is discussed in some detail since UNIX and C were co-developed.However, the examples are configured to run on Apple OS/X and Windows as well.

1/09 Added a C++ chapter.
If you already purchased, you can download an updated copy for nothing. ... Read more

Product Description
Introduce yourself to C# programming with Charles Petzold, one of the industry’s premier authors. This uniquely enjoyable tutorial requires no programming experience but will expertly help you build the fundamental skills for writing code with C#. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Petzold as always
Whenever you hear the name Petzold, the only thing to examine is if the subject is for you. This is for beginner programmers who want to start in C# and not ONLY for beginners in C# but otherwise experienced in other environments. All negative reviwers here state that simple fact!

So if you are a beginner in programming who wants to start in C# this is the absolutely FIRST book you must own. PERIOD.

Also, dont think that the material is outdated, since it covers the basics.

Perfect for beginners!
A lot of people are interested in C# now thanks to XNA Games Studio Express and a lot of us have never programmed before.I sat at the book store and read the first few chapters of every C# book I could find and this one is by far the best for beginners like me.I'm through chapter 4 now and realize that if you're looking for a starting point with C#, this is it!It's clear, simple and seemingly written for idiots like me.:)

Great programming book but ...
The book is very easy to follow. The first chapters are really
for beginners. But I regret that the classes methods are explained with
trigonomety examples not that easy to follow even if the explanations
are there. Also it will have been a better idea to explain objects , classes first then later try to explain a class method class. The book is nice but most of the examples use by the author are maths examples and trigonometry, the last think i was expecting is a trigonometry example to explain to me how a method works. Easier method can b e found in : C# 2005 for dummies. Actually the purchase of both books good be a wise idea.

Learning the basics...
Programming in the key of C# aims to introduce the programming language, C#, at a basic level. It covers fundamentals of modern objective programming features such as namespaces, classes and instances. It also reassures readers of what basic data types are supported in C# which follows the footsteps of .NET Framework.

The book is more of a primer than specific (i.e., a book could be based on data structures or producing games). If you are looking to buy a book, and you are an elementary programmer you will find this book very very helpful in terms of learning C#. If you are a regular java, c and c++ developer you will also find this book somewhat helpful in terms of understanding some of the core technologies behind .NET Framework and C#'s language features. Otherwise, if you are looking for something that cover much more integral aspects of C# this book perhaps, isn't for you.

In prelude, it states that the author tried his/her best to avoid making assumptions about any prior programming experience - thus the coverage of some elementary level basics of modern objective programming features.

Perfect starting place for VB'ers
Charles Petzold, a veteran of technical book writing, proves himself in this book (again) to be a brilliant teacher. At around 420 pages it's slim in comparison to other Microsoft text books. Part of the reason is that, concentrating solely on the C# language, no screen shots take up space that is more effectively used to explain key concepts of this language & how it fits into OOP. If you're a VB programmer, (as I was) looking to get into C#, this is a great starting point. It does begin at the beginning, (Variable types etc) but don't let this discourage you as there are some subtle differences that you need to learn about which could save confusion in the future, for example, that there is much less in the way of implicit conversion of certain types & this must be taken care of in code. However, this section is a brisk read, & Petzold's clear explanations are enlightening. He really makes it easy to understand how to use this language with some good examples throughout the book. There is nothing about the IDE or controls & just enough on the Framework, but what he does introduce, he explains in depth. This approach keeps his focus on the language which is what this book, after all, is all about.

You will need more once you've read this, but it's an excellent starting point, won't take you months to work through & most importantly, you will `understand' it at the end unlike other books which confuse the explanations with assumptions that you already know some C++.

If I have any problems with this book, it is only that he didn't cover Indexers & Delegate creation as these are not particularly difficult concepts & are important & I'm sure his explanations would have been excellent, but you'll will have to read further to learn about those. Developers coming from a C++ background may want to read something else which encompasses the framework, but for a VB'er, it's a perfect starting point & an excellent reference.
... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (7)

A good teorical review of the Linux System calls and the GLIB functions.
You need some background to get a real approach from this book...
Good to get some tips on how the system works an why, really good explanations for all the points exposed, isn't a "Linux Specific" book, mostly based on POSIX and when not is well distinguished, also include some peculiar calls from other OS.

The book truly is for all developers
I have been programming C/C++ professionally since 1986 and was surprised at how much I've learned in the first few chapters.

One of the programs that I've been working on is an I/O intensive conversion from a legacy platform to Linux.The original code took about 8 minutes per gigabyte of data to process.I had worked and squeezed every trick I could think of and got the application down to 10 seconds per gigabyte.From what I learned in just the first few chapters, I was able to knock an additional 3% off the application performance.(It has been mentioned that I should state that I had been unaware of fread_unlocked and fwrite_unlocked before the book ... see comments for more detailed discussion).

When I finish the book, I fully intend on passing it over to one of our junior members so that they can benefit from it.

Not worth money
If you expect the quality of the author's other books from this book, you'll be disappointed. It just lists system calls and their descriptions that you can find from man pages without any serious examples. It doesn't provide any insight or thorough coverage you can find from other books such as Steven's book (Advance Programmng in Unix environment).

From the book title, I expected the author's insight over interface between user space program and kernel but it just looks like that it copied man pages in some order. If you want to learn sysetm programming in Linux environment,look for other books, seriously.

Easy to read-Your first step into system programming
Up-side
Its a very easily readable book.
Unlike other heavy weight books on system programming in this book code is very simple. All the codes are on one place no extra header files.
So if you are new to system-kernel programming, like my self, this is the book for you.
I did have problem reading kernel development books("Linux device driver" Linux kernel Programming). But after reading this book so many things are in perspective now. I cold do advance study in kernel development.

Down Side.
Some light/sweet projects could have made this book the best.
Some socket programming examples would be nice.

a disappointment
nothing really useful in this book, too shallow to do anything with it, i like his other books though, but this one certainly is not good, if at all. ... Read more

Product Description
Objective-C has become the standard programming language for application development under Mac OS X. It is a powerful yet simple object-oriented programming language that is based on the C programming language. Objective -C is widely available across many operating systems that support the gcc compiler, including Linux, Unix, and Windows systems.

Programming in Objective-C provides the beginner programmer with a complete introduction to the Objective-C language. Unlike other books on Objective-C, it does not assume previous experience with either C or object-oriented programming languages. By using many complete examples and taking a step-by-step approach, the book teaches the reader how to write Objective-C programs on any system that supports the Objective-C language, as well as how to use the Foundation framework to develop portable programs that will run on any system supporting Objective-C. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (52)

Beautifully written. Great for starting iPhone Development too!!!
This book is excellent. If you are new to Apple's development tools, and interested in learning iPhone programming, even if you don't have any previous programming experience. This is a great book to start with. I had my 12 year old read the first 100 pages of this book for a basic programming primer in Objective C and then switch over to reading Dave Mark's equally excellent Beginning iPhone Development - Exploring the iPhone SDK, and by the end of the weekend he had written his first basic iPhone app.

Good introduction to Objective C
Overall this is a good introduction to Objective-C. Programmers proficient in C will find some sections rather basic but the authors do say in the preface that no programming experience is assumed. The text is also a good book to read before reading Apple's text.

Wait for the obj-c 2.0 version of this book
This book just seems to be a bit out of date which is why I didn't give it the full 4 stars.Wait for the next version.

Excellent for learning Objective C for Mac programmming
This is an excellent introductory book on Objective C programming language as used for the Apple Macintosh and Apple iPhone. It is very clearly written, with good examples, and good exercises that help reinforce the concepts that need to be learned. I used this book to become proficient in Objective C in less than 3 weeks.(Note I have previous experience with C language and the Macintosh programming language so your learning rate may vary) I highly recommend this to those seeking to learn or review Objective C.

Outdated - Don't buy
Don't waste your money on this book like I did.It too out of date to be of any use.Mac Xcode has changed too much since this was published. ... Read more

Product Description

The new classic! C Primer Plus, now in its 5th edition, has been revised to include over 20 new programming exercises, newly improved examples and the new ANSI/ISO standard, C99. Task-oriented examples will teach you the fundamentals of C programming. From extended integer types and compound literals to Boolean support and variable-length arrays, you will learn to create practical and real-world applications with C programming. Review questions and programming exercises at the end of each chapter will reinforce what you have learned. This friendly and easy-to-use self-study guide will help you understand the fundamentals of this core programming language.

Customer Reviews (29)

Nice introductory text on C
Nice introductory text on the C language, along with more advanced features such as preprocessor directives and bit fiddling in later chapters, and many end-of-chapter programming exercises. Overall, a good book to learn from, but not a quick-reference.

Great book for Beginners in C programming
I found this book very valuable. It very clearly explains the concepts. I would recommend this book to anyone who is learning C.

Awesome reference book.
C Primer Plus is an oddly written book. It treats its readers as absolute, or extremely novice programmers, yet if you try to read through the book from cover to cover, you could easily be overwhelmed over the amount of content. I wouldn't recommend the book ALONE as a sole source for a newcomer to C, there are better books that make the learning experience less overwhelming.

With that said, I still highly recommend keeping this book on your shelf as a reference point and/or to use as a different view into a concept. It doesn't cover all of C and the standard libraries, but it covers the most important points and functions. The explanations tend to be more detailed and better than free resources such as sites like [...].

My main gripe, as with most programming books, are with the code examples. The author sacrifices readability of the code (nesting function calls within an already lengthy scanf() statement, for example) for shorter code length. I'm sure this was done for logistic reasons, but I fear many newcomers will copycat the style of coding, a bad habit that'll be hard to break in the future. However, the code examples are very clear and concise.

Typo-ridden code but still good
Well-structured learning path and text organization. It feels like sidenotes and whatnot are included in all the right spots. The author tries to use humor fairly often, really doesn't pull it off, but I'm glad he does because it makes the book easier and more comfortable to read; so I guess if he's going for dorky then he succeeds well. The only problem I have is in the example/explanation code relatively frequently containing errors, i.e. bad syntax, mismatches between what is read in the text and what the code shows, using incorrect/misspelled variables/numbers/specifiers/etc. In a way, I suppose it adds to the educational effect and gears you towards debugging, but it still irritates me to read. This is the first programming book I've read, so I can't make a concrete comparison, but the purpose of the book is to teach, and it accompishes that very well.

A Lot Of Work To Write A Program
I had some courses in college electronics using this stuff.I'm not a programmer by profession but I know that this programming language is the main language used in electronics (a great profession, if you live in China).The downloadable code is extremely useful and not just fluff they through in.It talks the talk and walks the walk.If your planning to learn C++ on your own without taking a "good" course then you will need several more C++ books to compare whenever you run across a concept that you don't understand.In each chapter you will have about 6 pages of notes consisting of the concepts explained and you will not be able to figure them out with this one book.I recommend this book as the main book in a self study of C++.If your planning to program IC's, PICs, microcontrollers, or microprocessors, I highly recommend learning C++.If your planning to learn robotics, and focus more on automation and controls electronics, I recommend taking a course on National Instruments, LabVIEW.It will be the way they program robots in the future and it would serve you well to get started learning this graphical method of programming.You should check out National instruments MultiSIM, MCU Module and Utiboard too before you get too carried away with starting down the C++ path.This book is a good book if your doing a quick, structured course on C++.Unfortunately, after reviewing hundreds of books on the subject, they are all pretty much the same.You will walk away from this book being able to write very simple programs that probably won't be related to the programming you actually want to be able to do. ... Read more

Product Description

With Beginning C: From Novice to Professional, Fourth Edition, youll come to understand the fundamentals of the C language and learn how to program. All you need is this book and any one of the widely available free or commercial C or C++ compilersand youll soon be writing real C programs. Youll learn C from the first principles, using step-by-step working examples that youll create and execute yourself.

This book will increase your programming expertise by guiding you through the development of fully working C applications that use what youve learned in a practical context. Youll also be able to strike out on your own by trying the exercises included at the end of each chapter. Pick up a copy of this book by renowned author, Ivor Horton, because it

• It is the only beginning-level book to cover the latest ANSI standard in C
• Is approachable and aimed squarely at people new to C
• Emphasizes writing code after the first chapter
• Includes substantial examples relevant to intermediate users

Customer Reviews (5)

Outstanding
I went back to C programming after programmin in other languages for a bit.This book gives excellent and clear explanations of concepts, including pointers/strings and arrays.The book has many example programs in each chapter are well thought out and make the concepts clear.

This would be an excellent book to learn from or if your going back to C from some time away. Despite the Beginning C title it covers a lot of topic (preprocessing/# defines etc.). It mainly covers C syntax and isn't a how to design a program kind of book.

I find it makes an excellent reference as well and I reach for it more often than the other C books I have which are both decent , Kernighan and Richie book and the more advanced."C: A Reference Manual (5th Edition)" .

Great introduction, but advanced C programmers may want to look elsewhere
I haven't professionally developed software using the C programming language for several years and decided to pick up a book to refresh my skills. Beginning C: From Novice to Professional gently eases you into the concepts of writing, compiling, linking, and running C programs. Beginners should have no trouble learning the concepts addressed even if they have never written software before.

I found myself jumping to the chapters on c-strings, structs, pointers, and arrays to refresh my memory on concepts that were a bit fuzzy to me. Since pointers are a stumbling block for many C programmers I was curious to see how well they were presented in this book. The author did a great job of articulating how manual memory management is performed using pointers and functions such as malloc() and calloc(). I was a little disappointed that the author did not clarify on when to use malloc() vs calloc() from a best practices perspective, but I suppose that might have been a bit more information than a beginner would have cared for anyway.

Each chapter eases you into a new topic building on previously learned concepts. I think this book would make an excellent college textbook for an introduction to C programming. There are plenty of code samples throughout the book. I have no problem recommending this book for beginner and intermediate C programmers. Advanced C programmers may want to search elsewhere for a reference book.

Good First Introduction
I bought this book to get an introduction to C, however I found it lacking since I already had some programming experience (Perl, Python, Scheme, Emacs Lisp).As far as C goes, this book is complete and covers things in great detail, for example workings with memory.Since C is "close to the hardware," I think this material is the book's strongest attribute.The explanations of pointers are also really good.Again, pointers are one of the most important aspects of C, so if that's what you need, this book could help you.I surely learned a lot about C from this book, unfortunately I was turned off by the silly examples (e.g., organizing basketball scores).

I don't recommend this book for someone with a mathematical background like myself (I would have rather had more abstract problems in combinatorics or numerical analysis).I learned as much about pointers from C Programming Language (2nd Edition) (Prentice Hall Software), and learned even more from that book about good programming practice, and the idiosyncrasies of C programming (while (c = getchar()) ;).If you already have some background in programming, or you need more realistic examples, get C Programming Language (2nd Edition) (Prentice Hall Software) instead.If you have no experience, then this book would be a good place to start.

Excellent
It is really a very good book and Mr. Horton explains things very clear.If you want to learn C from the beginning this is maybe the best book.

Excellent book
I decided to do some WIN32 API programming and all of the old documentation and Petzold's book uses c source code so I thought a formal presentation would be the thing to do. This book gives a very good explanation of pointers using lots of small but complete programs. This book is much like a college text in that there are problems to solve at the end of each chapter. Horton makes you work but the writing is clear with appropriate detail. C is a small language but the syntax can be obscure so I appreciated the thorough and detailed treatment. Page layout and fonts are attractive and the source code is easy to follow. I plan to follow up with Horton's C++ book. ... Read more

Product Description
C/C++ programming is often thought of as inaccessible, but these languages form the basis for many other programming languages and paradigms, and as such are vital, necessary skills for any IT professional to learn. Just Enough C/C++ Programming provides an intelligent layperson?s guide to programming. The book does not assume you are dimwitted, like so many other beginning programming texts do, but it doesn?t assume you are an engineer either. It simply gives you enough C/C++ language knowledge to be able to complete practical, industry-related, programming projects without becoming sidetracked. In short, it teaches you everything you need to know to be a successful programmer, without overloading you on the details. The book begins by explaining the tools you?ll need, providing a concise introduction to the world of programming, and explaining the basic structure of a C program. Algorithm design for common programming problems, use of compilers and pre-processors, and the standard ANSI C libraries are all covered in enough detail so that you can pick up and apply the knowledge immediately. Next, the book covers the most relevant differences between C and C++, including C++ Standard Libraries, templates, and STL. The companion web site includes usable sample code for download and key pointers on how the code can be adapted for real-world use. Perfect for any aspiring software developer, Just Enough C/C++ Programming offers both a comfortable read, and practical, applicable, ready-to-use knowledge. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

VERY VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!
Are you a beginner or intermediate C and C++ programmer? If you are, this book is for you! Author Guy W. Lecky-Thompson, has done an outstanding job of writing a great book that provides you with just enough information on the subject of C/C++ in hand to be useful in the real world.

Lecky-Thompson, begins by showing you what the tools of the trade really are, some of the basic concepts related to the programming process. Next, the author focuses on the programming primer. Then, he covers some of the various concepts that make up the typical C program. The author continues by showing you how information is stored in a program. In addition, the author introduces you to Console I/O--showing you ways to get information from the user and display it on the screen. He also shows you how to selectively perform tasks based on the outcome of preceding tasks, which is vital in programming. Next, the author covers mechanisms that are available for task repetition. Then, he covers standard libraries. The author continues by providing you with a detailed explanation of how programs process incoming arguments; and, how you can create functions within your programs. In addition, he deals with file I/O--which deals with ways to process files and perform external data storage. The author also shows you how you can create your own templates for storing information. Next, he looks at pointers--which is an advanced programming topic, but necessary for understanding the bridge into C++. Then, the author looks at pre-processor directives--which detail how you communicate with the program charged with taking your code and turning it into an application. He continues by discussing the extensions to C that make C++ a useful language. In addition, the author gives you some direction as to how you can go about using all of this information. Finally, he provides a list of all the various useful Web references.

This most excellent book provides vast amounts of reference material. What's most important though, is to use the source code from the companion Web site, and click on the Downsload button. ... Read more

Product Description
Readers learn how to write, compile, and execute computer programs in this popular programming language.Written for novices and experienced programmers alike, this comprehensive "teach by example" book can help you master the unique features of the popular and powerful C language.With more than 90 program examples and helpful end-of-chapter exercises, this clearly written tutorial is all you'll need to learn how to use the standardized version of C.

• Includes a complete introduction to the C language and thorough explanations of functions that have been standardized
• Covers program looping, decision-making, arrays, structures, character strings, pointers, and bit operations
• Features a step-by-step format for compiling and writing programs in ANSI C

Customer Reviews (10)

To all other technical writers...
READ THIS BOOK and learn how it's supposed to be done! As for programming books, I've wasted money on some 'stinkers' over the past 20 years, and I've browsed through many more in bookstores that I quickly realized weren't worth buying. This book, however, is not only the best intro to C programming, it may be the most well-written programming book ever published. It's a step by step guide with concise examples that are clearly explained. No previous programming knowledge is necessary. The best part is that I'm reviewing the version from 1988 (before 'ANSI' was added to the title). I'm sure the current 2004 version is even better. I just ordered Kochans' book "Programming in Objective C" without reading a word of it and I'm not worried at all that it was a waste of money. Thanks Stephen.

The best for beginners
It's a really easy book to understand the C basics. One topic that is always confusing is pointers but not in the way that is shown here. If you are a beginner or has forgotten the language (this was my case), it's the best selection.

The best C tutorial book
This book by Steve Kochan is absolutely the best book for anyone starting out programming in C. This is an excellent introductory text with frequent examples and good text. This book makes no assumptions about the particular computer system or operating system on which the C language is implemented. This books is written for novices and experienced programmers alike. I love this book as the comprehensive 'teach by examples' book can help you master the unique features of the C language. There is complete coverage of program looping, decision making, arrays, strings, pointers and bit operations and helpful end-of-chapter exercises. This is the book I used to learn C and it really is a great book. The K&R book is really great as a reference, but not as the first book.

I reviewed this book back in 1995 on the LEARN C/C++ TODAY list and it is still the best book for learning C out there.

OK for beginners
I am a 14 year old boy taking a college course on C.I already had a fairly strong C background.Frankly, I was rather disapointed.The book is incredibly easy, and instead of offering established functions (like atoi) they make new functions to do the same thing.Overall, I guess it's ok for beginners, but this was my text book for a colloge course, come on guys, lets get a little more advanced here.

Good for beginners, but there's better books out there
I learned C by working with this book on my own. It covers the mechanics of the language fairly well, but I didn't come away with a strong understanding of pointers or the standard library. Try K.N. King's "CProgramming" or Kernighan & Ritchie. ... Read more

Product Description
The broad, yet in-depth coverage of C programming language, within the context of today's C programming style, makes this book as useful for practicing professionals as it is for beginning programmers. This study guide solves many sample problems using other programming languages so readers can compare several popular languages. It also includes clear explanations of most of the features in the current ANSI standard. The emphasis throughout is on designing clear, legible, modular and efficient programs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

pretty good
I like thefact that there are a lot of solved examples and they have been properly explained.

Dated, but still very useful
I have been teaching introduction to programming with C for almost two decades and over that time many students have asked me for a source for additional programming problems. My answer has always been the latest edition of Schaum's outline in Programming in C. The problems are sound and challenging and working through the solutions is great practice in the art of paper debugging. While interactive buggers are a godsend, performing critical visual reviews of code is a skill that is still essential for the good programmer.
While this outline is somewhat dated, having been published in 1990, the base language of C is still the same. I still recommend it to students who need more practice in visual debugging skills.

A Teaching Reference, And A Great Book
C is not a large language, there's not a lot to remember a far as conditionals, types, etc... but there is much to learn. This book gives only the facts and not dogma or methodologies, and the examples are to the point as they should be. This book really should be hardbound and sitting next to your copy of The C Programming language by DR and BK. This manila tome is truly one of the hidden gems you can get for 15 bucks. Use it until the pages fall apart, by then you will have assimulated it's worthwhile knowledge.

You really have to enjoy this book for it's straightforwardness. If you like the "Dummies" series, this book will progress a bit too fast for you, for it is rather complete in it's description of the language features. But if you read and digest technical matters in one or two (or three) gulps, you'll benefit from this book.

Excellent as a Reference and a Self-study Guide
This is one of the excellent books in programming. I have come to master C programming in less than two months by following this book page by page. Chapters are organized in an excellent way that goes systematically with programming skills development. I highly recommend it.

For review/revision purposes only
Do not buy this book if you are just learning C. The way in which the information is organised in this book assumes that you have a knowledge of the topic and that you only need a refresher. There is information in this book but if you want to learn C without swallowing boulders, you should look elsewhere. ... Read more