Message-ID: <39F52E56.C516F9EF@eton.powernet.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 24 Oct 2000 07:38:14 +0100
From: Richard Heathfield <binary AT eton DOT powernet DOT co DOT uk>
Organization: Eton Computer Systems Ltd
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Newsgroups: alt.comp.lang.learn.c-c++,comp.os.msdos.djgpp,comp.programming
Subject: Re: Undertaking a programming journey
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To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com
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ChuckEasttom wrote:
> 
<snip tirade from a Mr D Steward>
> >
> >
> One of the weaknesses of usenet is that it allows people to go off on
> tirades totally devoid of anything approaching civil behavior.

Ohhhhh I dunno... I'm sure it's a useful safety valve for some people.
:-)

> Since
> you have never seen a line of my code, you will forgive me for not
> giving your opinion of my programming capabilities more weight.

Well, I can see why you would not treat Mr Steward's opinion terribly
seriously. Nevertheless, even though he is somewhat forthright, he does
have a point about Schildt, as has already been discussed not only by us
but by a million C programmers before us.

> I have
> never said that Schildt was a great author or that his books where
> perfect.

No, you haven't. Nevertheless, I think you may have failed to understand
the sheer levels of incompetence to which Mr Schildt's programs strive.
I gave you an example recently, I believe. It's by no means atypical.

> I do feel that he does a good job of presenting concepts in a
> very easily understood manner.

Right. He does. Unfortunately, his explanations, though easily
understood, are /flawed/. Let me find you an example - I shan't be long,
I promise you!...

There, that didn't take long. C-TCR (2nd ed.) - yes, I know it's a bit
old but you don't think I'm going to spend any more money on this guy,
do you? - p55 - "[Pointers] also allow C functions to modify their
parameters." What could be clearer? What could be wrongererer? C
functions can already modify their parameters, for a start, because C is
pass-by-value. I agree that this is a subtlety. Nevertheless, it's an
important subtlety, and Schildt gives the clear, concise, and completely
wrong impression that pointers break the normal pass-by-value paradigm,
*which they don't!*

> No more no less.  If that opinion
> upsets you to the degree that it seems to have, then I suggest you
> might consider consulting a therapist... and I mean that in all
> sincerity without any sarcasm at all.

It doesn't bother me if you like Schildt, but (if you value your
reputation) I think you'd be well-advised to steer clear of recommending
him to others in a newsgroup where technical accuracy is a concern, or
you will attract many more mini-flames such as Mr D Steward's.


-- 
Richard Heathfield
"Usenet is a strange place." - Dennis M Ritchie, 29 July 1999.
C FAQ: http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/C-faq/top.html
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