:: Re: [DNG] Learning C
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Author: o1bigtenor
Date:  
CC: o1bigtenor via Dng
Subject: Re: [DNG] Learning C
On Tue, Sep 24, 2024 at 7:11 AM tito <farmatito@???> wrote:

> On Tue, 24 Sep 2024 06:02:16 -0500
> o1bigtenor via Dng <dng@???> wrote:
>
> > On Tue, Sep 24, 2024 at 3:44 AM Didier Kryn <kryn@???> wrote:
> >
> > > Le 24/09/2024 à 04:05, o1bigtenor via Dng a écrit :
> > > > learning Gnu C
> > >
> > >      The title looks bad, sorry. I have a great admiration for Gnu in
> > > general, but there shouldn't be a thing named "Gnu C". There is C and
> > > there is a C standard and it is not set by Gnu. Maybe there is no other
> > > ressource on the web. However, when looking at this web resource I see
> > > it refers to C99 and Gnu extensions and this seems very outdated.

> > >
> > >      In the mean time we had C11 and now the current standard is C17
> > > which corrects some errors of C11. The C compilers and C libraries
> > > nowadays are working on implementing the next standard, C21, IIRC.

> > >
> > >      The GU C resource I found on the web also states that GCC is the
> > > "Gnu Compiler Collection", but, a few years ago, for the second time in
> > > history, GCC has divorced from the FSF, because of issues with RMS.

> > >
> >
> > Had heard of that particular kerfuffle - - - seems to me to be mostly
> > related to personality issues rather than technical stuff.
> >
> > >
> > >      In general there are two references for C programming: the C
> > > standard and the POSIX standard. All OSes aim to more or less comply to
> > > both, and I recommend avoiding as much as possible GNU extensions or
> > > whatever extension.

> > >
> > >      Refering to the standard is not the proper way of learning though.
> > > I consider the best way is to take lessons, and the second best way is
> > > to use a good book. A book about C only, not "C and C++".

> > >
> >
> > Hmmmmm - - - so there are a whole pile of 'secret handshakes' and the
> > like in the learning of 'C' to necessitate the need for lessons - - -
> > that's
> > too bad. Having read many reports of poor quality C programming I am
> > somehow then even less impressed.
> > You're recommending a good book - - - - imo there are likely a
> > plethora of books - - - how does one determine which are good ones
> without
> > previous understanding? (Seriously - - - to accurately determine the
> > quality
> > of a didactic text takes expertise and when one is starting the learning
> > process what one is exactly short of is that - - - expertise!)
> >
> > Over to you for more information.
> >
> > Regards
>
>
> Hi,
> I would recommend:
>
> The C Programming Language (sometimes termed K&R, after its authors'
> initials)
> is a computer programming book written by Brian Kernighan and Dennis
> Ritchie,
> the latter of whom originally designed and implemented the C programming
> language, as well as co-designed the Unix operating system with which
> development
> of the language was closely intertwined. The book was central to the
> development
> and popularization of C and is still widely read and used today. Because
> the book
> was co-authored by the original language designer, and because the first
> edition
> of the book served for many years as the de facto standard for the
> language,
> the book was regarded by many to be the authoritative reference on C .
>
> Author  Brian Kernighan
> Dennis Ritchie
> Language        English
> Subject C programming language
> Publisher       Prentice Hall
> Publication date
> 1978 (1st Edition)
> 1988 (2nd Edition)
> ISBN    9780131101630

>
> This book was where I landed after my down to top approach in learning C,
> in the sense that I started reverse engineering the language with
> the "there must be some kind of system in it", "let's see how others did"
> and
> "the let's see what happens if system" , then I've read the book and it had
> all the answers I was not able to find out myself, plus the help of the
> kind
> people on the busybox developers mailing list where I learned a lot.
>
>
> I managed to get a copy of the 2nd ed


Thanks