Rating: 
Summary: Great textbook to start learning Visual C++
Review: I've been programming with VB/ASP for more than a year, now I need to learn Visual C++ to code things can't be done with VB.I believe this is a very good book for all levels, even if you never programmed before. Each chapter provides code examples, and explain in detail how it works, and/or why it does not work. unlike Microsoft mastering series that I have an online version, which just fly through all the topics, good for code sample or reference, not learning. Before, whenever I saw some window C++ code, I always got overwhelmed, but this book explains code in detail, as well as necessary background information. After read each chapter, I disipline myself to do all the exercises, then compare with the answers to ensure I understand that chapter. For me, the best way to learn is by coding. The exercises and answers are the best part of the book. great learning book. Highly recommand it.
Rating:
Summary: Real World Programming
Review: I am an engineer who has decided to learn Visual C++ and has never programmed before. The first half of the book covers console applications (DOS programs). The second half covers many topics in MFC and one in ATL. When Ivor explains about console applications, it is easy reading in which you can cover more pages per hour and have a good understanding on the topics. The second half of the book is a much more difficult topic to learn and I needed to slow down a bit to understand it. I understood each chapter perfectly well only due to the fact that I did not go on to the next chapter until I knew the previous chapter by heart. It is like learning from a Math textbook from high school. The book starts out easy but then later becomes very complicated so you need to know all of the content in previous chapters and not impatiently speed through the book. It took me three months for the first half and nine months for the second half. Ivor Horton does an excellent job explaining very difficult material in a real world setting. This is what makes it different from a math textbook. A typical math textbook only covers math and not how to apply mathematics in a real world application. Ivor Horton concentrates on this book being applicable to the real world. He does assume the reader is familiar with mathematics to the level of trigonometry. If you are not familiar with this, some examples in the book may be confusing. Other people who reviewed this book and gave it only one star seemed to me that they wanted a quick and dirty session of how to program in Visual C++ from scratch. If they want quick programming, then they should go read a book on Visual BASIC scripting, not Visual C++.
Rating:
Summary: A good book for people who like C++ and want a good base.
Review: If you want to have a strong foundation in C++ read this book. All major C++ concepts are explained in detail. This book will reduce the number of situations where you feel, "AHH!!! Why wont this code work, my syntax and logic is perfect", because it is crammed full of even the most minor (yet very important in some cases) information.
If you are serious about C++ programming and want to start windows programming and/or game programming or any API/SDK programming this book is for you. However if you are not serious about programming with C++ find another book, because the author does go into detail on every topic. If you don't like C++ you may become bored. P.S.
I must warn you sometimes the authors coding style may be difficult for true beginners to understand. Don't let this sway you, just keep at it and reread the code and explanations several times.
Rating: 
Summary: A good clear way to get started
Review: As an engineer, I have had experience with the programming languages FORTRAN and Pascal, but never C++. I decided that I wanted to learn Windows programming and had access to Visual C++ at work, so browsing the shelves I choose Beginning Visual C++ 6
by Ivor Horton. It had the look I like (lots of example code snippets, clearly printed, well formatted text) and the depth of coverage to get me programming in Windows fairly quickly, starting from ground zero. I also like the coverage the book gives on Visual C++, the tool to write, develop, and debug your code. Overall, Ivor has a solid presentation, good flow of topics and an interesting style to spruce up a dry topic. Be hearty though, this book is THICK and will require some time with to read and practice the drills. Beginning C++ is not really an excellent primer on C++ language itself, GOOD but not EXCELLENT. If you have no knowledge of C++ I would recommend a good textbook on pure C++ programming that has lots of problems to work through and examples on HOW to program as the chapters Ivor devotes to this are thin on the opportunities to "dig in" with the code. Perhaps Deitel, "C++, How to Program" might complement this purchase nicely for those with limited C++ knowledge, it did for me.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent. Two Books In One
Review: This book is basically two books in one. The first half of the book is a primer on "plain" C++, and the second half covers Windows programming using the MFC and ATL C++ libraries. Both halves are excellent. The C++ primer half covers the creation of "console" applications - meaning applications that are text-only and do not make use of any Windows functionality. I found this primer to be absolutely perfect for a person like myself: someone who completed several C++ courses in college many years ago, but has not really used the language much since then and had basically forgotten about 50% of the material. I was able to move through the chapters at a good pace, re-learning the stuff I had forgotten and skimming over the stuff I remembered. The writing style is clean, and Mr. Horton does a good job of teaching the important stuff you need to know to get the job done without drowning you in details. Be warned however, if you have zero prior programming experience then this book will probably leave you feeling a little lost since the lack of details and quick pace that were good for someone like me might leave a novice in the dust. The 2nd half takes you into the world of Windows programming. Again, excellent writing style that is both no-nonsense and enlightening without intimidation. After reaching the end of this book, you will have a firm grasp of *basic* Windows programming, and should have no problem working through a more advanced book such as David Kruglinski's "Programming Visual C++".
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book for beginners and mid level programmers
Review: Ivor Horton has an exceptional talent for organizing and presenting C++ that makes it easy to learn. This is a very difficult lanuage, but if you persist, you will learn with his book. It is the best C++ learner book I have found. He leads you through each chapter expanding on the previous. It is slow going at first because you need to know so many things to begin programming. It becomes easy after you get half way through the book and all the pieces of the puzzle start coming together.
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Summary: Great Way To Get Started.
Review: This book is written quite well for some one who wants to learn C++ from the ground up. It starts with a good No Nonsense procedural approach to C/C++ and then on to an Object Oriented view then works into windows programming and even a bit on database access with C++. Very nice way to start. Bottom Line absolute a ton of Info Presented in a easy to read and understand way. No Extra words like you would get from a college textbook so they could charge more for the text and a ton of info because the author is trying to teach you completely instead of teach you programming 101 and 102. Obviously as one progresses with C++ more books would be required. After you get through the procedural and Object Oriented part of this book I would plan on buying a book which teaches you other important aspects of programming such as Data structures, and Parsing. Read that while moving on to the windows part of the book. Not that it's at all needed to understand the "windows" half of the books but it stuff that all programmers should know.
Rating:
Summary: New to C++ and interested in Windows programming? Start here
Review: The introduction to C++ part alone is worth the price of the book. I cannot think of a better way to make "first contact"
with C++ for someone who is really new to C++ and maybe to programming at all. The part on Windows programming is starting to be a bit dated (no .NET stuff here) but is well structured, informative and really step-by-step. The style of the book is teaching you by example developing a drawing-sketching application. You will find also useful info on building DLLs and database programming. Be warned this is not a book on MFC! If you are looking for a MFC through treatment and reference look elsewhere! But if you are new to C++ and want to see how it is used to build basic windows apps this book will definitely give you a great foundation.
Rating:
Summary: very complete
Review: A very complete book overall and it covers certain (important) things that usually aren't found in books (like pointers to functions, repeated warnings about returning pointers of local variables). Very clear explainations and good examples. The only gripe I have about this book is that it's very unstructured. Horton mentions things in random places and you would not catch them unless you already know the concept. Consequently, this is NOT a good reference book. You'll have a hard time trying to find where he talks about what. You really have to read it from start to finish. I don't think this book is for the beginner programmer. Although his explainations are clear, he doesn't always explain everything he says. For example, he would use words like "automatic variables" without ever mentioning what it is. Now, an experienced programmer or a comp sci college student would (or should) know exactly what he means, but anyone else will be scratching their head. A very good book to read AFTER you've read another book. This book will fill the gaps.
Rating:
Summary: Solid choice for learning C++
Review: This book is worth a recommendation if you are familiar with other programming languages. I think it is too abstract for people with no programming experience at all. Do not expect to be able to write windows programs after studying the book; the chapters about windows and mfc programming are a mere introduction to give you an idea about where to go next.
It will give you a pretty good introduction in object oriented C++ programming and the windows part of the book will give you some directions on where to concentrate on once you're finished this tome.
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