Rating: 
Summary: Accesible introduction to patterns
Review: This book is quite old now, but the material covered in the book does not suffer from its age, because the book is not supposed to be a language reference. The book starts with some words of wisdom on the basics of the language, for example spending just long enough talking about inheritence and polymorphism to get to the heart of the issue. There are some of the simpler idioms introduced earlier in the book (virtual constructors, reference counts, handle-bodies) and then the book moves towards more advanced material, including multiple dispatch, and the best discussion of the prototype pattern ("exemplars") that I have seen in any book. If you're looking for a way into "pattern oriented programming", and you found "Design Patterns" completely unreadable, this is a good book to get you started on some concrete examples.
Rating:
Summary: Accesible introduction to patterns
Review: This book is quite old now, but the material covered in the book does not suffer from its age, because the book is not supposed to be a language reference.
The book starts with some words of wisdom on the basics of the language, for example spending just long enough talking about inheritence and polymorphism to get to the heart of the issue. There are some of the simpler idioms introduced earlier in the book (virtual constructors, reference counts, handle-bodies) and then the book moves towards more advanced material, including multiple dispatch, and the best discussion of the prototype pattern ("exemplars") that I have seen in any book. If you're looking for a way into "pattern oriented programming", and you found "Design Patterns" completely unreadable, this is a good book to get you started on some concrete examples.
Rating:
Summary: master c++ language and OOP and become Dark Lord of Sith
Review: This book is the best C++ book ever inked to paper. This book should not be read if you are a apprentice C++ programmer in training,The key here is that you MUST have a solid understanding of what classes can and cannot do, understanding of copy semantics, object identity(object equality vs equivalence), inheritance model and how polymorphism achieves its power through dynamic binding, understanding a neglected and overly under estimated constructs of horizonal access and vertical access between subclass users and class instantiate users with the ACL(Access Control List: public, protected, private, and usage of friend classes model), pointer/reference acrobatics and and a strong grounding in the IS-A, HAS-A, and USES-A models are you then ready for this book. The book will comb over the basics, but for really getting the most of this book, all of the above must truly be an after thought before plowing ahead. Coplien is a hard core systems architect, what is meant by systems is over a thousand programmers tangled in over hundreds of millions of lines of code and he has been responsible for reviewing the quality of these eystems even casual systems with smaller baselines so the expertise of the author is never to be questioned. His style and approach to teaching is that the basics of the c++ language are miscontrued. The perception is that a programmer needs only to get by with the basics constructs of the language to develop a systematic model, which is an unrealistic and self-damaging mindset. There are constructs in the language that you just have to know; advanced template design utilizing partial specialization, memory management internals,coverage on pointers to member functions, which is syntactically different from pointers to functions, advanced coverage on data abstraction. This book could be read by an aspiring programmer with the basics of the C++ language, but now that you may be more clear on what basics truly means, this book will guaranteed lead you to the path of mastery of its syntax, "you can do this, but do not ever to this" approach, real-world problem models with exacting code that is fantastically diagrammed and explained so that you see every construct of the language used and why it would be used, much in the style of how Bjarne Stoustroup patterns his teaching model: example given first, then follow with the abstract and general rule.This is the easiest read for any programming and design book that was ever an advanced book. A definite must buy or you will left out of the real power and surprisingly overlooked features that you just gotta' know!
Rating:
Summary: A very good book that all c++ programmers should have
Review: This book is written in an accessible format.
It has some very interesting topics that help bridge the gap between intermediate and advanced features of C++.
Rating: 
Summary: Vrey readable book on advanced C++
Review: This book was nice reading and discussed the more abstract details of C++. Even one of the appendices, namely Appendix A on C in a C++ environment, was very helpful in my designing of interface functions to call C++ routines from legacy C code. It would have been better if Coplien had included this discussion as an entire chapter and made the discussion more detailed. These issues arise more and more every day as companies who have programmed in C are moving over to C++. Chapter 8 on programming with examplars was very interesting reading. -LC (Global Mathematics, Inc)
Rating:
Summary: Mind Blowing.....
Review: This book will take the reader where they thought C++ could never go. Though some idioms are dated (the book was written before RTTI and STL were added to the standard) it is nonetheless a thought provoking and invaluable book. Many of the ideas presented actually(! ) make the reader think and wrestle with before they are fully grasped. A must for any intermediate/advanced C++ programmer. When finished you will definitely have a stronger appreciation of the power of C++. I'm not sure if Microsofts COM came before this book but if it didn't then they sure swiped alot of ideas from it!
Rating:
Summary: Do you JAVA?
Review: This is a revolutionary work which has spawned the concept of design patterns. However, many ideas in this book are starting to show wear, since it predates the STL. For example, the section on Exemplars. This book is still thought provoking and worth a read, but the reader must keep in mind that this is the starting point. The Gang of Four have built on many ideas laid out by Coplien.
Rating:
Summary: The Origin of Design Patterns but Starting to Show Its Age
Review: This is a revolutionary work which has spawned the concept of design patterns. However, many ideas in this book are starting to show wear, since it predates the STL. For example, the section on Exemplars. This book is still thought provoking and worth a read, but the reader must keep in mind that this is the starting point. The Gang of Four have built on many ideas laid out by Coplien.
Rating:
Summary: A reference to dip into for implementation options
Review: This is an excellent book, it presents many ways beyond the usual, of using C++ to accomplish flexible designs. It discusses a range of programming idioms, building from the usual variations to quite powerful OO frameworks, using different techniques. Much of the later part of the book is beyond ordinary programming tasks, but there is material useful for intermediate level problems as well. He writes well, and what he has to say is sharp. It would have been nice if there had been an attempt at a summary of the different techniques presented, but he does at least interrelate the methods in his discussions. The book is advanced, probably a third C++ book, but none of what's written is out of date (though I'm sure he could have done more with the new language features) and all in all it makes this reviewer want to read some of Coplien's other books as well.
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