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Rating: 
Summary: An absolute collectable
Review: I had heard of this book after it was out of print, and searched bookstores all over North America for it. When I did find a copy and read it, I wasn't disappointed. Personally, this is by far the most fun I've had in my programming career. Not only is this a fun book, but also it readily dispenses an amazing amount of information for the beginner, or any programmer who has stayed away from the O-O paradigm out of confusion. If more technical writers wrote as well as Jeffrey Cogswell, we'd have many more talented analysts and technologists. Even for a pro, it's a treat to have in the library. Thanks, Jeffrey. This book belongs back in print. And, even if you don't want it for yourself, give it to a young one. They'll learn more from this book than from hours in a classroom setting.
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Summary: Ten years old...
Review: I haven't read very much of this book, but the very first code that I typed in from this book had compile errors. I went to a C++ forum asking what was wrong and I found out that the code is outdated. While there wasn't very much wrong with the code, the fact that all of the code in this book will have errors isn't comforting. Aside from that, I enjoyed reading it and I really wish the code wasn't outdated. Maybe I'll still try to learn from it but correct whatever is wrong with the code. Luckily, I have 2 other C++ books that I can learn from, and I'm going to buy another one as well (since this one has problems).
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Summary: A very outstanding book!
Review: I loved this book! I'm a Visual Basic developer, I discovered this book while learning to program classes. The book is an easy/entertaining read. The writers approach was very imaginative.
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Summary: Not "just" an introductory book on C++
Review: I'm trained as a video game programmer, and the first language I learned for that was straight C. C++ is a bit of a paradigm shift in the way you approach program design. I've seen a few different programming styles, and noticed a problem. All too often, programmers who learned a type of language would tend to cling to parts of it. If they knew BASIC, and were forced to program in JAVA, they'd program JAVA, like a BASIC programmer. This results in very hard to read and understand program code. The beauty of this book is, that it doesn't just instruct you, and then expect you to see the advantages of C++ design. Instead, it sneaks them in under your mental radar! The book is told in a series of funny stories, involving the construction of the OS, for a robotic dog. It doesn't just focus on the dog, but other funny elements of working in the software business. As each series of problems are encountered, they are routinely solved using POOP (Profound Object Oriented Programming) design and C++. Anyone who internalized the design and coding features taught in this story will suddenly find himself or herself, a good C++ program designer. Too often, programmers who use C++ use it just like C. They forget about inheritance, polymorphism, and encapsulation. These are three main elements that define the language, and make it so powerful. Some program shops have even outlawed the use of inheritance with C++, because it creates so many problems with its misuse. You'll never find an easier read in a C++ book! By comparison, those "dummies" books out there, read like legal contracts. This book is fun, and when you finish it you'll understand more about C++, and object oriented design. I'd rate it as an intermediate book based on what you actually learn. The book is less than 250 pages, partially filled with cute, but functional diagrams and drawings, and some code examples. Most of the book is text though, explaining through the given story, the how's and whys of C++ programming. If you know some C++, but are confused with parts of it, this book may help you gain the correct design instincts. If you are new to C++, its definitely the book you want to start with. If you are a long-time Pascal, BASIC, FORTRAN, COBAL or Assembly programmer, you may find this book a lifesaver. It will help to make you think like an "object" programmer, and forget your sequential programming past. As an added bonus, since the focus is on OOP design, the book will help you learn about JAVA programming as well. There are major differences between the two, but this helps with the important stuff. My own observation taking a JAVA class at a tech school may explain the reason this book can help. I had a background in C, and C++ when I took my JAVA class. I was half bored in an intro class, so I helped other students. What I found was this. Those students with major troubles had only taken straight BASIC, (not Visual BASIC) for a pre-requisite. I could see the problem. They were not just learning a new syntax (the keywords and organization of the language structures) for JAVA; they had not worked with "objects", and did not understand how to communicate with them. The third thing was that JAVA uses a visual structure, and advanced set of libraries. You begin right away using these to create applets, and controls. If you don't even know the keywords yet, confusing them with the library structure can be confusing. It's like learning the raw form of Windows programming, and is just not for beginners. Simple C++ is a book that would have helped them by taking away a major hurtle, that of using objects. The real world we live in works much like objects, so the basis of comparison is already within us. Had programming languages been designed long ago to work like the real world, object programming wouldn't seem so difficult. It's probably good they often teach JAVA now as a first language. Unfortunately, most of us learned sequential programming first, and converting to OOP can be a problem. Reading this book brings it home, and allows us to think that way we should as OOP programmers.
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Summary: This makes c++ easy enough for a kid in 1st grade.
Review: It's funny, great for anyone who knows nothing about C++ but wants to learn. If you know anything about the language this is not for you, the title is true << "SIMPLE C++!";
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Summary: Excellent book; too bad it's out of print.
Review: Jeffrey M. Cogswell is to be commended for writing such an easy-to-read book for novices wanting to understand what C++ and OOP is all about. I found a used copy of this book recently and bought it because I liked the writer's presentation and prose. I have other self-taught books on C and C++ programming and find most of them are packed full of more detail than I really need. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but they just aren't suitable for a novice who wants to get a rudimentary understanding of a complicated but important subject such C++ programming. I say important for not only the obvious reasons (I'm a tech writer and need to look at way too much code) but because Java programming, which I'm learning now, is an extension of C++ and all its nuances. Therefore, reading this book gets me up to speed quickly on the aspects of C++ carried over into Java. So reading this book on my "own" time is worthwhile. And now here are reasons why I like and use this book. In chapter 2, the writer describes the need for Objects, Methods, and Attributes in a programming language. Using the metaphor of teaching a (robotic) dog to eat food, he quickly describes how to think of an object from a structured point-of-view. He then provides some simple C++ code to get you started; he doesn't go overboard with the details and discussions. In chapter 3 the writer describes how Objects, Methods, Constructors, Instance, and Class are put to use in creating a class for a tangible piece of hardware, the Energy Supply. These are important concepts in Java and are easily explained by the conversational and friendly tone of voice. At no time am I bored or intimidated by the complexity of the subject. C++ is really not that difficult to learn if you have a programming background (mine is FORTRAN) and can afford the time to read a decent book and work through the examples yourself. Jumping ahead to chapter 9, Building Classes, the writer puts everything together. He uses illustrations and meaningful examples of code that I can understand. It isn't that difficult to read the code. I don't think I'll ever write code at a programmer's level, but I'll certainly be able to follow it without too much difficulty. Thank you Mr. Cogswell for your excellent book. I can understand the subject better now than I ever have and am glad I found your book. Too bad it's out of print. If you ever write one for Java, I will certainly buy it!
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Summary: A wonderful introduction to C++ programming
Review: This is the best introductory C++ book I've seen yet. Since this language is really not for beginners, I think you would benefit from some prior programming knowedge, but it is not required. My only disappointment: you don't get to build the dog.
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