Exceptional C++: 57 Engineering Programming Problems and Exceptional-safety Solutions (C++ in Depth) [Tapa blanda]

As a professional programmer I find the Guru of the Week questions annoying, because they usually point out that I don't know some dang thing about C++. (I don't know too many people who appreciate being pointed out how dumb they are weekly.) Then someone who appears to have nothing better to do than solve C++ puzzles jumps in with a 6 page submission on how to solve the problem, which is usually wrong. Then six more self appointed guru's jump in and fill pages of discussion, Then after filling my head with all the wrong answers to a particular problem, Herb smuggly answers the question with the real answer. Anoints another guru and the process repeats. In the meantime I've lost total interest in the discussion. Thank you for Deja news where I can read the first and last postings(The puzzle and the solution).

That said, this book is full of those got ya! puzzles. Fortunately Herb is a kind writer and you don't feel too dumb when he points out why a particular puzzle has a problem and what it is. And like Deja news you can skip all the wrong answers, arguments about the arcane and get right to the meat of the problem. Herb also got a chance to make the puzzles more clear, where the language of the original puzzle confused the issue unnecessarily.

The best reason to buy this book is that its the only published text so far on how to use C++ Exceptions. There are some articles in C++ Report but not many on the traps and pitfalls of their usage. Stroustrup's book "C++ Programming Language" tells you how the mechanism works, and makes some suggestions. Herb tells you what it will cost you if you don't use them, only partially use them, or totally abuse them. And he shows you how a minor misuse can make you have major problems.

I can see why Scott Meyers likes this book. Its just like his books, "Effective C++" series only the format is not in a lecture topic but in a question/puzzle answer format. I prefer the Meyer's approach but you can still glean the necessary information, and while you are reading the answers to the puzzles, say to yourself "Yeah I knew that!"

One other reason to buy this book, you can use these puzzles as tests for interviews. First, it will help you know the skill level of the applicant, Second it will teach you something you probably should have known anyway, Thirdly if they get the answers right off it will tell you that the applicants at least read the texts and are trying to stay on top of things. This is not to say you should make applicants take an all day C++ grammer test but by asking a few puzzle questions you can see how they react under a bit of pressure. After all at some point everyone comes up against a problem they haven't seen.

I've been programming in C++ for 12 years, and this is the first C++ book I've read in awhile that I learned significantly from. The section on exception safety is unmatched in any book or article I've ever read. The style and format of this book make it easy to read, even though some of the concepts it covers are very advanced. After you read this book, put it somewhere handy, because I guarantee you will refer to it often as you go back and fix your code to take into account all the new things the book teaches you.

In learning computing, the most prized element is a relevant problem with a detailed, understandable solution. Many studies have indicated that the skills gap between those who program adequately and those who are exceptional is enormous. Unlike some other areas, the gurus of computing are more often than not quite willing to share their expertise with others.
This collection of problems, derived from the C++ Guru of the Week newsgroup, collectively form one of the most valuable sources of real insight into the language.
C++ is often criticized as being a language that is full of potential problems of the "gotcha" variety. A "gotcha" problem is one where a seemingly logical choice can lead to a disaster. Many of these problems can be placed in that category, but to focus on that would miss much of what they can teach you.
The most significant point of the problems is that they teach you how to program many complex tasks in a manner that is truly safe from potential errors. All of the problems are tagged with a level of difficulty, although like most people, I consider that to be of dubious benefit, as there is an enormous difference in what programmers find difficult. In my opinion, the most valuable section of the book is the ten parts dealing with the creation of exception-safe code. While some do have trouble with it, most people find it easy to understand the fundamentals of what exceptions are. However, writing code that is safe from the unexpected consequences of a thrown exception is a decidedly non-trivial problem. Especially when the new and delete operators can throw an exception. The sections that deal with making new and delete exception-safe alone justify the purchase of the book.
When asked questions as to how they managed to reach their guru status, a common response is that they simply use coded solutions written by others that are known to be correct. If that were all it took to reach the level of guru, then this book would be a significant rung on the ladder to that pinnacle.