Buying the C++ standard?

[Catfish4]

Hello.

Should I buy the C++ standard? Should I go for C++11 or wait for C++14? Should I go for electronic, paper, or both? Or is the free draft good enough?

Bonus questions to those who already own a copy: does it help, do you use it often?

Thanks.

[z05DSL3A]

I tend to get hold a the last draft of standards if they are available free. It is good to be able to get the definitive last word when new other sources are a bit sketchy but can be a bit hard going to work out the minutia.

I wish Standards where free for personal/hobby use.

Edit: but if you intend to write your own compiler you probably should buy a copy of the published standards.

[Manga]

buy standards?

I am still kinda new at c++ myself, but what do you mean buy standards?

Is there a standards store?

What do you do with them?

[andywestken]

Well, Amazon sell the C++2003 version of the standard as a book:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Standard-Incorporating-Technical-Corrigendum/dp/0470846747/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1375358859&sr=8-2&keywords=c%2B%2B+standard

so the C++11 version will prob turn up there at some time.

Meanwhile, as it's an ISO standard, you can buy it to download at the ISO website (for 238 Swiss Francs, which is just over $255 US.)

ISO/IEC 14882:2011
http://www.iso.org/iso/catalogue_detail.htm?csnumber=50372

A "working draft" can be found here (link provided Wikipedia.org)

http://www.open-std.org/jtc1/sc22/wg21/docs/papers/2012/n3337.pdf

Or here(link provided by C++ Standards Committee:
http://www.open-std.org/jtc1/sc22/wg21/ )

http://www.open-std.org/jtc1/sc22/wg21/docs/papers/2011/n3242.pdf

Andy

C++11
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%2B%2B11

[andywestken]

Turns out ANSI sell the same thing, more or less, for just £30 US
http://webstore.ansi.org/RecordDetail.aspx?sku=INCITS/ISO/IEC%2014882-2012

Andy

[Catfish4]

Thank you for the links Andy.

I'm still a bit unsure as to what I should do. I do not want to write a C++ compiler, I just want to become more skilled at C++, and I thought having the standard would help with that.

Am I mistaken, would a book by Meyers or Josuttis be a better choice?

[Zhuge]

I personally think simply reading the standard is unlikely to help you become a better programmer; you may learn about how certain code structures are implemented and actually work, but practically any tutorial can give you that sort of information.

[z05DSL3A]

.. would a book by Meyers or Josuttis be a better choice?

Probably, yes. The standard gives you information about the ingredients it doesn't help you bake the cake.

Edit:
For learning for about the language I went to "The C++ Programming Language" Bjarne Stroustrup. For learning about how to use it; Josuttis, Meyers and Sutter.

[vlad from moscow]

@Catfish4
I thought having the standard would help with that.

Am I mistaken, would a book by Meyers or Josuttis be a better choice?

Neither book is capable to substitute the standard.

[JLBorges]

> The standard gives you information about the ingredients it doesn't help you bake the cake. - Grey Wolf

+1

Question: Q: Why is the standard hard to read? I’m having trouble learning C++ from reading it.

Answer: Please note that the standard is not intended to teach how to use C++. Rather, it is an international treaty – a formal, legal, and sometimes mind-numbingly detailed technical document intended primarily for people writing C++ compilers and standard library implementations.

Fortunately, there are lots of good books that do teach how to use C++! See these recommendations http://isocpp.org/get-started as a starting point for high-quality tutorial and reference information about how to learn and use C++.

http://isocpp.org/std/the-standard

[Manga]

Neither book is capable to substitute the standard.

Yes, Vlad, but you have been at this a lot longer. For people still learning it is probably better to avoid documentation targeted at professionals. I prefer Dr. Suess's illustrated C++ starring the cat in the hat.

[BHX]

I didn't realize the standard cost so much. I don't have that kind of money so I can't get the standard. If I hit the lottery, I'll get one as having the standard is a great reference and resource just like having the C++ Programming Language book from Bjarne.

[S G H]

Manga wrote:

C++ staring the cat in the hat.

You won't get far away if you keep staring at a cat.

Back on the topic, I don't think anyone of us began with the actual standards' book.

Begin with some noob-friendly books and once you feel comfortable with the terminologies and syntax, try it.

[Manga]

You can see why I prefer my books illustrated... :)

[JLBorges]

> I don't have that kind of money so I can't get the standard.
> If I hit the lottery, I'll get one as having the standard is a great reference and resource
> just like having the C++ Programming Language book from Bjarne.

n3337 is freely downloadable; it is almost identical to the C++11 standard.
http://www.open-std.org/jtc1/sc22/wg21/docs/papers/2012/n3337.pdf

n3690 (committee draft for C++14) is also freely downloadable.
http://isocpp.org/files/papers/N3690.pdf

You don't really need anything more.

[Manga]

thanks JLBorges, that was convenient.