[Swlug] C Programming Book Recommendations

[Neil Greenwood]

On Wed, 23 Oct 2024, 15:56 Alan Gray via Swlug, <swlug at mailman.lug.org.uk>
wrote:

> I think I have to partially disagree with David.
>
> Books come under the category of 'horses for courses'. I find them most
> useful when starting out. There's a need to keep referring to basics like
> common syntax. As I advance I find online becomes more useful.
>
> Doing a project is a really good way to hone and enhance skills. You have
> to overcome problems that you would not otherwise encounter.
>
> I do not disagree with the difficulties raised but 'C' is a very useful
> language. There is a tiny part that needs to be created from scratch,
> usually in machine code, for the system being used. That tiny part is used
> to create the rest. It can be further extended in the same manner to create
> Object C and C++. Further, it can be used to create other languages and
> systems.
>

That tiny machine code part can also be used to support Rust, Golang or
Python, or even (shudder!) Ruby.

I would argue that what we know as Linux would not exist without 'C'.
>

This was an accident of timing.
In my controversial opinion, 'C' has had its day and should be retired now
in favour of safe languages.
Oh, look, DARPA agrees with me!
https://www.darpa.mil/program/translating-all-c-to-rust

Yes, it's true that you can write safe C code, but it's far, far more
difficult to do so than in modern languages. Giving a C compiler to a
beginner programmer is like giving them a fully-automatic foot-gun with no
safety.

The Linux core is supported by thousands of programs that, at the lowest
> level, are written in 'C'. When there is a need to transfer the whole lot
> to a new type of computer it is just necessary to create that initial tiny
> part of 'C' whereupon the rest can cascade across. The point here is that
> without this fundamental link Linux would not have it's extensive ecosystem.
>
> Regards
> Alan Gray
>
>
> On 23 October 2024 10:02:50 BST, Morgan Green via Swlug <
> swlug at mailman.lug.org.uk> wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> I am very new to programming, but I want to start out on C to grasp the
>> fundamentals of all programming languages. Can anyone recommend me any
>> paperbooks on C programming that is suitable for complete beginners?
>>
>> Kind regards,
>> Morgan Green
>>
>> Sent from Outlook for Android <https://aka.ms/AAb9ysg>
>>
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