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The C Programming Language Page
Background
In April 1979, Bjarne Stroustrup started work
on a preprocessor that extended The C Programming Language.
This preprocessor, known as Cpre, supported class
hierarchies and the ability to define class member functions.
Cpre accepted a language called C with Classes.
In December of 1983, the name C++ was first
applied to the language.
I picked C++ because it was short, had nice interpretations,
and wasn't of the form "adjective C."... The name C++ was
suggested by Rick Mascitti. The Design and Evolution of C++,
Bjarne Stroustrup
Learning C++
- C++ Primer, Stanley Lippman
- The C++ Programming Language, 3ed., Bjarne Stroustrup
(but get at least the 8th printing. Early printings were rushed out a bit too soon.)
- Inside The C++ Object Model, Stenley Lippman.
An advanced book that explains how C++ features are implemented.
- The Design and Evolution of C++, Bjarne Stroustrup.
Explains C++ history and why C++ is implemented the way it is.
- C++ FAQs, Marchall Cline, Greg Lomow.
An expanded version of the online FAQ Lite.
Information
ISO/IEC 14882-1998 Programming Languages -- C++
was approved as an international standard on July 27, 1998.
The standard is available from ANSI
as a PDF file for $18.00. Hard copy developed by ITI (NCITS) is available from ANSI for $175.
C++ is a general purpose programming language based on
The C Programming Language as described in
ISO/IEC 9899:1990 Programming Languages -- C. [ISO standard 1.1.2].
The following C standards are also applicable to The C++ Programming Language.
- ISO/IEC 9899:1990 Programming Languages -- C. Available from ANSI for $200.
- ISO/IEC 9899/AMD1:1995, Amendment 1 to ISO/IEC 9899:1990 C Integrity.
Available from ANSI for $120.
The STL (Standard Templates Library) is not technically part of the
ISO standard. Portions of it were adopted, with minor modifications, into the standard c++ libraries.
- STL from SGI.
Contains links to other versions, tutorials, references, etc.
- STL links courtesy of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
- Bjarne Stroustrup
Creator of the C++ Programming Language. See his picture, consult the
Bjarne Stroustrup FAQ,
and read what he posted about how to approach
learning C++.
His books include
- The C++ Programming Language, aka TC++PL, a reference manual for C++,
- The Annotated C++ Reference Manual, aka ARM, which is the base document for the ISO standard, and
- The Design and Evolution of C++, aka D&E which explains how the language developed
and why it is the way it is.
- Nathan Myers designed the localization components in chapter 22
of the standard and is responsible for the explicit keyword. His site includes a list of
errors in the ISO standard.
- Jim Coplien is author of some pretty cool books
and has done a lot of work with patterns.
- DJGPP is a 32-bit C/C++ development system for Intel 80386 (and
higher) PCs running DOS.
Visit #c++ on EFnet to talk about c++
Last updated April 12, 1999
Have a question or comment or just want to get in touch?
E-mail me at stevieo4@erols.com