Well, due to convincing from iago, I'm switching to Slackware. Due to the fact I've wanted to learn the C family for some time now, and BASIC isn't the first priority of Linux Compiler Writers, I'm going to learn it right now. My approach to learning is "just do it", the same way I learned VB. I'll start by doing an easy project, and go up. If theres something stopping me from getting that project done, I'll learn how to do it.

If anyone has any nice tutorials you think I'd find useful, please post links here.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0072224207/qid=1108693483/sr=8-2/ref=pd_bbs_2/103-2150653-1747856?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

Looks good. When I get some money on my hands I'll buy it.

Herbert Schildt is a good author, I have his " A Beginners Guide To C++ " It's very good.

If you're going to be writing code on a *nix system, you may also want to read some tutorials on emacs or vi as well as writing Makefiles.  emacs vs vi seems to be a religious topic, so any recomendations should be taken with a grain of salt, but I prefer emacs.

If you decide to go the vi route, I recommend Vim.  Be aware that most college professors will incorrectly state that emacs is the best text editor ever.

<offtopic>

Nano, thanks.

</offtopic>

If you're going to suggest an editor, you ought to post a link to it! :)

Well, as many of you know, iago is mailing me Slackware. Because of that, I'm automatically picking *nix, and I have two MacOS X boxes, which are Unix.

As requested: link :)

Might not be suitable for you. It's very lightweight - but that's why I like it.

I'm going to tryout the new fad of announcing off-topic stuff as demonstrated by Arta.  :)

<offtopic>

Don't let iago persuade you, he endorses Java; ew.

</offtopic>

There should be [offtopic][/offtopic] tags.

<offtopic>

Whats wrong with java?

</offtopic>

[quote author=Shout link=topic=10608.msg100727#msg100727 date=1108954527]
There should be [offtopic][/offtopic] tags.

<offtopic>

Whats wrong with java?

</offtopic>
[/quote]

It lacks an unsigned type and access to pointers not to mention it's infurior in speed compared to real languages such as C++.  :)

[quote author=SoR-Mephisto link=topic=10608.msg100957#msg100957 date=1109035608]
[quote author=Shout link=topic=10608.msg100727#msg100727 date=1108954527]
There should be [offtopic][/offtopic] tags.

<offtopic>

Whats wrong with java?

</offtopic>
[/quote]

It lacks an unsigned type and access to pointers not to mention it's infurior in speed compared to real languages such as C++. :)
[/quote]

Not to mention you have NO IDEA what you're talking about, as always.

C++ is not a language designed for what you're trying to do. If you're trying to write something low-level, you should use C, C++, or Assembler. If you're writing an application (i.e. something an end-user will use), 90% of the time something other than a so-called "real" language will be better for the task. Access to pointers sort of kills garbage collection, which is a *huge* timesaver.

Unsigned types don't matter for a lot of applications.

Speed inferiority more has to do with Swing, which, I agree, sucks.

My only complaints with Java are Swing and a horribly verbose syntax and a lot of its libraries XML overzealousness.

How do I not have any idea what I'm talking about?  Everything I've mentioned there is true except for the "real language" gargin which you can regard as opinionated and not fact.

Additionally, why do you say that C is not a language designed for what he wants to do?  IIRC it was originally designed to be used on *nix systems and regardless of that, he never specified what he was trying to do exactly so you couldn't make a such a comment validly IMO.

C was designed to be a sort of portable, human-readable assembly. It didn't turn out that way.

You didn't mention how Java's lack of pointers inhibits its functionality. Java's got pass-by-reference. It has arrays and strings (in fact, they're safe, too).

I'd say the only bad thing about Java is that it doesn't have first class functions, but anonymous inner classes and listeners fit the bill nicely in that regard (for callbacks, etc).

However, that doesn't mean I don't know what I'm talking about; you're saying that because I didn't mention the positives of the language or the counter to its deficiencies that I suddenly have no idea (once again) what I am talking about.