Re: C++/CLI Death 2008, 2009 or 2010?
- From: "PvdG42" <pvdg42@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 30 Nov 2008 16:41:03 -0600
"Jeroen Mostert" <jmostert@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:49330648$0$182$e4fe514c@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
PvdG42 wrote:First, let me say that I agree with you and appreciate the clear differentiation. I'll add that I, like the OP have been a bit disappointed that C++/CLI didn't "get everything", even though I know it's not economically feasible. I think part of my unrealistic expectations were driven by several books published (which shall remain nameless to protect the guilty) that address C++/CLI from a general development prespective, thus misleading the reader to an extent. So, finally my question: do you know of any good titles that might be useful in teaching college students to exploit C++/CLI strengths? Thanks!I don't think college students should be bothering with C++/CLI at all, to be honest -- unless they want to pick it up themselves, as a hobby. It's a specialized tool for professional programmers, not a general language you'd want to expose students to.
If you want to invest in a general purpose language, learn C++ instead, and look beyond Windows (don't bother with things like MFC if you don't have to). Moving to C++/CLI from that would be a specialization for those people who want to use C++ with the .NET framework. If you're more interested in the .NET framework than in C++, though, learning C# is a much better option -- it's cleaner conceptually and there's a lot more material.
If you know C++ and C#, moving to C++/CLI should be easy enough that you can do it with just the reference documentation from Microsoft. Starting with C++/CLI if you know neither C++ nor C# seems to be a misguided effort to me -- you'll learn neither clean, portable C++ nor the most effective ways to leverage the .NET framework.
Contrary to how it might look, C++/CLI is not the language to learn if you want to know both C++ and the .NET framework, nor is it "the next logical step" for people who use C++ for Win32 development. C++/CLI has pointers *and* references *and* managed references *and* deterministic finalization *and* garbage collection... C++ and .NET should really be studied separately, so you know what side of the border each C++/CLI feature is on.
Contrary to C++ and C#, I have read no C++/CLI books (keeping in line with the theme above, I guess), so I can't really make book recommendations. I would definitely stay away from the books that try to sell it as a C++ upgrade, though, or as a language for general-purpose development. That's not doing anyone a service.
--
J.
I very much appreciate you taking the time to share your views. Actually, we have a second C++ class that addresses Windows app development and I have already started the process of converting it to a more generalized second C++ course that simply ignores CLI. For Windows and web stuff, a second course in C# would be far better.
Thanks again for taking the time to respond in detail.
.
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