News and Updates
September 2005
Please note that there is a corrected version of fgwlib.a on the resources page (fixes a bug that manifests on high performance systems by not updating the screen when a Playpen is first created.) There is also a corrected version of fgw_text.h (std::cin was not fully qualified in several places which causes problems with the latest compiler releases). <\p>
August 2005: Other Translations Available
During the last few months translations of YCDI in Chinese, Russian and Czechoslovakian have gone on sale. Do not expect me to give support in those languages but I will do my best if the reader can handle English, even if only badly.
I have delivered the draft manuscript of my next book, "You Can Program in C++" to my editor.
October 2004: French Translation Available
YCDI! is now available in French under the title 'Je me lance!'(2-74293-652-1). I have to emphasise that I had no part in the translation process and so if there are errors due to translation readers will have to blame the translators.
Unfortunately the reason that I know the translation is on sale is because a reader contacted me with a problem with code that would not link to produce an executable. After investigation it bacame clear that the reason was that the programmer who 'enhanced' my library by adding French named functions that forwarded to the English named ones did not understand the implications of placing unqualified function definitions into header files. The result is that as soon as a reader tries to use multiple .cpp files (as is required by Chapter 3) they get redefinition errors.
The fix is easy for an experienced programmer but the problem is soul destroying for a novice who will have no idea what the problem is and will likely waste a great deal of time trying to correct their actually faultless code.
If you are trying to use the French version please go to Replacement headers for French CD.
Finally my thanks to Laurent Bouchet who drew my attention to the problem and then patiently worked with my whilst I identified the cause and produced the corrected versions.
September 2004: Work on a New Book
I am currently working a my next book which is tentatively titled 'You Can Program in C++'. This will be a book aimed at those who can already program but not (or never successfully) in C++. It should be published around August 2005.
August 2004: Suffolk University adopts YCDI!
Though You Can Do It was not written as a course text, Suffolk University (UK) has decided that it meets their needs as an introductory programming text and will use it for this purpose in the coming academic year (2004/5).
Website Colours
Francis chose the colours — so if you don't like them blame him. On the other hand Roberta spent many hours designing and writing the initial HTML for the site. Anything that is wrong will be the result of me (Francis) messing around with the code afterwards.
WH Smith's Computer Book for January 2004
WH Smith has made 'You Can Do It!' their Computer Book of the Month for January 2004. The authors are delighted to a have this accolade and are gratified to see that WH Smith recognises quality when they see it.
November — Francis
At the moment the book is still on course for publication in the UK in the second week of December (2003) and in early February in the US.
November — Roberta
Not only was I turned into a small furry animal on the back of the book but Francis then persuaded me to write this website. It seems that I am on course to become a professional 'beginner'.
I had learnt a bit of HTML a few years ago but had not really pursued it. This time I decided to write it in xhtml transitional and I must confess I found it much easier to get to grips with having learnt programming basics. Putting web pages through the W3C validator is just like compiling programs - it stops you repeating the same errors repeatedly.
I trawled the Web for easy to understand tutorials and can recommend in particular those at W3C and Ross Shannon's excellent tutorial
The next job on the list is to write my very own website at long last.