Learn C The Hard Way

I too just started reading this one.

For me, my first foray into 'low-level' programming was during my freshman year in a CS101 course that used C++. That first course on it's own wasn't too bad, but the subsequent 'introductory' courses for more C++ and Data Structures + Algorithms were just terrible. I couldn't absorb anything useful from them because I was just overwhelmed with the constant bombardment of Segmentation Faults everywhere. Poor teachers + high learning overhead as a result of using a low-level language, just made me want to stray as far away as possible from ever using a 'C-langage' again. If it wasn't for me discovering Python around the same time, I probably would've just given up and pursued music or audio engineering instead.

Fast forward to last year, having now learned a ton more languages, I decided to go back and start reading K&R. I didn't manage to get through a whole lot, but from what I read, I liked it. The problem was that I didn't really feel motivated to keep plowing through it. Looking through the snippets of code in it, more and more I began wondering if some things were just outdated practices, or if they were in fact crazy idioms that I would have to get used to when dealing with C. That doubt (as silly as it might sound) did put me off a bit. The explanations in the text were top notch, but again, the code just didn't compel me to type it in like I knew I should.

Now I started reading LCTHW just a few days ago, and I have to say, it is quite awesome. It's a lot more minimal and sparse than I'm used to for a book, but I have been seriously surprised at how effective that method is. At first I was a bit annoyed that a lot of parts were basically saying 'just google it', cause I look to books to present me with a more coherent explanation of things than I can find scattered around the web or in arcane documentation. But as I went on with it, I noticed that the things he makes you look up on your own are generally specific enough that it makes the task of filtering out all the nonsense much easier than if you were researching it on your own. I quickly got into the groove of the book, because it just builds your confidence that you can be pretty self-sufficient in a new environment, even at the early stages of your learning. Combine that with his 'code first, explain later' format, and that book is surprisingly motivating. In just 2 days, I went through the first 17 chapters (currently stuck on the extra credit for the Database exercise), and I just want to keep on going. I think this is the first time I've ever experienced this level of enjoyment and drive from a programming tutorial. I have no idea why this is, but it's damn impressive. I can't wait to get to the K&R portion at the end.

Thanks Zed!

Yeah that dumbass Zed Shaw, looking at not even half done freetard stuff is a waste of time. There is K&R and a lot of good contributions to stackoverflow [1].

[1] http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4810664/how-do-i-use-arra...

Nothing is more enjoyable than watching idiots like you imagine that the world is a fully formed perfect thing that can't possibly be a work in-progress. I watch you guys never put anything out there for fear that someone will think it's just not quite perfect enough. Meanwhile, I crap things into my toilet better than anything you'll make mostly because I put stuff up while I'm working on it so I get immediate feedback. To me, the new artist is about showing the process, not just the final work.

K&R isn't available as an E-Book, it is expensive and as someone who has no knowledge about how C is developed and has advanced the age of the book makes me doubt if it is suitable to learn how people develop C programs nowadays. I don't want to finish it and find out that a third of what I learned is outdated.