C++ Pointers and Dynamic Memory Management

While I understood pointers I always felt a little uncomfortable with them - this book has made things crystal clear. It has helped me to understand pointer and memory management concepts and pitfalls and has made me a much better programmer. This is NOT the book for you if you are trying to learn C++ or are at a beginner level - this is for the intermediate to heavy C++ programmer who wants to improve his/her coding skills and depth of knowledge.

Whereas some authors explain a programming concept with a paragraph or two, Daconta gives you pages of explainations with non-trivial code that actually reinforces the ideas he is trying to convey. He not only explains how something is done but why and where it should be used and not used. If only all programming books were written this well. Believe all the high ratings.

I have read this book five times front to back and back to front, as a C\C++ Systems programmer this book proves invaluable in manipulating data more effiiciently than any other book on the subject. This book is well diagramed and supported with text dissections that explain why the code was coded the way it was, not leaving you directionless and frustrated. I suggest for the novice programmer to get this book, because it will give you a head start over the average beginner. I would couple this book with some real world working code, perhaps in C\C++ Journal and correlate the how syntactically and semanctically the pointers tie together. Figit with the code examples and be prepared to experiment, you will not regret it. Great reference for advanced professionals as well. Only inkling that is the ugly book cover and wish to have a smaller textbook, like Addison-Wesley's C++ Primer 2nd Edition by Stanley Lippman

Michael not demonstrates the power, pitfalls, and subtilties of pointer operations, he gives powerful insight into the inner workings of the compiler and c++ data structure (class) modeling. I've owned the book for two months, and have read it cover to cover twice. I can't count the number of times I've used it just as a reference. I can honestly say that I've been using the book more often then I do my BC 4.5 help files. I highly recommend this book for anyone who sometimes fumbles a pointer function, or to anyone who is wise enough to recognize just how much power pointers can delever to your developement efforts. If you only buy one book this year I would choose Michael's above all others for the intermediate to advance programmer.

The ability to teach a complex subject in terms a layman canunderstand is a gift. Daconta is one of the few authors thatpossess that gift. If you plan on doing any realistic programming in C or C++ then a thorough knowledge of pointers, memory addresses, and dynamic allocation is crucial. Daconta's in-depth presentation of these topics is billiant. He clearly explains what pointers are and how to use them, call by reference and by value, casting, lvaues, rvalues, the stack,... and much more! From beginning to advanced, C or C++, I highly recommend this book! Brady Tippit