Jumping Someone Else's Code

I found a free compiler called Bloodshed Dev that has solved all (well most of) my problems with Visual C++ and now can concentrate on actually programming. How is that going? Well, that’s hard to say.

I just finished chapter 3 and have tested the program I made. The program was a very basic design to draw an icon all over the screen in random locations. The main purpose was to create the game engine, so I’m not too saddened by the lack of luster in the item I created. I am her to learn and tell you what that was. So, what did I learn?

I learned this book assumes I am well versed in the world of C++ programming and that I know how to quote the stuff like Shakespeare. I also learned that C++ has almost no actual commands of its own and that the “#include” commands I type it do much more then I possibly imagined. I find it daunting to see that adding the lines “#include “or “#include ” are not just one line commands but links to layers upon layers of programming files that make up commands and define them with names of the original programmers choosing. I learned to start making sense of Hungarian notation. What is Hungarian notation? Go look it up. It’s a clever idea, but is about as boring as reading the back of a paint can.

I learned in chapter 3 that it’s not that I don’t have a clue about programming, but that programming in C++ is mostly just connecting things you want done to the work done by programmers before you. I don’t have a chance it hell to “learn” programming, I just have to learn the etiquette of writing code and keep thinks that I am not actually crating anything out of thin air. I am just associating endless amounts of people’s code with what I want done.

Then again, that may just be the game engine that makes me feel that way. The next chapter is about graphics. Perhaps I’ll start really seeing things I can control, and not just link my coding with. Wish me luck.