what to learn now?

[ahmed]

I have always been looking for some thing to do with C++ but i haven't found anything really . I know all the data structures that you can make/use in it . I want to learn more C++ , but what should i learn?C++ is powerful but it in what : / ?May be i don't know the dark side of C++ o_O

[lintwurm]

Maybe a stupid question, but have you ever screwed around with sockets?
Maybe try write a simple echo server/client...

^_^

[theonejb]

Try creating a program that uses some libraries, because C++ alone isn't as useful as you would think. As lintwurm said, try messing around with sockets and make a client/server app, like a small Chat Program for a network. Or maybe, try creating a small pong style game. Thats what I did when I had learned C++, and game programming is a very interesting field on its own, so you probably won't get bored.

[ahmed]

game programming seems good , but which library to use?opgenGL or directX , correct me if i am wrong anywhere

[lintwurm]

I have never done any game programming, but I know a couple of people that use the OpenGL library...
And as far as I know, OpenGL is for all platforms whereas DirectX is for windows?(Please correct me if I am wrong ^_^)

Maybe you will find this useful?
Why you should use openGL and not DirectX

[theonejb]

OpenGL and DirectX are good, but I'd advice you to start with something a bit simpler. Try Allegro, its a cross platform graphics library that makes programming 2d games VERY simple. Start there, and make your foundation in game programming concepts. Starting with OpenGL or DirectX may be too complicated.

[WingedPanther]

For some completely different advice: Have you looked at the Boost library and any of the GUI libraries? wxWidgets, gtkmm, Ultimate++, and several others are all cross-platform, and use various styles of C++ coding.

[ahmed]

theonejb : have you made any game in allegro ? picking up any library won't be difficult , i just need one that is addictive ,
wingedpanther: i have seen wxWidgets , but when it comes to cross-platform gui , isn't java good for it?

[WingedPanther]

Java is another choice for cross-platform development. As with all things, however, there are tradeoffs. Java is compiled to bytecode and requires the JVM be installed where ever you want to run it. Not a big deal, in most cases, but it's there.

Also, Java and C++ have different design purposes. C++ gives you more control of your data.

Finally, I love playing openarena, which is C++ and OpenGL. I also like several other games that use basic graphics, like Tatum's puzzles. They start faster than the equivalent Java programs.

I'm a big believer in having options. There are java programs, like SQuirreL SQL client and jEdit, that I use constantly. There are also a lot of C++ apps that I use.

For now, I'd check out Boost, especially since some of it is being added to the C++ library.

[ahmed]

thanks again , one more thing is that , as i am doing my bachelors in comp sciences so i want to pick one thing that i can work on it later that also helps me in getting jobs