The seventh book: Objectorientation using C++ (Q2716348)

It is a marvellous text book about object-orientation, all what is important, all what students of fields in neighbourhood to computer science should know about it; due to circumstances with a regretted but good touch of C++. It is well-written (sorry, there are some typos), in a refreshing style; the ``Hofzwerge in der Wiener Hofburg'' may become the trade mark of the book! It covers programming starting with problem formulation and analysis, design/construction of a program as a solution for the problem, and, finally, realisation/implementation in a truely (!) object-oriented C++ program. It has to be underscored how in a very thoughtful didactic approach object-orientation is introduced making the book different of the mass of other books with a similar goal. ``Object-based'' as instantiation of abstract data types (combined, of course, with functional abstraction) is the starting point and basis of methodological understanding of state-of-the-art programming technology, most of the first 12 chapters with about 200 pages. NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINEOnly when it becomes adequate and necessary the essential characteristics of strict object-orientation is introduced, i.e., classes, object instantiation/construction (and \dots /destruction, unavoidable in C++ with all the risks if the language kernel used does not offer automatic garbage collection), single inheritance (bravo, the correct distinction in the German language between the terms ``erben'' and ``vererben'' is payed attention to!), method re-definition/polymorphism, dynamic binding, exception handling, templates with type parameters; 8 more chapters with about 110 pages. Counting the pages, to be concise, is not really correct in my review as some chapters contain well-considered statements about basic data structure programming, sorting, queue manipulation, graph techniques, hashing wherever appropriate. And, initial steps in applying good software engineering principles are covered, too. NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINEThe intended audience are students (oh, I like it how the disputed German term ``Student'' is introduced and handled, footnote, page 7!) in courses where computer science belongs to a minor programme, especially in human, literal, and social sciences. The excellent didactic approach, the well selected scope and presentation makes the book as well highly recommendable for computer science students and their teachers. Last, but not least, the examples taken from the real world (e.g., the remarks about the ``Hofzwerge'', the ``Hobbits'', the ``Magier'', the ``Bundeskanzler'' and his New Years address) as well as a large number of exercises at the end of each chapter, besides being well chosen to demonstrate the computer science contents, are such a distinct mirror with a ``political correct filter glass'' in front of it highlighting the social context in which we are living that reading the book really is fun. The author claims that a professor is (sorry, it is not possible to translate it in English) ``ein Beamter, der ueber's Wasser gehen kann''; no, the author as one instantiation from the class ``Professors'' is also a person able to make high-quality fun in a text book. Does he introduce ``Leistungsbezogene Energieverteilung fuer Magier'' as a synonym for ``Leistungsbezogene Honorierung von Professoren'' (it is a pity that professors have to make comic figures of themselves in present days)?