What’s this? Learn C++ before C#... Why though?!

Question

I’ve seen this said all over the place but no one goes into detail explaining why. What are the advantages vs. disadvantages for learning C++ before C#? Up until now I’ve became curious about how programming really works. What happens underneath it all? What happens when I compile it and run my program? Is this what they mean by learn C++ first? Will it help me to understand what’s going on more clearly? BTW I already know C#. Thanks John

Brandon Lewis · Answer

Arc Youve got a good point. I never thought of it that way :) But like my Advanced XHTML intructor always said If you dont know whats underneath the hood of a car how are you going to fix it if it breaks down?. Im just getting into C++ from a C# standpoint so the C++ code frustrates me. I have been spoiled by Visual Studio! But I may actually shift to C++ just because I want to learn more and more about how programming actually works and its a very good language to really get into the grass roots of a system without going assembly language! Brandon

Arc · Answer

I've take a couple C++ and Java classes and have coded in php and javascript for years and I am just now getting into C#. I have to say the syntax is fairly similar with all of them but the IDE is so user friend in Visual Studio.net that with C# you kind of have everything handed to you and it is real easy to just make something without realy knowing what you are realy doing. When you use C++ and Java you realy learn all aout how programming realy works...way down to the very basics...almost to the binary level. Learning the ins and outs of pointers and memory management is completely bypassed in Visual Studio.net. Plus there are so many built in functions that you realy don't even have to know how to code you just have to know which buttons to press. That said...VS.NET is the future and it is kinda like a kid asking why do I have to know how to do math when there are calcualtors I can use! While the kid has a very good point it is still good to know math but not really necesary.

Brandon Lewis · Answer

I would personally like to just stay with C#. C++ is such a crabby language but it does offer better memory managment but its just not as syntactically friendly as C#. But I know what you mean I have to take 3 C++ classes and a Java class before theyll even let me take an introduction to C# class and personally I like C# MUCH MUCH better!