I have been learning C++ for about a month now on my own as well as with someone giving me practice problems to solve (I'm an accounting major) and have realized that I will never be as good as I would like to be if I don't get a better understanding of good coding practices as well as theory. I have found tons of resources on how to do a particular thing with C++ but am having more trouble trying to fill in my education with topics and discussions that will help me understand the underlying concepts. I always feel a little disheartened that I got myself so far into accounting now that back tracking isn't really feasible (1 year left). I won't be able to do computer science now but I would like some replies about the best resources for becoming a well rounded and solid programmer for those that are self-taught(books, websites, textbooks, etc...) I think I'm a little bit older now from what I've seen on here (22) compared to most people. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Quote:Original post by Telastyn
Code Complete (not super useful, but good for people without exposure to commercial programming)

I want to second Code Complete, as someone in a similar position to the original poster. Code Complete is an absolutely fantastic book, and it's also incredibly readable. Since it's also widely considered a classic of the field, it should be available at your local library if you want to take a look at it before buying it. Code Complete is an almost invaluable resource for anyone looking to improve as a programmer and a developer (though it won't help you at all if what you really want to learn are the specifics of your particular language).

As for websites, I agree with Telastyn that they're overall not very good and sometimes actually harmful rather than helpful.

Blogs, on the other hand, can sometimes be quite useful, although you always have to sort the wheat from the chaff -- but it can be worth looking around. One pretty interesting blog series that seems applicable to this website is David Cumps' Design Patterns series. He's working through all of the design patterns presented in Head First Design Patterns (most of the useful ones from the Gang of Four text), and he's doing a great job of explaining them. Most of the examples and explanations he gives are in the context of building a game (specifically, a Command and Conquer clone). The language is C#, but you should be able to follow everything with C++ experience.

Hi godsenddeath,

You can get a job in the industry at 27. I just started working as a developer in June, 2007 at the age of 24.5. I know someone at my company who was on the same degree as me; he started when he was 28. I don't think your age really matters as long as you are able to program well and are under the age of 80 :).