Structures and Problem Solving Using C++ provides a practical introduction to data structures and algorithms from the viewpoint of abstract thinking and problem solving, as well as the use of C++. It is a complete revision of Weiss' successful CS2 book Algorithms, Data Structures, and Problem Solving with C++. The most unique aspect of this text is the clear separation of the interface and implementation. C++ allows the programmer to write the interface and implementation separately, to place them in separate files and compile separately, and to hide the implementation details. This book goes a step further: the interface and implementation are discussed in separate parts of the book. Part I (Objects and C++), Part II (Algorithms and Building Blocks), and Part III (Applications) lay the groundwork by discussing basic concepts and tools and providing some practical examples, but implementation of data structures is not shown until Part IV (Implementations). This separation of interface and implementation promotes abstract thinking. Class interfaces are written and used before the implementation is known, forcing the reader to think about the functionality and potential efficiency of the various data structures (e.g., hash tables are written well before the hash table is implemented). Throughout the book, Weiss has included the latest features of the C++ programming language, including a more prevalent use of the Standard Template Library
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Data Structures And Problem Solving Using C++ 2nd ed - Mark Weiss
Structures and Problem Solving Using C++ provides a practical introduction to data structures and algorithms from the viewpoint of abstract thinking and problem solving, as well as the use of C++. It is a complete revision of Weiss' successful CS2 book Algorithms, Data Structures, and Problem Solving with C++. The most unique aspect of this text is the clear separation of the interface and implementation. C++ allows the programmer to write the interface and implementation separately, to place them in separate files and compile separately, and to hide the implementation details. This book goes a step further: the interface and implementation are discussed in separate parts of the book. Part I (Objects and C++), Part II (Algorithms and Building Blocks), and Part III (Applications) lay the groundwork by discussing basic concepts and tools and providing some practical examples, but implementation of data structures is not shown until Part IV (Implementations). This separation of interface and implementation promotes abstract thinking. Class interfaces are written and used before the implementation is known, forcing the reader to think about the functionality and potential efficiency of the various data structures (e.g., hash tables are written well before the hash table is implemented). Throughout the book, Weiss has included the latest features of the C++ programming language, including a more prevalent use of the Standard Template Library
Data Structure For Game Programers - Ron Penton
"Data Structures for Game Programmers" replaces endless pages of boring text with exciting gaming technology and eye-catching graphics. The complex subject of data structures is made easy to understand and fun to learn. Start with an explanation of how the most popular data structures and algorithms work. Then you're on your way as you create your own! From simple arrays and bit vectors to intense binary tree graphs and hash tables, this book covers it all. It even tackles the algorithms used for sorting, searching, compression, and recursion
C++ Data Structures 3rd ed - Nell Dale
C++ Data Structures 3rd ed - Nell DaleWhen introducing fundamentals, the authors often express themselves poorly and try to compensate through repetition and paraphrase. This confuses the student fresh to the material, since it is not clear whether the same point is being repeated, or developed, or a new one introduced. On the other hand, they simply skirt concepts--exception handling, for example--that need to be explained in detail. Instead of straightforwardly presenting new material, they tiptoe around it through constructs of their own design which are no more easy to learn and whose relation to the essential point is unclear. For example, something like myNode->next->back refers to the node pointed to by the back pointer of the node following myNode, i.e. to myNode itself. Not too mind-boggling. But first they have to lead us through a song and dance about a notation they invented which represents the preceding as back(next(myNode)), which is (a) unnecessary, (b) more complex, and (c) really confusing because (a) it is exactly backwards, and (b) the most deeply nested item is one that dominates the structure. The whole book is like this, a weird combination of aimlessness with a hidden agenda, expressed in patronizing, humorless, finger-wagging.
Other reviewers call it a good reference work; it is not. It is poorly indexed, partly because the explanation of a single concept may appear at intervals through several chapters of context which, though rambling, is a necessary to grasp the meaning.
Note that the enthusiastic reviews of this book come from a software reviewer, someone who finds this the clearest of the _three_ data structure books he's used, and someone who recommends it to advanced programmers, granting that you have to understand C++ classes to follow the book--although the book's task is to _introduce_ C++ classes. Another says that all previous courses just taught C++ coding--but this is a second-semester text! In other words, it's a great book to own if you don't need it.
I think teachers who like this book don't actually read it, just flip through it, checking points, "Lists, yup, linked lists, yup, doubly-linked lists, with circles and arrows on the back, yup, yup, yup, it's all there," because THEY DON'T HAVE TO LEARN ANYTHING FROM IT. I can't see how any teacher could adopt it who tried to read it from the point of view of someone new to the material presented.
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