reddit.com: first Chapter of TDPL available for free

[Jeremie Pelletier]

Andrei Alexandrescu Wrote:

> Steven Schveighoffer wrote:
> > On Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:00:59 -0400, Andrei Alexandrescu 
> > <SeeWebsiteForEmail at erdani.org> wrote:
> > 
> >> http://www.reddit.com/r/programming/comments/975ng/diving_into_the_d_programming_language_tdpl/ 
> >>
> >>
> >> (Don't tell anyone, but I plan to rewrite it.)
> >>
> >> Andrei
> > 
> > Wow, my head's spinning :)
> > 
> > That's a lot of data/concepts in one chapter.  Have you considered how 
> > this chapter will be for a newbie programmer?
> 
> Like K&R, TDPL is intended for people who already know how to program in 
> another language. Knowledge of a specific language is not recommended or 
> required. The preface will make that clear.
> 
> Some reviewers are still concerned that I discuss topics a bit too 
> advanced in the first chapter. I was suggested to adapt The Case for D 
> instead of this first chapter.
> 
> > *disclaimer: I'm not an expert on teaching or writing books.
> 
> Well you are an expert on reading books and that's what matters here.
> 
> 
> Andrei

I agree that your preview, while being really insightful into D, is gonna make the head of beginners explode. For example, you dive rather headfirst into variables, using immutable and auto before even talking about variable types.

I for one believe the market for such a book is mostly beginner to intermediate programmers. I only needed the language reference on the digitalmars website to learn about the syntax and semantics of D, and reading the code in the runtime and phobos gave more than enough examples to get comfortable using the language.