Book · 1985
The C++ Programming Language
by Bjarne Stroustrup
Bjarne Stroustrup writes the reference manual for the language he invented, and on Reddit it mostly survives as one joke about languages nobody complains about.
What does Reddit think of The C++ Programming Language?
35 mentions, 35 distinct account identifiers, no repeat citations, a dataset with no returning voice at all. r/programming's other appearances lean historical: one comment (↑272) places the book's development in the same year ARPANET standardized TCP/IP, trivia, not review. r/learnprogramming's joke entry (↑329), the CppCon t-shirt bit, treats the whole subject as a punchline. The closest thing to an actual reading recommendation in the sample (↑126) argues for reading a C++ book over YouTube tutorials generally, without naming this one specifically. Cited constantly. Reviewed almost never.
Community feedback & reader fit
Themes
- · The Stroustrup one-liner as the book's entire Reddit identity
- · Historical trivia over content discussion
- · CppCon-t-shirt joke culture standing in for actual reviews
- · Generic 'read a book, not YouTube' advice that never names this book
Common praise
- + The Stroustrup one-liner gets cited approvingly twice, independently, in r/cscareerquestions (↑821) and r/compsci (↑181), so at least people remember it.
- + r/programming's historical aside (↑272) ties the book's development to the same year ARPANET standardized TCP/IP, treating the era as worth knowing.
Common criticism
- − None of the 35 mentions argue for or against actually reading the book; they only argue for quoting it.
- − The most-upvoted C++ reading advice in the sample (↑126) never names this title, it just argues generically for books over YouTube tutorials.
- − The CppCon joke (↑329) outranks any actual discussion of the book's content.
Who it's for
If you already know the 'two kinds of languages' line, you've absorbed most of what this sample has to offer about the book itself. Want history instead of technique? The ↑272 aside on Stroustrup's timeline next to ARPANET might interest you more than the actual text would. Looking for someone on Reddit to vouch for reading it cover to cover? The closest the sample gets is generic 'read a book, not tutorials' advice (↑126) that never names it. This isn't a dataset that argues you should pick it up, or that you shouldn't.
Mentions over time
Top subreddits
Which Reddit comments matter for The C++ Programming Language?
The most relevant excerpts across the subreddits where this book is mentioned — opinionated, argued takes first, then top-upvoted mentions. Click through to read the full thread.
“There are only two kinds of languages: the ones people complain about and the ones nobody uses. Bjarne Stroustrup, The C++ Programming Language
“C++ absolutely gives you superpowers. The line at the club the other night was two hours long, but when the bouncer saw my CppCon tshirt he let me in right away. I went to the bar and set up my laptop. Girls couldn't stop complimenting my template metaprogramming skills. I got 15 phone numbers a…
“The context about the era during the release is very interesting >That same year, Bjarne Stroustrup was in the middle of developing the first version of the C++ programming language, ARPANET standardized TCP/IP. Borland …
“Here's my list of the classics: **General Computing** * But How Do It Know? - The Basic Principles of Computers for Everyone * The Elements of Computing Systems: Building a Modern Computer from First Principles * […
“I don't understand why people want her to be specifically **the first** programmer so badly, as if being a pioneer in the field of computing, possibly a programmer herself (see disputes over contributions), and being crucial to its spread are somehow not monumental achievements already. Babbage was…
“>There are only two kinds of languages: the ones people complain about and the ones nobody uses. Bjarne Stroustrup, The C++ Programming Language
“\> QT is available under LGPL license which prohibits you from statically linking your application without releasing the source code This is \*false\*. LGPL has never prohibited static linking. It gives the proprietary author a bit more work if he wants to comply but it is definitely possible: [h…
“If you want a thorough foundation in C++ I highly suggest you read a book on it rather than youtube videos. You can learn the basics through youtube but C++ is a bit more complicated than other languages and you would be better prepared if you took some time to read a book and follow along writing y…
“Well, this is usually because C++ is not really a beginner friendly language. You need to understand the architecture/fundamentals of a computer system at times to understand certain concepts and are often difficult to understand ex: pointers, dynamic memory allocation etc. and with C++ you never fi…
“# “There are only two kinds of languages: the ones people complain about and the ones nobody uses.” ― Bjarne Stroustrup, The C++ Programming Language
“Quote: "The end game is to find a way to move developers from the aging C and C++ programming language to so-called 'memory-safe languages.'" If Rust pans out, if it acquires critical mass (as Python did), I can't think of anything I would like better than a compiled language that does its own memo…
“Can you tell me about your previous experience. If you are a total beginner I encourage you to read: * Programming Principles and Practices using C++ by Bjarne Stroustrup (It's the best I can't stress enough.) * It is not about C++ but rather about using C++ in learning programming, but is quite…
“I've done it before. It works fine. In some ways it's much better (e.g. it *is* nicer to read). *The C++ Programming Language* is typeset in proportional font and it looks great. The only downside is that you have to use tabs with most fonts. I mean it's arguably not a downside because tabs are cle…
“One should probably mention that the latest edition of ”The C++ Programming Language” is ten years old now and missing quite a bit of the things that comprise modern C++. It’s not a bad choice, but one should be aware of that.
“Would recommend reading Bjarnes (the creator of C++) book “The C++ Programming Language: 4th Edition” for getting a view of the features. It’s easier reading than the standard. It goes into a lot of detail about the various pitfalls of the language, and when and how to use what. It has saved me on a…
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Readers also mention
Books that share discussion threads with The C++ Programming Language — counted from the comments, not curated.
The C++ Programming Language — frequently asked
Is The C++ Programming Language actually discussed on Reddit, or just quoted?+
Mostly quoted. The book's one recurring appearance in the sample is a single Stroustrup line, 'the ones people complain about and the ones nobody uses,' cited independently in r/cscareerquestions (↑821) and r/compsci (↑181). Neither instance discusses the book's actual content.
Does Reddit recommend The C++ Programming Language to beginners?+
Not directly, based on the displayed sample. The nearest thing to reading advice, an r/learnprogramming comment (↑126) arguing for books over YouTube tutorials, doesn't name this title specifically. No excerpt in the sample recommends this book by name to a beginner.
What's the most upvoted thing Reddit says about The C++ Programming Language?+
A joke, not a review. The top r/learnprogramming entry (↑329) is a bit about a CppCon t-shirt getting someone into a club and impressing people with 'template metaprogramming skills.' The book's actual content doesn't come up in the highest-upvoted entries.