WELCOME ro Beginning ANSI C++: The Complete Language, Third Edition. This is a tuto­ rial guide to Standard C++. During the course of the book you'll cover all the funda­ mentals of syntax, grammar, object-oriented capability, and the principal features of the standard library. You'll soon gain enough programming know-how to write your own C++ applications. Why C++? C++ is arguably the most widely used programming language in existence. It's used in professional application development because of its immense flexibility, power, and efficiency. For high-performance code across a vast range of programming contexts, C++ is unrivalled. It's also much more accessible than many people assume. With the right guidance, getting a grip on C++ is easier than you might imagine. By developing your C++ skills, you'll learn a language already used by millions, and you'll acquire a new tool in your programming toolbox that is likely to be more powerful than any of the others. The Standard for C++ In 1998, the International Standard for C++, ISO/IEC 14882, was finally approved and adopted by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Committee for Information Technology Standards (INCITS). This was the culmination of nine years of work by a joint ANSI/ISO committee whose objective was to establish a single definition of the C++ programming language that would be accepted worldwide. | Ivor Horton's Beginning ANSI C++, Boxed Set/Slip Case/Casebound | Indigo Chapters