Standard C and C++ Newsgroups

Internet newsgroups or "usenet" groups can be an excellent source of help. You just have to understand a few rules. The groups in this section discuss the standard C and C++ programming languages, as defined by the ANSI/ISO/IEC International Standards.

They are not good places to ask questions about how to do compiler, operating system, or hardware specific things which are not defined by the standards for the languages.

There is a FAQ (F requently Asked Questions) list for each of these groups. These contain the answers to very common questions which are asked over and over again, especially by newcomers to the programming languages and to the newsgroups.

Be sure and get the FAQ for these groups and read it before posting. It might very well have the answer to your question and it might even have the answers to the next few questions you are going to have! In addition to the FAQs I have listed for these specific groups, most of the usenet group FAQs are available from MIT.

You should also read the group itself for some time before posting, to get a good idea of what is considered topical.

Posting binary attachments or HTML messages is not welcome in programming groups, as it is not in most other groups which do not have "binaries" in their name. Make sure to set the posting options in your news software to send text only messages.

news:alt.comp.lang.learn.c-c++. This is an excellent group for beginners learning either language. There is a FAQ available for this group. Please read it before posting.

news:comp.lang.c . This is the heavy-duty group for the C programming language. Some of the most knowledgeable and experienced C programmers in the world are regular contributors to this group. Still questions from beginners are welcome if they are indeed about the standard C programming language. Be sure you get the FAQ from one of the links below and read it before posting. You're liable to get flamed if you don't.

comp.lang.cFAQ text for ftp download
Another link for ftp text file download
Here's a hypertext version for viewing with your browser

news:comp.lang.c.moderated. Like comp.lang.c, this group discusses the standard ANSI/ISO/IEC C programming language. Like all moderated newsgroups, all messages sent to this group are examined and approved by a moderator. If the moderator decides that the subject is off-topic the message will not appear in the group. The caliber of the discussion is excellent but the pace is slower, since new messages are only added when the moderator has time to view and approve them. The FAQ for this group is the same as for comp.lang.c.

news:comp.lang.c++. This is another top caliber group frequented by extremely knowledgeable contributors. Note that since C++ uses C as a base, and almost all good C programs are C++ programs as well, questions about C programs and functions are topical here. But be prepared to receive suggestions that you convert your program to use C++ methods instead, or that you post it to comp.lang.c instead. Be sure to read the FAQ first!

news:comp.lang.c++.moderated . This is the moderated version of comp.lang.c++. Again moderation eliminates SPAM and off-topic posts, but can slow the rate of discussion. The FAQ is the same as for comp.lang.c++.

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Compiler and OS Specific Newsgroups

Again you should read each of these groups for a while before posting, and look for a reference to a FAQ and read that as well if there is one.

Here is an index of groups.

Borland C, C++, and C++ Builder Support Newsgroups
Microsoft C and C++ Support Newsgroups

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Free downloadable C and C++ compilers

Free Borland Turbo C & Turbo Pascal compilers

You must register to download these compilers, but it is completely free.

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Free Borland C++ 5.5 Compiler

You must register to download this compiler, but it is completely free.

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Usenet Acronyms

Oliver Clarks Acronym Dictionary

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Interesting and important C and C++ sites

Home page of Bjarne Stroustrup, creator of the C++ programming language. He is still a computer scientist in AT&T Labs, as are other Bell Labs people who stayed with AT&T instead of moving to Lucent.

There are reviews of over 2000 C, C++, and Java books on the ACCU Association of C and C++ Users web site.

The Lysator Programming In C site.

Recommended C Style and Coding Standards based on the AT&T Indian Hill C Style and Coding Standards paper.

The Ten Commandments for C Programmers.

C/C++ Programmer's Tools and Their Producers is an excellent place to find out who makes (made) utilities and libraries.

Don't think your compiler's error messages are clear enough? Take a look at these from Apple´s MPW C compiler.

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