Re: Learning C language

[Andrew Haley <aph at redhat dot com>]

deraustin@waitrose.com wrote:

>     Some twenty-five or more years ago I studied C language for a brief
> period using Hisoft's Lattice C on an Atari ST computer. Now, retired,
> with time available and with an Intel Apple iMac computer, I am keen to
> renew this study.
> 
>     From recent reading my best course would seem to be to use GCC and,
> towards this end, I have acquired Brian Gough's book 'An Introduction to
> GCC' and, to refresh my memory,  Kerninghan and Ritchie's 'The C
> Programming Language (ANSI edition)', having lost the copy of the
> earlier edition I once had.
> 
>     Lattice C came complete with compiler and all necessary system
> libraries and header files etc and, using  the Lattice C manual and K
> and R, I was able to start writing what were to me quite complicated
> programs fairly quickly; to my regret most of this is now lost and
> forgotten.  My problem is that with the C language compilers, libraries
> etc that are available now by downloads and otherwise, I am not at all
> sure which I should acquire in order to, first, begin my studies  with
> GCC, and then to gradually progress to more advanced levels.
> 
>     I would be grateful for any help you can give me on how, and from
> whence, I can acquire the appropriate compiler program, system files and
> the standard and other libraries, indeed all I need to start building
> and running C programs.
> 
>     At 86 and with three young grandsons, all knowledgeable about 
> computers (although not yet into programming)  my aim is to learn enough
> to surprise them by sending them stand-alone, executable programs on
> disk for them to run on their PCs.

That's great.

>     Any advice you can give me towards this end, including guides,
> tutorials,  books etc, which might be of help would be much appreciated.

First, you need to install Xcode.  According to http://developer.apple.com/TOOLS/xcode/,
Xcode is packaged on the DVD with every copy of Mac OS X.

Xcode includes GCC.  Install that first, and see how you get on.
I'm not a Mac developer so I won't be able much to help you with
Mac-specific issues -- for that you might be better off asking a
Mac forum.  But by all means ask.

Andrew.