C Programming For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Introduction

When I was in school, I'd open a new math textbook and look in the back, marveling at the problems. Someday, I thought, I would understand all this nonsense.

You should do that with this book right now: Open it up to one of the final chapters. Look over the C programming code and think to yourself, “Someday soon, this will all make perfect sense to me.”

Say “Hello, world” to C Programming For Dummies, 2nd Edition, the book that sets you on the path to become a computer programmer. Once despised vermin, banished to basement server rooms and suffering from a lack of personal hygiene, programmers are now valued and contributing members of society. Some are billionaires. And they all started their careers by learning to program.

The C language lets you master a number of electronic gizmos. You can craft your own programs, dictating your every whim and desire to computers, tablets, and cell phones. The electronics dutifully obey. Given the information offered in this book, you can pass that programming class, impress your friends, be admired by Hollywood, or even start your own software company. Truly, learning to program is a worthy investment of your time.

This book helps make learning how to program understandable and enjoyable. You don’t need any programming experience — you don’t even need to buy new software. You just need the desire to program in C and the ability to have fun while doing so.

Why the C Language?

An argument surfaces every few years that learning ...