Comments on: C pointers explained http://www.paleotechnologist.net/?p=1513 Modern Fun With Old-School Tech Sat, 16 Feb 2013 03:39:20 +0000 hourly 1 By: Russ http://www.paleotechnologist.net/?p=1513&cpage=1#comment-18127 Russ Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:24:00 +0000 http://www.paleotechnologist.net/?p=1513#comment-18127 I had a hard time understanding pointers until I was lucky enough to get a job doing some simple C programming along side help desk duties. It then started all making sense when I was working with a real world project fixing bugs. Within a few months I was writing more advanced enhancements/improvements and assisting in a complete rewrite using the GTK library. Once you figure pointers out and understand that C is all about memory manipulation then it becomes much easier. I had a hard time understanding pointers until I was lucky enough to get a job doing some simple C programming along side help desk duties. It then started all making sense when I was working with a real world project fixing bugs. Within a few months I was writing more advanced enhancements/improvements and assisting in a complete rewrite using the GTK library.

Once you figure pointers out and understand that C is all about memory manipulation then it becomes much easier.

]]> By: Mike http://www.paleotechnologist.net/?p=1513&cpage=1#comment-16273 Mike Mon, 26 Dec 2011 06:23:53 +0000 http://www.paleotechnologist.net/?p=1513#comment-16273 I've tried FOREVER to understand pointers. It didn't make sense until I recently saw a video that used pointers in a practical sense (when writing functions and what not) instead of the whole int* ptr = &somevalue crap (which, to a new programmer, doesn't make a whole lot of sense in terms of "Why/when would I need to do this?"). This was a pretty good read, but I would recommend appending to this article to show why and when a programmer would need use pointers. How they work isn't what is confusing about them, at least in my experience. I’ve tried FOREVER to understand pointers. It didn’t make sense until I recently saw a video that used pointers in a practical sense (when writing functions and what not) instead of the whole int* ptr = &somevalue crap (which, to a new programmer, doesn’t make a whole lot of sense in terms of “Why/when would I need to do this?”). This was a pretty good read, but I would recommend appending to this article to show why and when a programmer would need use pointers. How they work isn’t what is confusing about them, at least in my experience.

]]> By: M. Eric Carr http://www.paleotechnologist.net/?p=1513&cpage=1#comment-16220 M. Eric Carr Sun, 25 Dec 2011 05:55:46 +0000 http://www.paleotechnologist.net/?p=1513#comment-16220 Exactly -- the syntax can be confusing, though. Also, pointers can be more powerful than just passing variables by reference (since they can make linked lists etc). I'm sure Java has this functionality somewhere, though. Exactly — the syntax can be confusing, though. Also, pointers can be more powerful than just passing variables by reference (since they can make linked lists etc). I’m sure Java has this functionality somewhere, though.

]]> By: Sam http://www.paleotechnologist.net/?p=1513&cpage=1#comment-16217 Sam Sun, 25 Dec 2011 03:39:51 +0000 http://www.paleotechnologist.net/?p=1513#comment-16217 It's easy to understand if you think of pointers as tools to pass data by reference (coming from a Java background). It’s easy to understand if you think of pointers as tools to pass data by reference (coming from a Java background).

]]>