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Pointers optional?

 
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Pointers optional?, Are pointers optional....
NelsonTT
post 7 Oct, 2008 - 04:34 PM
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Are pointers optional because I don't understand them clearly. The tutorials are too not noob-friendly...

So:
  1. Are pointers optional in mosty programs?
  2. Do YOU know any noob-friendly tutorials on pointers?


Thanks in advance for taking your time and answering this~!
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William_Wilson
post 7 Oct, 2008 - 05:26 PM
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pointers can be optional, but you lose most of the dynamic usefulness of C++.

Pointers are not all that difficult, you simply need to treat them as a leash. The leash is attached to your dog, but you can attach it to any dog and you can hand the leash to another person. Now think of the leash as your pointer, and the dog is a variable, thus another friend would be a function of another pointer variable.
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demiserealized
post 7 Oct, 2008 - 05:54 PM
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You can write useful program that don't use pointers but you pretty much lose anything OOP about c++ when you don't use them. The way you write certain classes to allow reuse, inheritance, and abstraction kind of require you to use them. Pointers themselves aren't too hard. The only problem is that they allow you to do so many cool, hard things that its kind of overwhelming learning them, because usually as soon as you're taught them, most instructions jump into said cool things you can do with them.
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RedSonja
post 8 Oct, 2008 - 05:55 AM
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Or use Ada, every type is a pointer type, you don't have to think about it.

The analogy of the leash is perfect. Love it.


Actually, young Nelson, do try using pointers, it is tricky to start with but you can be proud of yourself when you have managed it. I confess I avoided them for years.
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MorphiusFaydal
post 8 Oct, 2008 - 06:00 AM
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I found the cplusplus.com tutorial about pointers really helpful m'self.
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