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At 06:53 PM 9/6/05 +0100, you wrote:

>Exploring around, I've picked up a copy of C++, which I haven't tried; just
>reading the manual was enough to convince me that all the guff about
>object-oriented programming was not for me. Was that the right decision?
>I'm quite prepared to learn a new language, even at my advanced age, if
>it's worthwhile doing so, but not if it's going to fade out and force me
>into learning yet another new language later on. More relevant, the manual
>I picked up, "C++ for Dummies", made no mention at all of any trig functions.

For many years I wrote computer programs for a living before deserting to
the dark side of management,  Upon retiring, I decided to try to revive old
skills.  I choose Microsoft c++ since I had some experience with c and
Pascal.  It is difficult to get into the habit of using c++ and all the
object oriented stuff but the really hard part for me was the OS interface
model and all the stuff built into MS c++ to automate so many things.  I
was used to a very simple environment where the OS and libraries provided
little.  I did succeed in writing some application but at the expense of
lots of cussing and hair tearing and help from acquaintances and friends in
the programming business.  One young friend tells me my c++ programs look
like fortran programs.
I also tried many books, I gave up on c++ for dummies because although I
was able to reproduce the examples, I ended up learning very little about
how things worked.  The best book I've seen is Petzold's  'Programming
Windows'  He does go into the interface between Windows and the application
and the many sample program he furnishes are great starts for one's own
programs.  He advocates not using the MFC stuff which tend to hide a lot
from the programmer.  I also like Herbert Schildt's c;/c++ "Programmer's
Reference' for details on c++.  The help files that come with c++ are also
a wealth of information about c++ and the OS interface.  Rest assured there
are excellent trig functions and lots of other goodies in the c++ libraries.

Have you considered java?

   

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