I have read introductory language texts where the author has assumed that the reader knows nothing about programming, at least one other language, or a closely related language (for example, C as a prerequisite to C++). These are all legitimate, extant audiences. Writing an advanced text in, say, C++ is not as easy because the audience cannot be as clearly defined: one can only guess at the knowledge of the typical reader. In this case, the author says his book is for persons “familiar with C++, or, at least C…who want to be able to easily and quickly create Windows applications.…”

C programmers should probably look elsewhere. They will find the first part of this volume, which discusses C++ and object-oriented programming, inadequate, while C++ cognoscenti will consider it redundant. In other words, there is no audience for this introductory material.

Parts 2, 3, and 4 are devoted to Windows programming. In general, this material succeeds as a cookbook (with the caveat below) but fails as a tutorial: the reader sees how it is done, but the author skimps on the explanations. Perhaps the unstated audience is the sophisticated Windows programmer who does not want to reinvent the wheel.

Borland C++ 4.0 is the chosen compiler. On the book’s official publication date (December 30, 1994), Borland had been shipping version 4.5 for at least three months. The current (June 1995) version is 4.51, and 4.52 is expected now that Microsoft has released Windows 95. Unless you are using version 4.0, there is little reason to even consider this cookbook.

A disk containing the program listings is available for an additional $22. I selected the first program, but it did not compile under Borland C++ 4.51.