GBdirect's C++ On-Site Training Courses: software and logistical requirements

Hardware Requirements

To teach the onsite version of a C++ course we will require:

• Suitably equipped workstations, with a strong preference for one per student.
• One fairly large work space per student (enough to accomodate folders, notepads and text books, etc. alongside the workstation
• A dry-wipe whiteboard and pens, or flip chart, or similar. Most of our trainers prefer landscape format whiteboards
• An SVGA projector is not an absolute requirement, but strongly recommended. Please let us know well in advance if you are unable to source or book one.

Software Requirements

In the past we have worked with Unix/Linux based platforms and those from Microsoft; either works perfectly well.

We are not usually prescriptive about which packages you use. In general, we simply request that you have the following available:

1. A Recent Version of the Free GNU C++ compiler (also known as G++)

   GBdirect's C++ training courses teach the standard C++ language, rather than merely one proprietary dialect (e.g. Microsoft Visual C++). Learning the official standard, and the transferrable programming skills which it encourages, generates important practical and commercial benefits for students and their employers. By contrast, restricting them to a single proprietary offering adds significant costs to software development, producing poor quality unportable code and high licensing costs through vendor lock-in.

   The GNU G++ compiler is free and in its recent versions have an extremely high degree of standards compliance. For this reason, we very strongly recommend that students use version 3.1 (or higher) of the GNU compiler. You can download the compiler in the following formats:

   • Source code. Only choose this option if you are familiar with building and installing software from source.
   • Easy-to-install version for Windows platforms, supplied by Cygnus. Note that you have to explicitly select version 3.1 of G++.
   • Pre-compiled binaries for many Unix platforms
   • Linux distributions typically supply G++ 3.1 either as part of the base operating system or as an easy-to-install add-on.

2. A Good Text Editor

   Unix/Linux systems typically already have good software editors installed; the links below are mostly for the benefit of Windows users.

   • Vim A powerful editor with a non-trivial learning curve. Easier to use and more features than a traditional Unix vi, but still for the experienced.
   • Xemacs See the comments above re. Vim - they apply similarly to Emacs.
   • The Programmers File Editor
   • Notepad+
   • TextPad N.B. This is not free software. Many MS-Windows programmers have, however, found the evaluation copy useful for our courses.

Course Schedule

Our typical daily schedule for in-house courses is fairly intensive, and runs as follows:

• 9.30 Session 1
• 11.00 Mid-morning break
• 11.15 Session 2
• 12.45 Lunch
• 13.30 Session 3
• 15.00 Mid-afternoon break
• 15.15 Session 4
• 16.30 End of formal teaching, although our trainer will typically stay until approx 5 PM if wanted.

Important Contact Details

If you are organising an on-site course It will help us very much if you can inform us of the appropriate

• Contact Name
• Contact Number
• Start Time

— in the past we have had experienced trainers arriving at security or reception, where all knowledge of the course is denied!