At least , some general guidelines for a begginer to start would be usefull:
1- use MS VS 2005
2- learn how to compile a dynamic library and use it in a different module
3- pay attention to managing memory, (allocating and freeing)
4- learn pointers

Good start up would be a ToDo for you. As to a beginner I would give you following ToDo, that if gets finished, you will have gained experience: here:

Make a library that implements following object "CAlgebra" with following 5 functions:

void Add3dVectors(float* A,float* B, float* res); // writes result vector to res pointer
void Multiply3dVectorByScalar(float* A,float s, float* res); // writes result vector to res pointer
float Dot3dVectors(float* A,float* B); // returns dot product of two vectors
void NormalizeVector(float* A, float* res); // writes the result to res pointer
float Length(float* A); //returns length of a vector

Make a library that implements the class and use it in a different module (exe).

1- adding two vectors is adding their components together respectively, result is vector
2- multiplying a vector by number means multyplying every component by the number, result is vector
3- doting two vectors is multiplying their components respectively and sumed together then, result is a number
4- normalizing a vector means to have the same vector but with length 1, vector is normalized if x^2+y^2+z^2=1, you can normalize a vector by dividing every componet by length of the vector, length of a vector is computed as sqrt(x^2+y^2+z^2)

That is some terrible advice. Someone is just learning C++, and you're asking them to write a library which includes vector math. It's like telling someone who just read a book about "how to fly a plane" to go practice on an F-15.

They probably don't know how to write a proper class. They probably have no idea what a library is. They probably don't have any idea what a pointer is. And, they may have no idea what a vector is. [/quote]
The OP already stated that they were reading through "Begginning C++ Through Game Programming". If they don't know how to write a proper class after having read that, I'd imagine there are more menacing problems than having to do vector math.

Not to mention those function parameters are a mystery unto itself. I assume you expect an array size 3 of floats passed as a "vector", and if so, that's even worse.
[/quote]
He wasn't giving it as a solid implementation of a vector math class. He was just giving an example to teach concepts. Passing arrays and pointers, reference passing vs value passing, and creating a library are solid things to move to after having worked through a beginner C++ textbook. Running through his examples, then converting the examples to work with a Vector3 struct would be a good experiment that would broaden your knowledge quite a bit fairly rapidly.

[quote name='BeerNutts' timestamp='1328652228' post='4910647']
That is some terrible advice. Someone is just learning C++, and you're asking them to write a library which includes vector math. It's like telling someone who just read a book about "how to fly a plane" to go practice on an F-15.

They probably don't know how to write a proper class. They probably have no idea what a library is. They probably don't have any idea what a pointer is. And, they may have no idea what a vector is. [/quote]
The OP already stated that they were reading through "Begginning C++ Through Game Programming". If they don't know how to write a proper class after having read that, I'd imagine there are more menacing problems than having to do vector math.

Not to mention those function parameters are a mystery unto itself. I assume you expect an array size 3 of floats passed as a "vector", and if so, that's even worse.
[/quote]
He wasn't giving it as a solid implementation of a vector math class. He was just giving an example to teach concepts. Passing arrays and pointers, reference passing vs value passing, and creating a library are solid things to move to after having worked through a beginner C++ textbook. Running through his examples, then converting the examples to work with a Vector3 struct would be a good experiment that would broaden your knowledge quite a bit fairly rapidly.
[/quote]

I think you've forgotten what it's like to be a beginner, not just to C or C++, but to programming. Going through a book and it's exercises helps, but there's going to be a lot of uncertainty going forward. Re-hashing much of what the book goes over, to form a solid background would be better.

And, In no way would I have used pointers like that for a BRAND NEW BEGINNER. Again, reading 1 book for your 1st introduction to programming, pointers will still be a mystery.

That's my opinion. Let them learn slowly, giving someone a difficult problem has a high chance they will get VERY frustrated and give up. Some amount of frustration is going to happen, but not so much they feel overwhelmed.

And, In no way would I have used pointers like that for a BRAND NEW BEGINNER. Again, reading 1 book for your 1st introduction to programming, pointers will still be a mystery.