Create 'about' document

README.md

@@ -6,6 +6,11 @@ Exercises to train your C++11/14/17 (and then some).
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+## About
+
+This repo is intended as a resource to use during C++ trainings.  If you're curious about how it came
+to be, take a look at [about.md](about.md).
+
 ## Getting started
 
 ### Linux

about.md

@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+# Exercises for the masses
+
+## History
+
+Working in C++ around the year 2010 was very exciting. The language was about
+to receive some vast new impulses, promising better semantics, performance, …
+
+In 2016, I was lucky enough to work in an environment that lived on the edge:
+constantly following the latest (Microsoft) compiler versions, and writing C++
+programs according to the latest and greatest idioms.
+
+All of this happiness had to be shared. That’s why my employer, Sioux Embedded
+Systems, asked if anyone would be able to create a C++11/14 ramp-up course for
+my colleagues. Of course I bit.
+
+The budget: 5 days of preparation - a challenge for me. It seemed a vast
+undertaking, given the fact that I hadn’t been giving training, nothing ‘free’
+could be found. So I decided I would borrow free and open source presentations,
+and create exercises myself. But how?
+
+As it happened, there also was a gap in the knowledge of unit testing
+frameworks. So why not kill two birds with one stone? Fond of TDD, I had grown
+quite familiar with the googletest framework. So I decided to create a bunch of
+failing unit tests that had to be ‘fixed’ using C++11/14 features.
+
+Since I was to take all my course material from the internet, I thought it only
+fitting to give back. So I started creating the course in the open on
+https://github.com/xtofl/cpp11training/.
+
+## Overview
+
+### Repo structure
+
+* Presentations are stored in the `slides/` directory. There's also a
+  [readme](slides/README.md) to explain its contents.
+* Exercises are stored per topic under the `src/` folder; within each topic,
+  exercise source files are numbered.
+* Each topic file contains a number of `TEST` cases.  Each of these cases represents
+  an exercise.  In the comments, I try to explain what you're supposed to do (TODO),
+  what you're supposed to learn from this exercise (GOAL), and may add some HINTs.
+
+### Exercise Example
+
+For instance, one of the first exercises you'll encounter is about using the
+range-based-for feature introduced in C++11.
+
+```c++
+TEST(range_based_for, DISABLED_we_can_iterate_over_a_collection)
+{
+    int result = 0;
+    // TODO: extend the Range class so that it acts as a
+    // real 'range' and can be used in a range based for loop.
+    //
+    // GOAL: understand the working of range-based for loop, and
+    // adapt existing classes to it
+    //
+    // HINT: This is a harder problem: you need to provide
+    // a free begin(const Range&) and end(const Range&) function
+    // that returns an iterator-like object.
+    //
+#ifdef solv
+    for (const auto &element : Range{ 1, 11 })
+    { 
+        result += element;
+    }
+#endif
+    EXPECT_EQ(55, result);
+}
+```
+
+As you'll see, the test will
+be compiled, but the `DISABLED_` prefix in its name will prevent gtest from
+executing it.  Removing the prefix 'activates' the test and makes it run,
+but fail:
+
+![failing-test.png](failing-test.png)
+
+Another example: one to learn using the `transform` algorithm:
+
+```c++
+TEST(apply_transform, DISABLED_join_two_input_ranges)
+{
+    const std::vector<std::string> keys{ {"two", "five", "ten", "forty"} };
+    const std::vector<int> values{ {2, 5, 10, 40} };
+
+    std::vector<std::string> numbers;
+    // TODO: transform keys and values into
+    // this python-key-value syntax
+    // GOAL: see that `transform` can accept two ranges
+    // and 'zip' them together
+    ASSERT_EQ(keys.size(), numbers.size());
+    EXPECT_EQ("two: 2", numbers[0]);
+    EXPECT_EQ("five: 5", numbers[1]);
+    EXPECT_EQ("ten: 10", numbers[2]);
+    EXPECT_EQ("forty: 40", numbers[3]);
+}
+```
+
+## Future
+
+Meanwhile we're 2020, and I have given this training about 5 times. Everytime,
+the overall response is positive about offering running code in the form of
+isolated unit tests. The fun part for me is that whenever someone finds a
+mistake, I can kindly ask them to fix it and create a merge request.
+
+And it has proven to be needed. What is also needed: some of the exercises are
+a little 'far fetched', and may be replaced by more down to earth subjects.
+Although on every occasion I am able to improve the guidelines, add some
+exercises and the lot, this body of exercises still needs a lot of guidance.
+
+I'm hoping that some day, this effort will be picked up and improved by 'the
+masses'. For I'm convinced that good and affordable programming education is
+an important ingredient for an inclusive world.