Quite a few years ago I had the idea of learning C++. My student account with Microsoft gave me access to a free copy/key for Visual Studio C++ 2010. So I bought a book (Ivor Horton's Beginning Visual C++ 2010) and got started. After reading a couple of chapters I was able to make a "day from date" calculator and a darts scorer. Then I stopped.
I've thought about having a second attempt at learning C++. 2010 was obviously a few years ago now and I have lost my copy of MS Visual C++ 2010 but still have the book. The book says I needed a "fee" version of the MS software because the express version doesn't have MFC library.
So I went to Microsoft website and logged in as a student (yup, still a student!) The software available to download is nowhere near as wide ranging as it used to be and the only C++ software I can see is Visual Studio Community 2017.
Will VS Community 2017 be enough to wade through this fat book? Can you get legit free copies of VS 2010? Or should I simply ditch the old book and start with the latest software?
Visual Studio Community 2017 is a very good choice, it also contains MFC.
Since MFC didn't change soo much the book should be ok for MFC programming.
For normal C++ you probably need to read some tutorials about C++11 / C++14.
I did have a quick look at VS Community 2017 but I wasn't sure which elements I needed to install. I've since plugged all my old harddrives into the computer and found my old VS 2010 so I'm busy learning an old version of C++ and VS. It might seem daft but it's what I have, and besides, I'm still learning how to add up oranges and apples!
I'll try to update myself after I have worked my way through the basics to C++.
For a lighter, but more up-to-date, re-introduction to C++ you may wish to start with another IDE like Code::Blocks - it's download size is < 1GB compared to the 6GB+ for some of the basic MSVS 2017 CE workloads. One advantage of doing this is that it'd also allow you to get acquainted with C++11, C++14 syntax and the language did change significantly at C++11: http://www.codeblocks.org/downloads
I did have a quick look at VS Community 2017 but I wasn't sure which elements I needed to install.
Have a search on this forum, I recall some posts re the list of the bare minimums you need to get started (sorry, can't find the link)