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When I was about 13 I wanted to learn C++. I bought a book, installed the software from the CD and tried compiling the first example. It failed with a cryptic error about a file not being found. I gave up on programming for a number of years.

The book had failed to mention that I need to include the compiler in my PATH.

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Even worse, the code examples of (in)famous Bjarne Stroustrup were missing neccessary #include's and contained deadly typos.

Honestly, if that's all that took you to give up on programming, it would not have gone on much longer anyway, especially with something like C++.

So what was I supposed to do with no expert on hand and no Internet? I went back to the bookshop and asked there. They didn't know either, so I returned the book.

I returned to programming when I learned about Quickbasic. That just worked and had an extensive help system that was suitable for self study.

I don't think that's very fair. Some people are extremely gifted mathematicians with incredible talent for algorithmic thinking, yet can be totally shut down by build configuration bullshit. It's a huge pain point in C-land.

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