Ready to start SDL?

Note that SDL is a C library so you don't need to know all the special features in C++ to use it. I would say you are ready to learn SDL. I only know one book about SDL, and I have never read it so I can't say anything about it. I think most people learn SDL from what they find on the web. Lazy Foo's tutorials is a common starting point for beginners. The documentation pages is also a good place to look up information.

If you have a good grasp of pointers and are comfortable designing a small project from scratch, then you'll be fine. Also consider learning SFML instead. It's written in a C++ style and is quite nice. SFML is GPU accelerated since it's based on OpenGL.

Another here recommending SFML. I'm relatively new to C++ and programming, but I picked up SFML quicker than SDL and had my first (badly made) game finished in two days. Since the library is easier to learn it gives you room to focus on the language and the problems that you want to solve.

Why is it that every time someone want to learn SDL, a group of SFML lovers comes and say that SFML is better? Is this really relevant to what the question is about?

Because sfml is better than sdl and it's entirely appropriate to tell a beginner about this when they ask if they should usd sdl?

Yeah well I've already looked into both and I think SDL is the way to go just because it's been around for longer and seems to be the standard for new game programmers.

Nah