On Sun, Aug 05, 2007 at 09:45:23PM -0600, Owen Densmore wrote: > Sun made use of C++ API's (that customers see) illegal. This was in > the 1995-2000 time frame. > > This was mainly because there was not a good binary standard for > shared libraries at that time that used C++. Also, it turned out > that there were a few studies done about software engineering in C++ > being a failure -- it just took too much time for various projects to > agree on their dialect. Basically C++ at the time simply had too > many ways to do the same thing. Even constructors had oddly > differing syntax and slightly different semantics. >
The ABI issue is still with us. Its less of a problem in the open source world (you just compile all your C++ libraries with the compiler you want to use), than in the close source world, but if you're in the habit of switching compilers regularly (I often switch between gcc and icc), it is a nuisance to have to rebuild all your libraries, or have special paths for different compilers. Its the same problem with those OSes that have combined 32 and 64 bit modes (Irix, the more recent Linuxes for instance). > The Scott Meyers book "Effective C++: 55 Specific Ways to Improve > Your Programs and Designs" .. or as we called it "55 ways not to > shoot yourself in the foot" was the final proof. We simply could not > agree on what the hell all the issues were. > Indeed, one of C++'s failings is the difficulty in learning how to program it correct (not withstanding Meyers's fine efforts in this regard). But _once_ you have learnt, you are every bit as productive as in other (presumably easier to learn) environments. > > HOWEVER: There is hope. Look at the D language, for something that > may actually solve all the C++ problems! Here's the usual pointer: > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D_programming_language > > -- Owen I'll look at D one of these days. I'm waiting for it to develop a level of maturity and adoption... I have been a committed C++ programmer for the last 14 years, but prior to that, I was a died-in-the-wool Pascal programmer. I do switch for better languages, when significantly better alternatives exist. At present neither Java nor C# cut the mustard. Cheers -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- A/Prof Russell Standish Phone 0425 253119 (mobile) Mathematics UNSW SYDNEY 2052 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Australia http://www.hpcoders.com.au ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
