Re: mailbox (was Re: intro)

[Alain Magloire]

> 
> On Wed, Mar 13, 2002 at 12:53:42PM -0500, Alain Magloire wrote:
> 
> > C is/was ubiquitous and was choosen as the language .. or put it
> > another way .. we did not know C++ 8).
> 
> > Would C++ made a difference? I do not know, maybe.
> 
> The case where I feel that C++ would make a difference is in
> simplicity and type safety.  When we were in Vancouver in 2000, we
> were already talking in terms "mime objects", "header objects", etc...
> C++ allows us to implement these in a type safe way.
> 
> Factory methods for handling URI based mailbox access could still be
> typesafe as well as allowing simple (read: Language-supported through
> dynamic_cast<>) ways of switching to low level APIs.

I will have to agree.
But something that you forgot .. how many people know C++?
Ok those on the list that understand(can code with C++) speak
loudly .... The silence is deathning.

> Lastly, doxygen is a gift from the gods. =)

Sam is saying the same thing, maybe I should get acquited with
doxygen.

> All of these things can be done in plain C, but it's always going to
> be "our special implementation".  I think doing it in C++ means that

I hear you, amen to that!

> we're using tools that are well enough known that they got promoted
> into the language itself.  Debugging tools are geared towards thinking
> of objects and APIs using those concepts.

C is no longer a panacea!

C talking to C++:
Surrender, I?
Parley? No, never!  You too, Folly, --you?
I know that you will lay me low at last;
Let be!  Yet I fall fighting, fighting still!
You strip from me the laurel and the rose!
Take all! Despite you there is yet one thing
I hold against you all, and when, tonight,
I enter Christ's fair courts, and, lowly bowed,
Sweep with doffed casque the heaveans threshold blue
One thing is left, that, void of stain or smutch,
I bear away despite you ... My panache

[curtain falling, ovation]


> My only concern with C++ is that I'm inclined to require g++-3.0 (or
> some very-compliant compiler with a full implementation of the STL).

The imcompatiblity will be when sharing shared libs or linking with
libs, we can let debian or who ever distribute handle that.

I do not know about you, but my lack of in depth comprehension, of C++, would
stop me for doing "crasy" stuff, like heavy use of templates, confusing
multiple inheritance or confusing operator overloading.  Back to the
basic:
- encapsulation
- polymorphism, inheritance (use of virtual classes)
- and function overloading. 
- use of STL(when applicable) no need to reinvent the wheel.

> C++ without templates and the STL is *not* C++ =) Does that cause a

8-) ho! come on!
But yes ISO C++ defines the language __with__ its Standard Library.

> problem on QNX?  Also libtool may have to be upgraded, so I'd be
> inclined to make sure that port was up to date first.  (Nudge, nudge,
> Alain - found a box for me yet? *g*)

My machine kaput!  The power supply gave up.  Trying to find parts.