Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!mcgill-vision!snorkelwacker!mit-eddie!bu.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sdd.hp.com!decwrl!sun-barr!newstop!sun!morocco!landauer From: landauer@morocco.Sun.COM (Doug Landauer) Newsgroups: comp.std.c++ Subject: ANSI C++ and ANSI C (was Re: "packed" objects) Summary: ANSI C++ is not really independent from ANSI C Message-ID: <140068@sun.Eng.Sun.COM> Date: 2 Aug 90 21:51:38 GMT References: <56159@microsoft.UUCP> <56165@microsoft.UUCP> <6785@netxcom.DHL.COM> <6815@netxcom.DHL.COM> Sender: news@sun.Eng.Sun.COM Organization: Sun Microsystems, Mt. View, Ca. Lines: 29 > ... we are talking about the standard for C++. ... this standard remains > to be defined, and is independent from the existing standard for C, Well, not quite independent. The goals statement adopted by X3J16 last March includes a statement that looked a lot like this: The standard will be based on the C++ Reference Manual (X3J16/90-0020) and the C Programming Language Standard (ANS X3.159-1989). The ISO C Standard will become an additional base document when available. The C++ Reference Manual will take precedence when the base documents disagree, except where the committee decides otherwise. (The C++ Reference Manual that this refers to is not Ellis & Stroustrup's book, but rather Stroustrup's "UNIX System V AT&T C++ Language System Release 2.1 Product Reference Manual, Select Code 307-159". It is nearly identical to E&S minus the annotations.) It seems clear to me that the intent is to make ANSI C++ "As Close As Possible to ANSI C, but No Closer". Remember, X3J16's job is not to design a new language. -- Speaking neither for Sun nor for X3J16... Doug Landauer - Sun Microsystems, Inc. - Languages - landauer@eng.sun.com Matt Groening on C++: "Our language is one great salad."