Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!microsoft!jimad
From: jimad@microsoft.UUCP (Jim ADCOCK)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++
Subject: Re: Why use reference type over pointer type?
Message-ID: <56410@microsoft.UUCP>
Date: 8 Aug 90 17:58:04 GMT
References: <1676@dinl.mmc.UUCP> <1806@cs.rit.edu> <422@mole-end.UUCP>
Reply-To: jimad@microsoft.UUCP (Jim ADCOCK)
Organization: Microsoft Corp., Redmond WA
Lines: 24

In article <422@mole-end.UUCP> mat@mole-end.UUCP (Mark A Terribile) writes:
>> > Its obvious, I'm new to C++.
>> > What does does a reference type give me over a pointer type
>> > that I've come to love and know well in C?  ......
>
>This sound like a candidate for an FAQ (frequently asked questions) list.

....

People who come from a C background look at C++ and say:
Why should I use references when I can do whatever I need to do using pointers?

People who come from a OOP background look at C++ and say:
Why should I use pointers when I can do whatever I need to do using references?

----

There is two distinct styles of OOP programming in C++.  In one style, use
of pointers predominates.  In the other style, use of references predominates.
Given either style, most people find using the other feature convenient,
occasionally.  People working together on one project probably
need to get together and decide which style is going to be used predominately
in that project.  Unfortunately, this also means that as C++ libraries become
available, they will generally follow one of these two distinct styles.