Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!ncar!dinl!noren
From: noren@dinl.uucp (Charles Noren)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++
Subject: Re: Why use reference type over pointer type?
Message-ID: <1687@dinl.mmc.UUCP>
Date: 8 Aug 90 18:32:48 GMT
References: <1676@dinl.mmc.UUCP> <5720@darkstar.ucsc.edu> <21810@lute.com>
Reply-To: noren@dinl.UUCP (Charles Noren)
Organization: Martin Marietta I&CS, Denver CO.
Lines: 20

Thanks to all those who replied.  Its been two weeks since I started
really reading C++ books and writing C++ code.  My question looks
REALLY naive now.  While reference types are a convenience, they are
som amazingly convenient in *so* many circumstances that I view it
as a necessity.  For instance, when for an exercise I created array
and matrix classes, the overloading of the operator [] requires its
use (along with a host of other operators, such as +=) to permit the
natural use of the operators.  So to answer my question, reference types
are extemely useful in many areas of C++ programming and the question
just pointed to my lack of experience in the language.

Thanks for all the kind people who took pity on my lowly understanding
of C++ and gently enlightened me in reference to reference types.

-- 
Chuck Noren
NET:     dinl!noren@ncar.ucar.edu
US-MAIL: Martin Marietta I&CS, MS XL8058, P.O. Box 1260,
         Denver, CO 80201-1260
Phone:   (303) 971-7930