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From: sabbagh@acf5.NYU.EDU (sabbagh)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++
Subject: Re: Problems maintaining header files
Message-ID: <1466@acf5.NYU.EDU>
Date: 31 Jan 91 16:09:25 GMT
References: <15917@reed.UUCP> <6107@stpstn.UUCP> <486@eiffel.UUCP>
Organization: New York University
Lines: 37

bertrand@eiffel.UUCP (Bertrand Meyer) writes:

>	For that matter, with Eiffel there is no need for header files
>or make files of any kind. The compiler takes care of analyzing
>dependencies (by analyzing the source text, which is where the
>information is, and the only place where it should be) and deciding
>what it needs to recompile. Of course, the language was designed
>to make this possible.

>	Isn't it time for the software profession to move to the
>nineteen-nineties?

>-- Bertrand Meyer
>bertrand@eiffel.com

Unfortuantely, Dr. Meyer has committed the one great sin of academia: he
has become religious about a single idea.  Here's why the software profession
can't move to the 1990's:

1. Eiffel isn't available on micros; C++ is.
2. Eiffel is supported by only one vendor (2 since Abajton licensed it
   to port to Mac; who knows when this will happen?).
3. Eiffel is a GREAT IDEA IN THEORY; major obstacles exist to implementing
   a lot of its great features.
4. There is far more experience with C++ on real projects than with Eiffel.

Hadil G. Sabbagh
E-mail:		sabbagh@cs.nyu.edu
Voice:		(212) 998-3125
Snail:		Courant Institute of Math. Sci.
		251 Mercer St.
		New York,NY 10012

"The difference between theory and practice in practice is always greater
 than the difference between theory and practice in theory."
						- Anon.
Disclaimer: This is not a disclaimer.