Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!hacgate!ashtate!dbase!tomr
From: tomr@dbase.A-T.COM (Tom Rombouts)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++
Subject: Seeking critique(s) of C++
Message-ID: <1991Mar20.015750.9487@dbase.A-T.COM>
Date: 20 Mar 91 01:57:50 GMT
Reply-To: tomr@ashtate.A-T.com (Tom Rombouts)
Organization: Ashton-Tate
Lines: 34

I suppose this might be an old question, but I have not read
this group in a while, save for 250 postings just now.

Essentially, I am seeking some analysis or critiques of C++
compared and contrasted with both C and other OOPS languages
such as Eiffel, Smalltalk, possibly Modula/Oberon, etc.
( I have one already, "Why Use C++?" that was presented by Paul 
Gross of Borland at the Software Development '91 conference
in February.)  References to major publications would be preferred,
although we can track down obscure things eventually.

To start things off, here are some comments by a knowledgeable
friend of mine, although it is not my intent to start a long
thread on the pros or cons of C++:

1.  A lack of regular C tools such as lint for C++.  (This is
obviously only a temporary problem.)

2.  Difficulty of mixing and matching classes from different
vendors/sources. 

3.  Great expertise required to properly build classes from
scratch.

4.  Certain things (he used the example of a stack class) just
have too much overhead and must be done in "regular" C anyway
to get adequate performance.


Again, I apologize if such references already exist in some sort
of FAQ file or are often discussed.


Tom Rombouts  Torrance 'Tater  tomr@ashtate.A-T.com  V:(213)538-7108