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From: rmartin@clear.com (Bob Martin)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++
Subject: Re: C++ basic libraries
Summary: (A Classix user's comments.)
Keywords: libraries
Message-ID: <1991Apr25.123223.20675@clear.com>
Date: 25 Apr 91 12:32:23 GMT
References: <1991Apr22.122217.486@aar.alcatel-alsthom.fr>
Organization: Clear Communications, Inc.
Lines: 51

In article <1991Apr22.122217.486@aar.alcatel-alsthom.fr> 
	devarenn@aar.alcatel-alsthom.fr () writes:
>We are starting an important development in C++ and we are looking
>for basic libraries : sets, bags, collections, Btrees, stacks, lists...
>
>We have presently four candidates:
>- NIHCL
>- Tools.h from RogueWave
>- Classix.h from Classix
>- the gnu one
>
>Has anyone ever used these libraries? What do you know about them 
>(efficiency, reusability, flexibility, bugs...)?

I have been a user of Classix for a few months now.  The library consists
of simple basics, and so far everything I have tried works.  Furthermore
the library is concise and doesn't add a megabyte to my executables like
NIHCL did.  The classes are easy to use and reasonably complete..

I have had the following problems:

	The string class could be better.  NIHCL's is much better.  Classix
	string class has no converter from String to char*.  You have to
	derive your own class if you want it.  Also substrings are not 
	supported.

	Although they claim to have a "parameterizing" utility which will
	convert their generic container classes into specific container classes,
	they have delayed shipment of this utility.  It has been several months
	since I placed my order and I still have not received it.

	The DATUM concept is a bit week.  First of all the type name DATUM
	conflicts with another 3rd party package the I am using, so I was 
	forced to change DATUM to CDatum.  Secondly I have declared CDatum
	to be void*.  THis allows me general access to the container classes
	but since void* has no meaningful comparison operators the "sorted"
	classes which depend on object comparisons aren't worth much.

	Finally they used the type `Node' as a subtype in the tree classes.
	This conflicts with some of my own code which also declared a type
	`Node', so I had to change their source to use a less common name.

I am using their library, and I think I will be a bit happier when I can
parameterize the container classes properly.  Right now its slim-pickin's
out there and we have to use what's available.  THE INDUSTRY NEEDS TO
DEVELOP SOME LIBRARY STANDARDS like an IC data book.
-- 
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From: niobium@nevada.edu (Christopher W. Carlson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.datacomm
Subject: Re: Fixing NiftyTerm to use SHARED mode on serial.device