Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!homxb!whuts!mtune!codas!usfvax2!pdn!reggie From: reggie@pdn.UUCP Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++ Subject: Re: C++ Confusing?? (was Objective-C vs C++) Message-ID: <1456@pdn.UUCP> Date: Wed, 30-Sep-87 09:59:07 EDT Article-I.D.: pdn.1456 Posted: Wed Sep 30 09:59:07 1987 Date-Received: Sun, 4-Oct-87 01:25:19 EDT References: <3405@ece-csc.UUCP> <638@its63b.ed.ac.uk> <1811@watcgl.waterloo.edu> <259@otc.oz> Organization: Paradyne Corporation, Largo FL Lines: 51 Summary: development of libraries that is how UNIX evolved > In article <77300003@uiucdcsp> johnson@uiucdcsp.cs.uiuc.edu says: > > The major problem with C++ is the lack of a class library. AT&T is > > shooting themselves in the foot by not providing one. > Incorrect. I've heard that they have various libraries internally, but are > reluctant to release them because it's so hard to write a good library, > and once they release something it's effectively set in concrete. So I > would say they are doing an excellent long-term service to the rest of us > by holding out until they're happy that their libraries are *right*. [stuff deleted.........] > > The major advantage of o-o programming is software reuse, but reusable > > software is ten times as hard to write as software than merely works, so it > > is entirely unreasonable to expect local programmers to produce it. An > > object-oriented language needs an extensive class library to be successful. > But things must start somewhere. The point about re-usability is that the > libraries are developed over a period of time, relying heavily on feedback > for their evolution. I would like to see more discussion on what people have > done in writing various general-purpose C++ library classes and what makes > libraries good and bad. Lets use UNIX itself as an example of refining the system internally before releasing it. Of course, this was not a planned approach to a commercial product, but it happened none the less. For all those years that UNIX was only used internally at the Bell System (we are ignoring the Universities for this discussion) it went through quite a few versions following the philosophy of using user feedback to make improvements. Much experience was gained by porting the OS to new hardware resulting in improvements to UNIX such as the standard i/o library. I have read some of the BTL Technical Memorandums dated from the later 70's which described many of these efforts. People who are introduced to UNIX today have no idea of the extend to which UNIX has undergone usage and revision within the Bell System over the course of the 70's and early 80's. Such an approach with any class libraries for C++ I'm sure is taking place within the Computer Science Research groups at BTL and will result in a sounder product than if one was just released to the world without going through such a refinement process. I'm sure that everyone just hopes it doesn't take too long!!! -- George W. Leach Paradyne Corporation {gatech,codas,ucf-cs}!usfvax2!pdn!reggie Mail stop LF-207 Phone: (813) 530-2376 P.O. Box 2826 Largo, FL 34649-2826