Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cbmvax!daveh
From: daveh@cbmvax.UUCP (Dave Haynie)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.modula2
Subject: Re: C++ vs. Modula2
Message-ID: <5611@cbmvax.UUCP>
Date: 3 Jan 89 17:59:36 GMT
References: <114700003@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu>
Organization: Commodore Technology, West Chester, PA
Lines: 44

in article <114700003@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu>, gsg0384@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu says:
> Nf-ID: #N:uxa.cso.uiuc.edu:114700003:000:647
> Nf-From: uxa.cso.uiuc.edu!gsg0384    Dec 22 00:03:00 1988

> ...FORTRAN 8x for numerical computation
> C++        for system and object-oriented programming
> Modula 2   for general purpose and eduation

> 1) Is C++ not appropriate for general purpose?  Why?

I use C++ for general purpose programming, and would have no interest in
using Modula 2 for such a task.  It's certainly a matter of personal
preferences, but I think the object oriented features of C++ make good
C++ code easier to write and maintain than anything I've used in the
past.

> What I particularly want to know is:
> 3) Which of the two languages, Modula 2 and C++, is better suited for numerical
> computation?

I'd pick C++ for that, some might pick M2.  In C++, I have the option of doing
something like:

	#include <complex.h>
	#include <streams.h>

	...
	complex a(3,4), b(2,3), c;

	c = a * b;

	cout << "The result is" << c << "\n";

In M2, you're going be calling functions for the multiply and probably other
things.  That's not to say you can't achieve exactly the same results in M2
that you can in C++, but I think I'd go mad if I had to do lots of complex
math, or other similar things, in M2.	

> Thanks in advance.
>                        Hugh      gsg0384@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu
-- 
Dave Haynie  "The 32 Bit Guy"     Commodore-Amiga  "The Crew That Never Rests"
   {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!daveh      PLINK: D-DAVE H     BIX: hazy
              Amiga -- It's not just a job, it's an obsession