Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!att!ulysses!andante!alice!bs
From: bs@alice.UUCP (Bjarne Stroustrup)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++
Subject: Re: Eiffel vs. C++
Summary: censorship, money, power, intimidation, and common courtesy
Message-ID: <9438@alice.UUCP>
Date: 5 Jun 89 21:11:04 GMT
References: <2689@ssc-vax.UUCP> <151@eiffel.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill NJ
Lines: 21



Bertrand Meyer, president of Interactive Software Engineering, the
supplier of Eiffel, is correct on one point:  I did refuse to appear on
a panel with him.  My reasons are personal.  He has insulted my friends
and colleagues in public; he has attacked me in public and in private;
he has misrepresented and maligned my technical work; his company's
advertising has quoted me out of context and without permission.
Technical discussion requires more common courtesy and more detachment
from commercial concerns.

Meyer complains about censorship, money, power, and intimidation.
There is no censorship and no conspiracy against him, his company, or
his language; the very notion is ridiculous.  In fact, it is evident
that ISE's marketing budget for Eiffel vastly exceeds AT&T's minimal
marketing budget for C++ (not a cent of which is spent attacking
anyone).

As to the merits of Eiffel, C++, or any other language, users will
decide.  Comp.lang is for programmers, not corporate paranoia.