On Mon, Oct 19, 2009 at 12:49 AM, OvermindDL1 <overminddl1@gmail.com> wrote:
On Sun, Oct 18, 2009 at 4:49 AM, Christian Schladetsch <christian.schladetsch@gmail.com> wrote:
Hello,
This is a general post about C++.
Why is it that the pre-processor (PP) is the source of so much disdain, and yet it is the first resource exploited to 'fix' problems with C++? [...]
Have you looked at the D language, it did away with the C/C++ style pp, but buffed up the template capabilities to let it do just about anything the C/C++ PP can.
Lisp/Scheme is also the perfect example of the language running itself, no PP needed.
Yes I am familiar with these excursions. However, my message was directed entirely towards the C++ community and C++ itself. Other languages have their own uses and excuses. Boost has Wave and I think it is under-used. This is my point. D is indeed interesting. But I wonder how far C++ can be taken with M4/C++ before it breaks.
I wish C++ templates were like D templates..
I think we all wish C++ was something other than it is. Some more than others. But what can be done with Boost.Wave to make a C+++? And, is there any serious effort to make a formal and correct C++ interpreter? It can of course be done. I will argue that it has to be done sooner than later if C++ is to remain relevant as an actively used (as opposed to necessarily maintained) language going forward. Regards, Christian