Re: [boost] Re: Boost Array Initialization Technique

From: christopher diggins (cdiggins_at_[hidden])
Date: 2005-06-01 12:07:25

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Abrahams" <dave_at_[hidden]>
To: <boost_at_[hidden]>
Sent: Wednesday, June 01, 2005 12:13 PM
Subject: [boost] Re: Boost Array Initialization Technique

> christopher diggins <cdiggins_at_[hidden]> writes:
>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Neal Becker" <ndbecker2_at_[hidden]>
>
>>> I strongly disagree.  Forcing initialization makes code that is not 
>>> useful
>>> for high performance numerical processing.  When we declare a container 
>>> of
>>> 1000000 elements, we don't want to waste time initializing each, unless 
>>> we
>>> want to.
>>
>>
>> I think the best solution in this case is to use an alternative 
>> "collection"
>> for numerical processing. Using a class intended as general purpose array
>> for numerical processing I think would not be a good idea.
>
> ...because...?

I stated that far too strongly, sorry. My reasoning is that the 
implementation and interface of a numerical array could be optimized versus 
a general array. I would not design numerical arrays and general purpose 
arrays in the same way. For instance I would design a general purpose array 
to be default initialized, while I would permit a numerical array to be 
non-initialized. However, this is all moot because it is now perfectly clear 
to me that Boost.Array has the mandate to be as much like a built-in array 
as possible. Even if I do not particularly like that decision choice it is 
of course an acceptable choice to make. Making it a pseudo-container on the 
other hand is in my opinion a very big mistake.

Christopher Diggins
http://www.cdiggins.com