Re: [boost] [optional] generates unnessesary code for trivial types

Subject: Re: [boost] [optional] generates unnessesary code for trivial types
From: Simonson, Lucanus J (lucanus.j.simonson_at_[hidden])
Date: 2012-02-14 21:16:42

Thomas Klimpel wrote:

Simonson, Lucanus J wrote:
>> You could say I
>> should have used a reference instead, but it might not have been my 
>> pointer to start with.

>???

It might not have been my code to start with.

>> Specifically, polymorphic data types are often passed around by 
>> pointer to base class instead of reference to base class by most C++ 
>> programmers.

>This doesn't convince me. If the pointer can't be zero (and if somebody else owns it), there is no good reason not to use a reference. Well, if the pointer is a class member, using a reference might be impossible.

An std container of references does not compile, a std container of pointers does.  In code with dynamic polymorphic type systems pointers get used a lot, and often more than they should.  

Regards,
Luke