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

Subject: Re: [boost] [optional] generates unnessesary code for trivial types
From: Julien Nitard (julien.nitard_at_[hidden])
Date: 2012-02-15 03:57:58

On Wed, Feb 15, 2012 at 5:40 PM, Olaf van der Spek <ml_at_[hidden]> wrote:
> On Wed, Feb 15, 2012 at 3:30 AM, Julien Nitard <julien.nitard_at_[hidden]> wrote:
>>> 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.
>>
>> An std container of (boost/std)::(shared_ptr/unique_ptr) does compile
>> and should be prefered to raw pointers.
>
> Why?
> If the pointers are non-owning, shared/unique is wrong.

I may just say that you could add weak_ptr to the list to make it look
better, but I guess you're right. I just thought (wrongly) that the
pointers were owning. Sorry.

In the context of the question, though, I was trying to support the
fact that raw pointers are "used a lot, and often more than they
should". I forgot that we're talking on boost and that your usual
metrics and practices won't always hold.

Julien