Re: [boost] generic programming reference page

From: Kevlin Henney (kevlin_at_[hidden])
Date: 2001-02-12 01:59:07

In message <076a01c094a7$c08031d0$0500a8c0_at_[hidden]>, David
Abrahams <abrahams_at_[hidden]> writes
>I've checked in a preliminary generic programming techniques reference page
>at more/generic_programming.html. You may want to place links into this page
>in new boost documentation.

Excellent!

However, one quibble on accuracy: The page credits Andrei with the idea
of Policy classes, which is not entirely true. The technique is an old
one: It is described in both Booch's 2nd edition (published 1993), in
the Gang of Four book (published 1994), and it is used in the C++
standard, amongst other places.

The Booch components used Policy classes to parameterise on a number of
things, including locking strategy. GOF describe the Strategy pattern,
which is also known as Policy, and they briefly describe the use of
templates rather than inheritance. In the C++ standard library container
allocators and the basic_string traits parameter (despite its name) are
also policies.

Kevlin
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