Re: [boost] Loki SmartPtr questions

From: David Abrahams (david.abrahams_at_[hidden])
Date: 2002-01-12 18:37:30

----- Original Message -----
From: "Rainer Deyke" <root_at_[hidden]>

> > Overloaded functions can be just as confusing as member functions of
smart
> > pointers, but there is an important difference. C++ programmers already
> use
> > overloaded functions. Overloading is an important part of the C++
language
> > and is used routinely in library and application development. This means
> > that C++ programmers do pay attention to differences in function call
> > syntax - such as Release(*sp) versus Release(sp) - in writing and
> reviewing
> > code.
>
> I tend to think of a overloaded function as a single generic function.
> Therefore I find a single function overloaded with significantly different
> semantics more confusing that member functions for smart pointers.

Ah, but only within a single namespace, yes? Surely a function foo(<args1>)
in namespace A is not required to be semantically related to foo(<args2>) in
namespace B. That would effectively reserve the name for the first library
that used it...

shades-of-LWG-225/229-ly y'rs,

dave