Re: [boost] Keeping C++ feature discussion on topic for Boost

From: David Abrahams (david.abrahams_at_[hidden])
Date: 2002-02-22 08:26:36

----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Dimov" <pdimov_at_[hidden]>

> From: "Herb Sutter" <hsutter_at_[hidden]>
> > >     But it's off topic to have a general "make suggestions for the new
> C++
> > > language" discussion here.
> >
> > Indeed, and thanks to you, Dave, and Beman for repeating this. My
question
> was
> > for a list of features "most needed" for writing C++ "libraries ... and
> Boost
> > in particular."
> >
> > So far, there have been three such suspects discussed: typedef
templates,
> > auto, and typeof.
>
> I have to disagree with this. 'auto' is a nice feature that definitely
gets
> publicity but it's _not_ needed for writing libraries (except for the
return
> type autodeduction which is solved by typeof.)

auto is a wierd edge case: it isn't, strictly speaking, needed for library
writing. However, libraries which use expression templates (e.g. lambda and
bind!) are a lot more usable if we have auto. If there were a way to provide
the same functionality using the existing language, you can be sure that
writers of such libraries would do so.

-Dave