[boost] Re: char[] support in Boost.Range

From: Eric Niebler (eric_at_[hidden])
Date: 2005-05-16 18:03:55

Thorsten Ottosen wrote:
> "Eric Niebler" <eric_at_[hidden]> wrote in message 
> news:4288F568.9030205_at_boost-consulting.com...
> |
> | Pavol Droba wrote:
> | > On Sun, May 15, 2005 at 08:17:15PM -0400, David Abrahams wrote:
> | >
> | >>"Thorsten Ottosen" <nesotto_at_[hidden]> writes:
> | >>
> | >>
> | >>>|  I'd like to leave it for the discussion. Right now it seems, that
> | >>>|  most of the people that entered discussion prefer c-array view.
> | >>>|  I would prefer c-string view, but I'm probably biased by the fact
> | >>>|  that I'm the author of StringAlgo library.
> | >>>
> | >>> I prefer the string view too.
> | >>
> | >>I just have one thing to say: vector<bool>.
> | >>
> | >
> | >
> | > Pardon me, but somehow I cannot figure out the point here. Can you please
> | > explain the me the connection to vector<bool>
> | >
> |
> |
> | vector<bool> creates all kinds of problems because generic code can't
> | make assumptions about the behavior of vector<T>. vector<bool> is widely
> | regarded as a Bad Move. Dave is saying that treating char[] different
> | than, say, int[] is inviting the same sorts of problems. It will make it
> | difficult to deal with T[] in generic code.
> |
> | I agree with Dave.
> 
> are these "problems" as serious as vector<bool> ?
> 

Yes. It's exactly the same situation. You are giving collection<X> 
different semantics than collection<Y>.

BTW, I find your use of quotes rather "disparaging". If you think this 
situation is different, please give /technical/ reasons. Thanks.

-- 
Eric Niebler
Boost Consulting
www.boost-consulting.com