Re: [boost] [GTL] - geometric template library - determininginterest

From: Joel de Guzman (joel_at_[hidden])
Date: 2007-10-09 18:34:17

Steven Watanabe wrote:
> AMDG
> 
> Simonson, Lucanus J <lucanus.j.simonson <at> intel.com> writes:
> 
>> I
>> tried to explain that non-member, non-friend functions were supposed to
>> be the way to go with the first revision of the library, and they
>> overruled me.  In the end I agreed with them that having objects that
>> fully encapsulate the behavior of geometry types is nicer and worth some
>> effort, maybe even make a tradeoff or two to get it.
>>
> 
> Using free functions and ADL can be dangerous since
> there is always the chance of accidentally picking
> up a function that means something totally different.

Yeah ADL is bad.

> Traits don't have this limitation.  In some ways this
> is like creating an adapter as you are doing.  The difference
> is that the adaptation layer operates on any instance
> of the adapted type rather than on one stored inside it.

Traits, however, have the tendency to become "metafunction blobs"
that are cumbersome to use in TMP if you don't do it right.

There are a couple of ways to get around these problems
(both ADL and metafunction blobs).

Regards,
-- 
Joel de Guzman
http://www.boost-consulting.com
http://spirit.sf.net