Re: [boost] Is there a special reason to use inline before template functions?

Subject: Re: [boost] Is there a special reason to use inline before template functions?
From: Brian Ravnsgaard Riis (brian_at_[hidden])
Date: 2008-12-08 13:30:37

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Michael Marcin wrote:
> Thomas Klimpel wrote:
>> I would expect that current compilers know better when inlining a
>> function provides a benefit than the programmer.
> 
> They don't.

This is really sorta off-topic here, but I find that statement hard to
believe. Can you in any way substantiate that argument? I personally
*never* use the keyword inline, since the compiler is free to ignore it,
and may choose to inline functions I have not declared inline.

What little I do know about compiler internals would lead me to believe
that they could - and should - indeed know better than the programmer
when it makes sense to inline a function.

To complicate matters further, inlining a given function may make sense
in certain contexts but not others. I believe Herb Sutter has given the
subject thorough treatment some years gone. Nothing I have experienced
has caused me to doubt his words in this matter.

 /Brian
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