Re: [boost] discussion of garbage collection in C++

Subject: Re: [boost] discussion of garbage collection in C++
From: Simonson, Lucanus J (lucanus.j.simonson_at_[hidden])
Date: 2009-04-28 11:59:02

> On Apr 26, 2009, at 2:57 AM, Raindog wrote:
> 
>>> 
>>> .Net, Java, Python, Perl, Ruby, D et al automatically provide GC.
>> 8 of the top 10 languages in use today, according to
>> http://www.tiobe.com/content/paperinfo/tpci/index.html , provide GC.
>> I think my statement about what the majority of 
>> programmers prefer still stands. I'm not trying to say however that
>> GC is best/better than RAII etc, or that the languages with GC are
>> somehow better than C++. I do however think that the "ez mode"
>> programming that GC'd environments provided appeals to a larger
>> number of programmers than does C++. C++ is an expert friendly
>> language for many reasons and one would be naive to think that one's
>> profession is filled with experts.

Andreas Masur wrote:
> Same may apply to the given 8 languages as well....the table does not
> indicate whether the languages are popular because of the GC.
> Furthermore, it does not outline how many programmers actually dislike
> the GC but have to deal with it since it comes with the language. In a
> sense these kind of tables usually show the usage of languages based
> on the current business needs rather than based on a technical level.
> 
> This is certainly only my opinion though....

Andreas, I think you are giving the market place too much credit.  The phenomenon clearly visible in the plot where C++ development is replaced by Java development from mid 2004 through 2006 is due in my opinion to many university programs buerocratic decision to teach Java instead of C++.  This leads to the situation where the majority of new programmers don't know how to use a non-GC langauge, as opposed to preferring GC.  C++ is an expert friendly language, the profession is not filled with experts, but that doesn't mean we should try to make it all things to all people.  Experts need an expert friendly langauge more than non-experts need C++ to be spoon fed to them in a market for programming langauges that is already crowded with toddler spoons.

Regards,
Luke