Re: [boost] Boost.Multimethod proposal

Subject: Re: [boost] Boost.Multimethod proposal
From: OvermindDL1 (overminddl1_at_[hidden])
Date: 2009-08-23 01:34:08

On Sat, Aug 22, 2009 at 10:40 PM, Kim Barrett<kab.conundrums_at_[hidden]> wrote:
> At 11:58 PM -0400 8/22/09, Edward Diener wrote:
>>
>> This does not explain the practical purpose of multimethods. I know what
>> virtual functions are, of course. What in multimethods improves on the
>> polymorphic capabilities of virtual functions that make them a practical
>> choice for use over normal polymorphism.
>
> The previously referenced paper
> (http://research.att.com/~bs/multimethods.pdf)
> contains rationale discussion, including several well chosen examples where
> multiple dispatch can be beneficial.

To be blunt though, Virtual Methods are not proper OO, multimethods
are proper OO.  C++ has been lacking in this, sometimes important area
of OO, where things like LISP do wonderfully.

Hmm, I know LISP has a well optimized multimethod implementation
written in pure LISP, wonder how easily that method could be
transferred to C++, although more verbose...