Re: [Boost-Users] Re: Using Boost as a Library Dependency

From: Peter Dimov (pdimov_at_[hidden])
Date: 2003-08-13 06:53:06

Jason Winnebeck wrote:
> Peter Dimov wrote:
>> shared_ptr has recently been accepted into the Library Technical
>> Report:
>
> Wow..  That's quite a read.  The amount of work you Boost guys put into
> all of the subtle details is amazing.  I found it quite interesting but
> what I was looking for was some rationale on not allowing comparing
> shared_ptr to NULL.
>
> Typically when I compare pointers, I often like to compare it like
> "if ( ptr != NULL )" explictly.  I like this for three reasons:
>
> 1. It strongly shows that you are testing a pointer.
> 2. It reads better in terms of saying what you want.
> 3. I program in Java where it's required, so I'm in the habit ;).

General "minimal but complete" principles, I guess. It is much easier to add
a feature to a standard component at a later time than to take one away, and
we already have to support if( p ) for declarations in conditions to work.