Re: bitwise comparators

[Gautier <gautier.demontmollin@maths.unine.ch>]

Alexander Van Hecke wrote:

> This seems like an attack on C/C++!  I'm sorry, but I have to react on this

> > Ada has packages,

> C was ment to be used modular and for reuse : put your code in separate .c
> and .h files.

I feel you miss something. The .h files are just included texts; the
`defines' in one can influence another so the inclusion order is delicate;
there is no link (apart a moral one) between the .h and the .c and - correct me
if I'm wrong - a standard C compiler won't check the integrity between
.h and .c ... In addition, the most resources on the Net break your .h <-> .c rule...

> > exceptions,

> you can program exceptions in C.  I never said that C has all these things,
> but you can program them, and there are masses of libraries available that
> have just what you need.

Aaah but are they compatible between each other ? Maybe there are masses
of incompatible libraries ? And masses of software component that use
these incompatible libraries (I hope no)?
Your argument is valid if you're toying with _your_ exceptions, on _your_ PC...

So C hasn't this feature; it can be simulated, with some effort.
Ada has it. So, where is the problem ?

You could invent a language without subprograms and say: <<it's easy, I just
have to paste the code where it is needed>>... Without loops: <<just
if's and goto's>>. Without types at all - detected at run-time.
Such regressive trends exist, but (1) does it help the programmer and
(2) does it lead to efficient code (optimized subtypes, generics, exceptions,
inlining) ?

> > generics,

> use structs and callback functions and you have perfect generic types!

You imagine a rather inefficient way to implement generics. Try the _real_
genericity and see how an Ada compiler instanciates it at compile-time,
optimized... Wouldn't a C macro better fit (question) ?

Too much energy for holy war tonight - I prefer programming. My advice:
Take some time to learn the <<Pascal subset>>, take a week to toy with
Ada (the programming language, I mean), make _your_ idea if you can!

-- 
Gautier

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