Subj : Re: Compiler and an interpreter
To   : comp.programming
From : Jon Harrop
Date : Sat Aug 06 2005 02:33 pm

Gerry Quinn wrote:
> In article <42f34eba$0$24042$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader01.plus.net>,
> usenet@jdh30.plus.com says...
>> Gerry Quinn wrote:
>> Reading speed is.
> 
> No it isn't.  Comprehension speed is.  Code is usually hard to
> understand compared to English text - raw reading speed doesn't matter
> much IMO.

True. For example, I can comprehend OCaml much faster than I can comprehend
C++ and I have had many more years working with C++.

>> >> You should study the STL...
>> > 
>> > Look what it did to you!  Seriously, by your own account your excessive
>> > respect for arcane STL features eventually resulted in your abandonment
>> > of the language.
>> 
>> No, the presence of a language that lets me write shorter, faster code in
>> less time led to my abandonment of C++. The STL lets me write shorter,
>> faster C++ code so it actually made C++ more competitive. C++ simply
>> cannot compete though.
> 
> Earlier in the thread, you went into detail about the many problems you
> had with C++, as a result of the way you used the STL.

The problems are intrinsic to C++. They appear in C++ code whether you use
the STL or not.

> Indeed, one of your projects never compiled at all.

That was due to the my own use of templates. Nothing to do with the STL.

> For most games, OO is a natural match - they tend to be full of little
> persistent objects that have state!  While there are certainly parts of
> games that can benefit from functional programming, it seems to me that
> its usefulness will be limited to those parts.  [Indeed, just as games
> are often microcosms of the real world, game programming is arguably a
> microcosm of programming in general.]

So, what aspect of games and what types of games do you think FPLs are not
suitable for?

>> >> Yes. Why do you think these real-world performance-critical programs
>> >> are "invalid" as benchmarks?
>> > 
>> > Because you appear to use unsuitable methodologies in your C++
>> > versions.
>> 
>> What do you believe is a "suitable methodology"?
> 
> For efficiency in C++, you start by looking at the data structure with
> efficiency in mind.

How would you have coded the "nth" example differently in order to "looking
at the data structure with efficiency in mind"?

-- 
Dr Jon D Harrop, Flying Frog Consultancy
http://www.ffconsultancy.com

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