From: Wei Dai <weidai@eskimo.com>
Date: Wed, 5 Jun 1996 15:09:29 +0800
To: Bill Frantz <frantz@netcom.com>
Subject: C++
In-Reply-To: <199606040626.XAA09729@netcom7.netcom.com>
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.93.960604142353.15547E-100000@eskimo.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


> [As an aside, when I attempted to compile Wai Dei's crypto lib 2.0 with the
> Symantec Project Manager C++ compilers, none of the 3 would compile it. 
> The one which generated the fewest errors had "internal error" on two
> modules.  This problem occurs because C++ is such a large language, with a
> number of obscure features which compiler writers don't always handle.  In
> addition, C++ is in no way machine independent.  The simplest example is
> that sizeof(int) is machine dependent.]

It's true that C++ is large and has many features, some obscure.  But the
fact is most of those features are actually very useful.  I suspect many
experienced C++ programmers do not like Java even though Java looks a lot
like C++ because they are so used to having those features in C++.  Take a
look at Victor's earlier post on this subject.

Portability is certainly one of the big problems of C++.  But it can be
done and should become easier in the future as the compilers standarize. 
If anyone has trouble compiling Crypto++, please send me a report so I can
help you figure out workarounds.  Also, send bug reports to the compiler
company if you think there are bugs in the compiler.

Wei Dai