Subject: Re: Why we Should Use the STL (fwd)
From: Michael D. Crawford (crawford@goingware.com)
Date: Wed Jun 07 2000 - 09:46:17 CDT
Here's a tip on why you should use the STL, based on my own experience:
It makes your programs easier to architect, implement, and the code
easier to read. Quite aside from efficiency, it makes some things
natural that would just be extremely difficult otherwise.
I'll have to wait until tomorrow or the next day to explain why, but
I've only recently begun using templates much. It's important _not_ to
try to understand them by reading the header files. Instead, understand
the reasoning and architecture behind them and they'll make a lot of
sense. It makes a lot more sense than, say, trying to design an
inheritance heirarchy for optimum flexibility.
I recommend reading "STL Tutorial and Reference Guide" by David R.
Musser and Atul Saini, ISBN 0-201-63398-1.
Before I read this book (I'm not even done yet) I had an architectural
problem that just made my head hurt and my schedule slip. I couldn't
write code at all, let alone buggy code. Now it's all coming together.
Remember that the STL header files are there for implementation, not
documentation. You're not expected to read them unless you're porting
them or fixing them or something. Simply reading them won't tell you
what the requirements and results of them are.
Michael D. Crawford
GoingWare Inc. - Expert Software Development and Consulting
http://www.goingware.com
crawford@goingware.com
Tilting at Windmills for a Better Tomorrow.
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