DaniWeb interviewing Bjarne Stroustrup (the father of C++)

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Hmm. What are your thoughts on C# and do you see C++0x taking back some of the C++ programmers lost to C# and other .NET languages?

Sodabread

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What are your feelings on the growing trend towards teaching higher level and less complex languages in education(Python, Vb.net etc) as opposed to lower level and/or more complex languages (C++, Java etc) and how do you think this will affect the quality of future programmers?

termatt56

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I'm trying really hard to come up with something but he has such an extensive website ( http://www2.research.att.com/~bs/ if anyone doesn't know it) where he has answered so many questions already.

I might ask him if he's going to come out with a new edition of his book covering C++0x in its entirety.

or
(for some hard hitting journalism)
What language or library does he use that he doesn't want people to know he uses?

jonsca

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I'm trying really hard to come up with something but he has such an extensive website ( http://www2.research.att.com/~bs/ if anyone doesn't know it) where he has answered so many questions already.

I might ask him if he's going to come out with a new edition of his book covering C++0x in its entirety.

or (for some hard hitting journalism) What language or library does he use that he doesn't want people to know he uses?

The first question is very common for example: In mr.Stroustrups website, you can look at the interviews section for a hell load of links. (i've gone through a few and hence know )

One of them being this : http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=1192024

In which the 10th question is what you wanted to ask .

--------------------------------------------------------
However the second question (hard-hitting-journalism)

I would love to hear what Mr Stroustrup would say on that particular one.

Sky Diploma

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The first question is very common for example: In mr.Stroustrups website, you can look at the interviews section for a hell load of links. (i've gone through a few and hence know )

LOL see that was my point exactly, but thanks for pointing that particular one out.

See if he lurks on any boards for C++.

jonsca

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>>See if he lurks on any boards for C++.

Does he have a DW account for example? And if so, is it Narue or Salem?

Nick Evan

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>> Does he have a DW account for example? And if so, is it Narue or Salem?

Neither of those people are Bjarne Stroustrup. You knew that--I'm supportive of a funny and truly different interview, but that question isn't funny.

whiteflags

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(1) what does he think of GUI toolkits specifically Win32, wxWidgets and QT? Which one does he use? and This is specifically my interest -> What does he think of wxWidgets?

(2) What is his comments on Compilers/Debuggers? Which one is his favorite?

(3) What does he think of IDEs? Which IDE does he use (Vim? Emacs? Geany? Anjuta)

I'll think about others if I'm not late :

evstevemd

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In C you always know when a called function will change a passed variable. In C++ you never know. I would like to know why you made this design decision.

eg.

void fooRef(int &a)
{
  a++;
}
void fooPtr(int *a)
{
  (*a)++;
}

void bar()
{
b = 10;
  fooRef(b); // no indication that is going to change.
  fooPtr(&b); // indication to programmer that b may change
}

Chris Bruner

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@Chris :

That's not really a C++ problem, a programmer should not use a reference to change a variable in a function, if the variable is to be changed he should use a pointer.
A reference can be used to 'speed up' functions that take large data structures as arguments, but in this case it should be a const reference to indicate that the passed variable is not going to be changed.

Stroustrup mentions this specifically in his "The C++ Programming Language" book.

thelamb

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I view the const solution you suggest as a bandage solution to a general design issue with the language.
The fact that you "CAN" change the reference means that some guy who had the code before me, "HAS" changed the reference somewhere down the tree of functions. When I am given new code one of the first things I do is change all references to const references to see what breaks. The fact that I have to do this in order to protect myself means that the language has a flaw.

A reference does not speed up functions any differently then a pointer. Internally they are equivalent. The only use that a reference has, is making it easier to code in that variables can be accessed as though they are local instead of being a pointer to a variable, which admittedly is a more complex syntax. I don't have a problem with references just that there is no indication to the calling function that the variable that is being passed is a reference.

Chris Bruner

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I would ask what does he think to the next language D ?

And also where does he think that D/C++ is placed within the latest languages (java/c#/ruby etc)

genux

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DaniWeb plans to interview Bjarne Stroustrup, the designer and original implementer of C++ and the author of many books on C++. This is truly a treat and rare opportunity for us as a community to talk to the father of C++.

As the new editor-in-chief of DaniWeb's News and Reviews I would like to reach out and involve the entire community and ask for your suggestions. Rather that simply asking Mr. Stroustrup the questions that come to my mind I would like to hear from you what you would like to know. Suggest a specific question or a general topic. Please keep it clean, respectful and relevant [to technology].

At the end of next Wednesday (May 19, 2010) I will review and consider all of your suggestions and come up with a list of questions for Mr. Stroustrup. I really look forward to your feedback and suggestions.

Ask him what will be the priority for the future C++ Standard Library wishlist ( http://www.open-std.org/jtc1/sc22/wg21/docs/papers/2006/n2034.htm ) after C++0x comes out in about a year
Personally I wish Web services, Web service container, Database support, Aspects and Design by contract will be the highest priority.

albertkao

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Benevolent Dictator For Life or BDFL is a title given to a small number of open source software development leaders. The BDFL resolves disputes or competing arguments within the community. The C++ community does not have a BDFL. Should the C++ community have a BDFL? If yes, does he want to be the BDFL?

albertkao

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is it not done yet? where is result?

evstevemd

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Does he have any plans toad some of the libraries from the Boost collection of libraries to STL?

Why is giving code hints (in IDE's) more difficult in c++, is it a design problem?

What does he think about using interpreters for debugging?

While strings are very important in high-level programming, strings are not as developed in c++ as in other languages (say Java or Python). What should be done about it?

venkat arun

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