-
Notifications
You must be signed in to change notification settings - Fork 0
/
AffairWithCPP.html
367 lines (361 loc) · 16.3 KB
/
AffairWithCPP.html
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN"
"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en" xml:lang="en">
<head>
<!-- 2022-01-27 Thu 11:37 -->
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" />
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" />
<title>An Affair with C++</title>
<meta name="generator" content="Org mode" />
<meta name="author" content="Girish" />
<style type="text/css">
<!--/*--><![CDATA[/*><!--*/
.title { text-align: center;
margin-bottom: .2em; }
.subtitle { text-align: center;
font-size: medium;
font-weight: bold;
margin-top:0; }
.todo { font-family: monospace; color: red; }
.done { font-family: monospace; color: green; }
.priority { font-family: monospace; color: orange; }
.tag { background-color: #eee; font-family: monospace;
padding: 2px; font-size: 80%; font-weight: normal; }
.timestamp { color: #bebebe; }
.timestamp-kwd { color: #5f9ea0; }
.org-right { margin-left: auto; margin-right: 0px; text-align: right; }
.org-left { margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; text-align: left; }
.org-center { margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; }
.underline { text-decoration: underline; }
#postamble p, #preamble p { font-size: 90%; margin: .2em; }
p.verse { margin-left: 3%; }
pre {
border: 1px solid #ccc;
box-shadow: 3px 3px 3px #eee;
padding: 8pt;
font-family: monospace;
overflow: auto;
margin: 1.2em;
}
pre.src {
position: relative;
overflow: visible;
padding-top: 1.2em;
}
pre.src:before {
display: none;
position: absolute;
background-color: white;
top: -10px;
right: 10px;
padding: 3px;
border: 1px solid black;
}
pre.src:hover:before { display: inline;}
/* Languages per Org manual */
pre.src-asymptote:before { content: 'Asymptote'; }
pre.src-awk:before { content: 'Awk'; }
pre.src-C:before { content: 'C'; }
/* pre.src-C++ doesn't work in CSS */
pre.src-clojure:before { content: 'Clojure'; }
pre.src-css:before { content: 'CSS'; }
pre.src-D:before { content: 'D'; }
pre.src-ditaa:before { content: 'ditaa'; }
pre.src-dot:before { content: 'Graphviz'; }
pre.src-calc:before { content: 'Emacs Calc'; }
pre.src-emacs-lisp:before { content: 'Emacs Lisp'; }
pre.src-fortran:before { content: 'Fortran'; }
pre.src-gnuplot:before { content: 'gnuplot'; }
pre.src-haskell:before { content: 'Haskell'; }
pre.src-hledger:before { content: 'hledger'; }
pre.src-java:before { content: 'Java'; }
pre.src-js:before { content: 'Javascript'; }
pre.src-latex:before { content: 'LaTeX'; }
pre.src-ledger:before { content: 'Ledger'; }
pre.src-lisp:before { content: 'Lisp'; }
pre.src-lilypond:before { content: 'Lilypond'; }
pre.src-lua:before { content: 'Lua'; }
pre.src-matlab:before { content: 'MATLAB'; }
pre.src-mscgen:before { content: 'Mscgen'; }
pre.src-ocaml:before { content: 'Objective Caml'; }
pre.src-octave:before { content: 'Octave'; }
pre.src-org:before { content: 'Org mode'; }
pre.src-oz:before { content: 'OZ'; }
pre.src-plantuml:before { content: 'Plantuml'; }
pre.src-processing:before { content: 'Processing.js'; }
pre.src-python:before { content: 'Python'; }
pre.src-R:before { content: 'R'; }
pre.src-ruby:before { content: 'Ruby'; }
pre.src-sass:before { content: 'Sass'; }
pre.src-scheme:before { content: 'Scheme'; }
pre.src-screen:before { content: 'Gnu Screen'; }
pre.src-sed:before { content: 'Sed'; }
pre.src-sh:before { content: 'shell'; }
pre.src-sql:before { content: 'SQL'; }
pre.src-sqlite:before { content: 'SQLite'; }
/* additional languages in org.el's org-babel-load-languages alist */
pre.src-forth:before { content: 'Forth'; }
pre.src-io:before { content: 'IO'; }
pre.src-J:before { content: 'J'; }
pre.src-makefile:before { content: 'Makefile'; }
pre.src-maxima:before { content: 'Maxima'; }
pre.src-perl:before { content: 'Perl'; }
pre.src-picolisp:before { content: 'Pico Lisp'; }
pre.src-scala:before { content: 'Scala'; }
pre.src-shell:before { content: 'Shell Script'; }
pre.src-ebnf2ps:before { content: 'ebfn2ps'; }
/* additional language identifiers per "defun org-babel-execute"
in ob-*.el */
pre.src-cpp:before { content: 'C++'; }
pre.src-abc:before { content: 'ABC'; }
pre.src-coq:before { content: 'Coq'; }
pre.src-groovy:before { content: 'Groovy'; }
/* additional language identifiers from org-babel-shell-names in
ob-shell.el: ob-shell is the only babel language using a lambda to put
the execution function name together. */
pre.src-bash:before { content: 'bash'; }
pre.src-csh:before { content: 'csh'; }
pre.src-ash:before { content: 'ash'; }
pre.src-dash:before { content: 'dash'; }
pre.src-ksh:before { content: 'ksh'; }
pre.src-mksh:before { content: 'mksh'; }
pre.src-posh:before { content: 'posh'; }
/* Additional Emacs modes also supported by the LaTeX listings package */
pre.src-ada:before { content: 'Ada'; }
pre.src-asm:before { content: 'Assembler'; }
pre.src-caml:before { content: 'Caml'; }
pre.src-delphi:before { content: 'Delphi'; }
pre.src-html:before { content: 'HTML'; }
pre.src-idl:before { content: 'IDL'; }
pre.src-mercury:before { content: 'Mercury'; }
pre.src-metapost:before { content: 'MetaPost'; }
pre.src-modula-2:before { content: 'Modula-2'; }
pre.src-pascal:before { content: 'Pascal'; }
pre.src-ps:before { content: 'PostScript'; }
pre.src-prolog:before { content: 'Prolog'; }
pre.src-simula:before { content: 'Simula'; }
pre.src-tcl:before { content: 'tcl'; }
pre.src-tex:before { content: 'TeX'; }
pre.src-plain-tex:before { content: 'Plain TeX'; }
pre.src-verilog:before { content: 'Verilog'; }
pre.src-vhdl:before { content: 'VHDL'; }
pre.src-xml:before { content: 'XML'; }
pre.src-nxml:before { content: 'XML'; }
/* add a generic configuration mode; LaTeX export needs an additional
(add-to-list 'org-latex-listings-langs '(conf " ")) in .emacs */
pre.src-conf:before { content: 'Configuration File'; }
table { border-collapse:collapse; }
caption.t-above { caption-side: top; }
caption.t-bottom { caption-side: bottom; }
td, th { vertical-align:top; }
th.org-right { text-align: center; }
th.org-left { text-align: center; }
th.org-center { text-align: center; }
td.org-right { text-align: right; }
td.org-left { text-align: left; }
td.org-center { text-align: center; }
dt { font-weight: bold; }
.footpara { display: inline; }
.footdef { margin-bottom: 1em; }
.figure { padding: 1em; }
.figure p { text-align: center; }
.inlinetask {
padding: 10px;
border: 2px solid gray;
margin: 10px;
background: #ffffcc;
}
#org-div-home-and-up
{ text-align: right; font-size: 70%; white-space: nowrap; }
textarea { overflow-x: auto; }
.linenr { font-size: smaller }
.code-highlighted { background-color: #ffff00; }
.org-info-js_info-navigation { border-style: none; }
#org-info-js_console-label
{ font-size: 10px; font-weight: bold; white-space: nowrap; }
.org-info-js_search-highlight
{ background-color: #ffff00; color: #000000; font-weight: bold; }
.org-svg { width: 90%; }
/*]]>*/-->
</style>
<script type="text/javascript">
/*
@licstart The following is the entire license notice for the
JavaScript code in this tag.
Copyright (C) 2012-2019 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
The JavaScript code in this tag is free software: you can
redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU
General Public License (GNU GPL) as published by the Free Software
Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option)
any later version. The code is distributed WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY;
without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU GPL for more details.
As additional permission under GNU GPL version 3 section 7, you
may distribute non-source (e.g., minimized or compacted) forms of
that code without the copy of the GNU GPL normally required by
section 4, provided you include this license notice and a URL
through which recipients can access the Corresponding Source.
@licend The above is the entire license notice
for the JavaScript code in this tag.
*/
<!--/*--><![CDATA[/*><!--*/
function CodeHighlightOn(elem, id)
{
var target = document.getElementById(id);
if(null != target) {
elem.cacheClassElem = elem.className;
elem.cacheClassTarget = target.className;
target.className = "code-highlighted";
elem.className = "code-highlighted";
}
}
function CodeHighlightOff(elem, id)
{
var target = document.getElementById(id);
if(elem.cacheClassElem)
elem.className = elem.cacheClassElem;
if(elem.cacheClassTarget)
target.className = elem.cacheClassTarget;
}
/*]]>*///-->
</script>
</head>
<body>
<div id="content">
<div id="table-of-contents">
<h2>Table of Contents</h2>
<div id="text-table-of-contents">
<ul>
<li><a href="#org444df9c">1. An Affair with C++</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="#orgaec946e">1.1. Falling in love</a></li>
<li><a href="#orga91db2f">1.2. The trauma</a></li>
<li><a href="#org37ebed7">1.3. Aftermath</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div id="outline-container-org444df9c" class="outline-2">
<h2 id="org444df9c"><span class="section-number-2">1</span> An Affair with C++</h2>
<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-1">
</div>
<div id="outline-container-orgaec946e" class="outline-3">
<h3 id="orgaec946e"><span class="section-number-3">1.1</span> Falling in love</h3>
<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-1-1">
<p>
It was in college, when I was studying computer science that I first
learnt C++ as part of the curriculum. Prior to C++, I had studied how to
program using C. C++ was (or still is) considered to be an improvement
to the C language. I remember reading Stephen Prata as the textbook
and Lippman as the reference for learning C++. The course was called
"Object Oriented Programming using C++". This meant a paradigm shift
from the erstwhile imperative programming (using a language like C).
We were taught, as part of the course, to think in terms of <i>objects</i>.
Real world objects to be precise. It could be abstract too. Jargon such as inheritance, polymorphism and
encapsulation became a parlance. A parlance associated with object
orientation. I was wondering back then, "Why C++? when C could do it"
The programming constructs such as a <i>class</i> in C++ seemed alien. I
started off with rewriting C programs in C++. It was an easier way to learn the
syntax and features of a new programming language. Rewrite. I remember
writing simple programs for calculating simple interest, bank account (just
deposit, withdraw and interest calculation) and so on. Gradually, the
object oriented features were introduced and programs for the same
were implemented. I found C++ to be a little simpler to understand.
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="outline-container-orga91db2f" class="outline-3">
<h3 id="orga91db2f"><span class="section-number-3">1.2</span> The trauma</h3>
<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-1-2">
<p>
C was a horror when it came to pointers, function pointers,
multi-dimensional arrays, and implementing higher level data structures like trees,
dictionaries etc. I had real trouble writing programs for implementing
data structures. Huffman's algorithm in particular was a real challenge. Till date,
I have not been able to implement it in either C or C++. Joel Spolsky,
a software developer from New York, who created StackOverflow.com,
states: 'programming is an <i>aptitude</i>' in one of his blogs. The
real mettle of a programmer lies in the ability to think through
abstractions. Two things that matter the most according to his blog are:
Pointers and Recursion. He fails to understand why most people cannot
think through these abstractions. It is probably an innate ability of
a person and not something that one can practice and acquire. I would even
go to an extent of calling it a <i>talent</i>. One can acquire skills through
practice but to become a successful programmer, say someone like Linus
Torvalds, one has to have this in-born ability.
Back to C++, I did manage to get good grades in that course, the only
challenge with C++ was friend functions. Why befriend someone when you
can acquaint? Bjarne Stroustrup, the creator of C++, may have a strong
reasoning behind that. Bjarne's talk on Big Think channel of YouTube
was inspiring. I found his way of working noteworthy. He would use a
small laptop, eleven or thirteen inches, not more than that, to
write programs during his travels, and use a headphone to listen to a
wide collection of music while programming. I would call Torvalds,
Stroustrup and their likes as 'Celebrity Artists'. Artists who hone and
master the art of computer programming and wield influence on a lot of
fellow programmers. I remember a college professor of mine, who
used C++ as a language of choice for understanding abstractions. From
machine level to the application level: C++ did it all. Things such as
'name mangling' comes to my mind. He had worked at Yahoo, prior to
joining our college. I remember him saying -
"The purpose of inheritance is to avoid if-else conditions in the
program". I couldn't counter that argument till date.
On the contrary, it was reaffirmed by one of my senior
colleagues at work, years later. Standard template library (STL) was a life
saviour as it provided all the data structures that a C++ programmer
would ever need. This was the case, at least back in 2009. After that, I learnt
Java and never touched C++ for at least a decade to come.
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="outline-container-org37ebed7" class="outline-3">
<h3 id="org37ebed7"><span class="section-number-3">1.3</span> Aftermath</h3>
<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-1-3">
<p>
During 2018-19, I was part of Thirty Meter Telescope project's Observatory software quality
assurance team, wherein I felt the urge to write some C++ code. I took
up the task of porting objects written in Scala/Java to C++. Some interfaces
were needed for the Event services, as part of the observatory
software. After that, when I moved to another organisation and started working on
Cisco WebEx teams software, I had tried to use C++ for a certain
feature called 'Buttons and Cards'. I had to meddle with C++ code for
that. I gave up after a week or so. The cognitive load of going
through files of C++ code was overwhelming me. It wasn't the C++ that
I had learnt in college; C++ 11, 17 were in vogue now. It had asynchronous
functions and weird callbacks. Tad harder to understand using a debugger. I resorted
to Java and JavaScript, the languages which almost anyone can program using,
without many hassles. I am an avid gamer and most of AAA titles
released are written using C++. The language for building modern day
console games is C++. I remember tutoring fundamentals of Python
programming to Prince, a thirteen year old kid from USA, a year ago,
who said - "Minecraft in C++ is faster than Minecraft in Java". He
wanted to learn C++ so that he could tweak Minecraft code. I was
shocked and perplexed. I initiated C++,
starting with the usual 'Hello world' program. The verbosity of C++ as
compared to say Python, made it hard for Prince to write programs. Prince and I
were used to the Python's bonhomie. Both of us struggled at the
beginning, later we decided to learn something else.
</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<nav class="right">
<a href="telltaleOfTypewriter.html"><img src="assets/img/previous.jpg" alt="Previous"></a>
<a href="index.html"><img src="assets/img/home.jpg"></a>
<a href="CritiqueOfCPP.html"><img src="assets/img/next.jpg" alt="Next"></a>
</nav>
<div id="postamble" class="status">
<p class="author">Author: Girish</p>
<p class="date">Created: 2022-01-27 Thu 11:37</p>
<p>Copyright © 2019 to present, Girish M <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"><img
alt="Creative Commons License" style="border-width:0" src="assets/img/cc.png" /></a><br />This work is licensed
under a <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">Creative Commons
Attribution 4.0 International License</a>. The source for this web-page can be found <a
href="https://github.com/girish17/girish17.github.io/blob/master/AffairWithCPP.html">here</a>
</p>
</div>
</body>
</html>