UnLoser wrote:
I'm almost shocked to hear so many of you calling c++ horrible, considering how popular it is. Is it really so complicated as to interfere with writing programs on a regular basis? I haven't learned any compiled languages yet, and I was considering learning c++ first, but if it's that much worse than other languages like Java, then I won't even bother.
I'm not an expert at c++ yet, but I imagine people don't like it because it's complicated. It's a standard that has evolved over time with each syntax addition designed to be backwards compatible. This means there are a lot of "deprecated" or vestigial features. I personally like the flexibility but it is rather taxing to learn it all. The other problem is the language itself doesn't force you to comply with any particular style so if you are working on a project with multiple developers, all with different preferences, it's possible to end up with obnoxious inconsistent code.
From my experience templates are the worst aspect of c++. They make it possible to create very generalized function libraries but they also add a whole new layer to the compilation process making any code that uses them error prone and hard to debug. Trying to create templates for anything outside of very basic library-type functions ( that are mostly already provided in the standard library anyways ) is horrible and almost never works the way you would expect.
Another obnoxious thing you can do in c++ is operator overloading. Again, they are fine for very basic library-type classes but pointless and confusing anywhere else.
17 Mar 2013, 12:33 pm
