Location

Abstract: Two Views of C++

In 2002, Bertrand Meyer, inventor of Eiffel, asked me to give a talk on C++ at ETH in Zurich, where he is a member of the Software Engineering faculty. Meyer is a well-known C++-hater, so the choice of topic was a delicate one. I ultimately decided to give two mini-talks, one making C++ look bad and one making it look good.

The two talks are:

• “The meaning of ‘f(x)’ in C++,” an exploration of the rules for function overloading, template instantiation, template specialization, and the semantic mess that results from their interactions.
• “Dimensional Analysis in C++,” a purely compile-time approach to making sure that physical quantities (e.g., mass, velocity, distance, etc.) are used consistently in C++ programs.

I’ll also be plugging the third edition of Effective C++, reminding everyone that they should own n+2 copies, where n is the number of cars they own: 1 for home, 1 for work, and n for reading when they are stuck in traffic.

I may also show slides of recent trips I’ve taken to China and India. Or maybe of our new dog, Darla. Maybe even video. Whatever. We’ll see :-)

Bio

Scott Meyers is one of the world’s foremost experts on C++ software development. He wrote the best-selling Effective C++ series (Effective C++, More Effective C++, and Effective STL); wrote and designed the innovative Effective C++ CD; is consulting editor for Addison Wesley’s Effective Software Development Series; and is a member of the advisory board for Software Development magazine. He also sits on technical advisory boards for several start-up companies. A programmer since 1972, he holds an M.S. in Computer Science from Stanford University and a Ph.D. from Brown University.

Click here to download the slides from the presentation