Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++,comp.lang.smalltalk
Path: cantaloupe.srv.cs.cmu.edu!das-news2.harvard.edu!oitnews.harvard.edu!newsfeed.rice.edu!bcm.tmc.edu!cs.utexas.edu!news.ti.com!ticipa!clw
From: clw@ticipa.works.ti.com (Chris Winemiller)
Subject: Re: C++ vs Smalltalk?
Message-ID: <1995Oct17.220347.25875@ticipa.works.ti.com>
Organization: None
References: <45u80r$kc3@mujibur.inmind.com> <1995Oct17.171253.25466@ticipa.works.ti.com> <4612dm$a2o@mujibur.inmind.com>
Date: Tue, 17 Oct 1995 22:03:47 GMT
Lines: 38
Xref: glinda.oz.cs.cmu.edu comp.lang.c++:154970 comp.lang.smalltalk:29551

In article <4612dm$a2o@mujibur.inmind.com> mfinney@inmind.com writes:
>In <1995Oct17.171253.25466@ticipa.works.ti.com>, clw@ticipa.works.ti.com (Chris Winemiller) writes:
>>I think you should compare apples to apples, not apples to oranges.  I.e.:
>>
>>Return to C: re-learn language syntax + C function library.
>>Return to ST: re-learn language syntax + class library.
>
>If you use the C library extensively, you are right.  But the functions
>used most heavily are the string functions and they are simple
>enough that it only takes minutes or even seconds to pick them
>back up.  Most of the C library is only used on rare occassions
>and so doesn't need to be picked back up.  On the other hand, the
>Smalltalk library is absolutely essential to the use of Smalltalk
>and picking it back up is virtually mandatory.  I have managed to
>do only one (small) project which did not make extensive use of
>the Smalltalk library.  In C or C++ it is very rare that I use anything
>outstide of strcpy(), memcpy(), and printf()/iostreams.

I use more than those C functions when I do C coding, so it takes longer
to refresh.

<snip>

>I too have been away from C for extended periods of time.  It has
>only taken me a very short time to pick it (including the common
>library functions) back up.  But when I am away from Smalltalk for
>any length of time, the re-learning curve is steep in comparision.

I think we are simply relating our personal experiences, now; i.e., we
should not be generalizing to where we say returning to C is harder than
returning to ST, or vice versa.  Simply depends on the individual, eh?

Regards,
Chris
==============================================================
Chris Winemiller               Internet: clw@works.ti.com
Disclaimer: I do not speak for TI.
==============================================================
