Re: [OT] General purpose Expression Parser

Richard Heathfield wrote:
> Ioannis Vranos said:
>> Ben Pfaff wrote:
>>> Ioannis Vranos <ivranos@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> writes:
>>>
>>>> I think template functions and structs could be introduced in
>>>> C.
>>> You can already use them in C++.  There is no need for them in C.
>> So, whatever we can use in C++ needs not be provided in C. In other
>> words you are saying that C is obsolete.
> 
> CUSTOMER: "I'd like a knife and fork, please."
> WAITER: "Here you are, sir."
> CUSTOMER: "Wait a moment - this fork has no sharp edge."
> WAITER: "That's right."
> CUSTOMER: "But this knife has a lovely edge on it. Why can't the fork be

> like that?"
> WAITER: "Because it's a fork."
> CUSTOMER: "This knife has serrations along the blade to improve its grip

> during the cut. Why can't the fork have serrations?"
> WAITER: "Because it's a fork. If you want to cut, use the knife."
> CUSTOMER: "So what you're saying is that the fork is useless? I don't
need 
> it?"
> WAITER: "No, what I'm saying is that I don't get paid enough to deal
with 
> people like you."


This fictional conversation has nothing to do with the value of 
function/struct templates in terms of *elegance (simplicity)*, 
*efficiency*, *type safety* as a newer and better tool, replacing 
generic functions currently implemented with void * and conditions, and 
macros.


As an example of C++ features adoption, consider function-prototypes 
adopted and provided in C89 as well as other features I do not remember
now.