Experiences w/ Garbage Collection and C/C++?

dberger queries: "Java has helped garbage collection enter the mainstream programmer's life - but it's certainly not new or unique to java. There have been (and are) several ways to add garbage collection to C/C++ - the most active seeming to be Hans Boehm's free libgc. I'm curious if any of the Slashdot crowd has used this (or any other) C++ garbage collector in non-trivial commercial applications. If so - what were your experiences? If not, why not? (Before you ask, yes - I know that GC isn't the only difference between C++ and Java, but 'automagic memory management' is certainly part of Java's marketing luster)"

Comments

C++ very expressive indeed

[Latent Heat]

C++ is very expressive indeed, and the example shows that C++ is good at something for which many would consider a scripting language to be required. But like some scripting languages, this C++ code fragment descends into a mix of Egyption hieroglyphics and Hittite cuneiform rather quickly.

So please tell me what

typedef vector::const_iterator Iter;

(or rather vector::const_iterator) is supposed to mean. I suppose vector is a templated class, but how does ::const_iterator come up with a type name -- I thought :: either references a static field or a class member function?

And what is the deal with the sort(,) as a free-standing function? Following OO principles, shouldn't the vector object v know how to sort itself with a call to v.sort()? And what the heck is this const_iterator type anyway that you can do ++ and * on it -- looks an awful lot like a pointer -- oops, I forgot, you can overload ++ and * to make "safe" operations on what are really objects look like "dangerous" pointer operations which the C/C++ community is in custom of using.

In principle, all the stuff done in Java and perhaps in scripting languages could all be done elegantly and expressively in C++ if us mere mortals ever figure out how to use the darned thing. But there is a kind of uniformity to Java (all object variables being GC'd heap references, collection and iterator types working with generic Object's that we cast to what the object is and rely on runtime type checking, don't worry-be happy allocation of these objects where we grab towels from the rack and leave them on the bathroom floor for the hotel maid to pick up) that simply feels more comfortable.

C++ is the music of Bach: elegant, mathematical, intricate, and expressive, but most musicians performing in front of audiences don't understand it and it is played as a dull jumble and mishmash and audiences gaze at Bach stuck at the beginning of a recital as a chore to get through. Java is the music of Mozart: simplified, standardized, predictable, and economical, but musicians of this era understand it and play it with gusto, and audiences love it because it sound so happy and makes them feel uplifted.