🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <9531214.21952@mulga.cs.mu.OZ.AU> fjh@munta.cs.mu.OZ.AU (Fergus Hend
erson) writes:

[Good explanation of distinction between access/linkage/scope
elided...]

    >> The concept of an "extern" member function is meaningless--

    Fergus>    The concept of a member function with "extern" scope
    Fergus> would be meaningless, but the concept of a member function
    Fergus> having external linkage is quite meaningful.  Indeed, all
    Fergus> member functions have external linkage, except for member
    Fergus> functions of local classes defined withing other
    Fergus> functions, which have no linkage.

This is exactly what I was trying to say, albiet using antiquated
terminology. :-)

    >> Your example of const variables defaulting to "file scope" is
    >> something of a surprise to me as well.

    Fergus>    s/file scope/internal linkage/

I was exposed to K&R C at a tender age-- I blame society.

    >> I recognize the obvious benefit from a code generation
    >> perspective, but if this is true do we ever expect anyone to
    >> learn this language (C++) without first assimilating a massive
    >> body of historical and practical knowledge from which to draw
    >> insight as to why these inconsistancies exist?

    Fergus>    I can't speak for anyone else, but I don't.  I expect
    Fergus> most people will learn some small subset of the language,
    Fergus> and then muddle on.

I had intended that last as a purely rhetorical question, but at the
rate things are going I agree.  I suppose we should all take some
comfort from the fact that anyone who manages to understand all this
has excellent job security.
-- 
// Kaelin Colclasure -------------------------------------------------------
// EMail: kaelin@bridge.com           Mail: Bridge Information Systems, Inc.
// Voice: (314)567-8463                     717 Office Parkway
//   Fax: (314)432-5391                     St. Louis, MO 63141
---
[ comp.std.c++ is moderated.  Submission address: std-c++@ncar.ucar.edu.
  Contact address: std-c++-request@ncar.ucar.edu.  The moderation policy
  is summarized in http://dogbert.lbl.gov/~matt/std-c++/policy.html. ]