This post originated from an RSS feed registered with Ruby Buzz
by Daniel Berger.
Original Post: Ruby Fried Rice (or, Why Not C++?)
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I stumbled onto Rice the other day. I like it. A lot.
It's funny I came across this because I've been considering a rewrite of Ruby in C++. Not that I know C++ very well. I just think there are a lot of advantages to using C++. Functors, try/catch, the STL. Who knows what else?
I think the main argument against implementing a language in C++ has always been that it's too complex and that its type system would get in the way. Complex, sure, but very powerful in the hands of a master. Just look at BeOS. Best desktop OS ever written from an architectural point of view IMHO, and it was all C++. Obviously that's more design than language, but then language tends to shape design. I suspect there would be overall design improvements in a theoretical Ruby++ just by virtue of using C++.
As for the type system getting in the way, well, I think JRuby and Jython have put that notion to rest quite handily.
Another argument in the past may have been that not everyone had a C++ compiler, but that's no longer true. On Linux and BSD you've got g++, on Windows there's the free C++ compiler, and on Solaris you can use either g++ or the C++ compiler that comes with their free Sun Studio Compiler suite.
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