Re: [9fans] a quick and simple minded study of configure.

On 6/15/07, Skip Tavakkolian <9nut@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> I'm pretty sure I'm not good at it yet but I always found this one
> line. "word counter" impressive.
>
> std::distance(std::istream_iterator<std::string>(std::cin),
> std::istream_iterator<std::string>());

it is impressive that you typed that on a blackberry!


I'm not going to tell you that it was easy :-)


it's not short, if you count the class implementation. it doesn't
convey the idea - the solution is not understood unless you
understand each piece.


I disagree, to the extent that it really is short, in that it's one line :-)

I agree as your point is 100% valid that if you don't know distance,
istream_iterator, what cin is, and how it deals with "std::string", that you
wouldn't know how to write that line, and you possibly wouldn't understand
how it works.

But I suspect any person dealing with C++ has an idea how the STL and
Standard C++ Library works. What might still not be obvious is that that
you need certain restrictions on iterators for STL to work (don't
stable_sort on list iterators, as you probably need something with random
access, not bi-directional iterators). (ok that was a bit tongue-in-cheek)

No wonder there's so much money in C++ books :-)

i think what Ron is bringing up is having/learning the ability to
see through layers of filters to the exact need and providing a
design that is just the right distance between "pie in the sky" and
"failure of vision".

Yep, I was trying to point out that sometimes less code is more headache
:-)

Of course when the plane door closes you have to shut off your phone so I
don't think I got that across very well :-).

At any rate, I'm hoping that's NOT what was meant by "Bell Labs Lines" :-)

Dave

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