Document number:  J16/07-0094 = WG21 N2234
Date:  2007-05-06
Project:  Programming Language C++
Reference:  ISO/IEC IS 14882:2003
Reply to:  AFNOR
 cxx@lists-sop.inria.fr


French Panel (AFNOR) Position


The French delegation believes that the current C++0x ballot registration contains many promising and interesting proposals. However, we consider it very incomplete in many aspects. We would like to see C++0x include some functionalities that we consider fundamental. For example:

Moreover we consider also that programmer controlled garbage collector, which should be part of C++0x, is an essential part of this new standard.

Parts of the reasons why we consider those functionalities essential for C++0x are that in some countries, for example France, governmental contracts must use National Body standards (e.g. AFNOR), or ISO standards by default. But ISO Technical Reports are not normative, e.g. not ISO standards, and so useful functionalities in such documents have very few chances to be used or tested, therefore lowering their usefulness and scope.

Furthermore, these features have been around and are already available in many mainstream programming languages for a long time. It would very surprising and embarrassing not to have them yet in C++, or to have them only in 10 years.

Considering the perspective of the very soon closing of the Evolution Group and the fact that these propositions already have standard wordings and implementations, we are hoping that those propositions will be integrated into the standard.