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> C# and Java "references" are semantically the same as C++ pointers minus arithmetic. But you can entirely write a shitton of C++ programs that won't use poin

> C# and Java "references" are semantically the same as C++ pointers minus arithmetic. But you can entirely write a shitton of C++ programs that won't use pointers at all - not even shared / unique. In contrast, you can't avoid C# and Java references.

vbezhenar 9y ago
Can you show an example of linked list data structure without pointers?
- jcelerier 9y ago
 In more than ten years of programming in C++ I never had once to implement a linked list. That's 100% irrelevant to programming practice. The only reason to implement one is whether it's for academic purposes, else just use `std::{s,}list`.
 - vbezhenar 9y ago
 Using std::list which uses pointers is using pointers.
 - jcelerier 9y ago
 ... no it's not. Else by that logic you'd be using pointers through any programming language.
- lmm 9y ago
 My C++ is rusty but you'd do it exactly like you do in ML. Something like: template<typename T> class List<T> { protected: List(); template<typename U> class Visitor { public: U visitNil(); U visitCons(T current, U accumulator); } public: virtual U visit(Vistor visitor); } template<typename T> class Nil<T> extends List<T> { U visit(Visitor visitor) = visitor.visitNil(); } template<typename T> class Cons<T> extends List<T> { private: T head; List<T> &tail; public: Cons(T head, List<T> &tail) { this.head = head; this.tail = tail; } U visit(Visitor visitor) = visitor.visitCons(head, tail.visit(visitor)); }
 - vbezhenar 9y ago
 Thanks, that neat. But how would you build a list of arbitrary length and free it later? You'll use pointers, one way or another. The only way to avoid pointers I could imagine is to use stack with recursion, but that's completely crazy and limited programming style.

vbezhenar 9y ago

Can you show an example of linked list data structure without pointers?

jcelerier 9y ago
In more than ten years of programming in C++ I never had once to implement a linked list. That's 100% irrelevant to programming practice. The only reason to implement one is whether it's for academic purposes, else just use `std::{s,}list`.
- vbezhenar 9y ago
  Using std::list which uses pointers is using pointers.
  - jcelerier 9y ago
    ... no it's not. Else by that logic you'd be using pointers through any programming language.
lmm 9y ago
My C++ is rusty but you'd do it exactly like you do in ML. Something like: template<typename T> class List<T> { protected: List(); template<typename U> class Visitor { public: U visitNil(); U visitCons(T current, U accumulator); } public: virtual U visit(Vistor visitor); } template<typename T> class Nil<T> extends List<T> { U visit(Visitor visitor) = visitor.visitNil(); } template<typename T> class Cons<T> extends List<T> { private: T head; List<T> &tail; public: Cons(T head, List<T> &tail) { this.head = head; this.tail = tail; } U visit(Visitor visitor) = visitor.visitCons(head, tail.visit(visitor)); }
- vbezhenar 9y ago
 Thanks, that neat. But how would you build a list of arbitrary length and free it later? You'll use pointers, one way or another. The only way to avoid pointers I could imagine is to use stack with recursion, but that's completely crazy and limited programming style.