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GCC now uses C++ as its implementation language. It looks like C++ is getting some traction. BIND has also made the switch to C++ (and Python).

stefantalpalaru 14y ago
Isn't it just the subset compatible with C for now?
- ciupicri 14y ago
  This means that to build GCC from sources, you will need a C++ compiler that understands C++ 2003.
- mpyne 14y ago
  That's what it was for a couple of years, but now they've flipped the switch to where a C++03 compiler will actually be required. Note this is drastically different from a requirement to use advanced C++, coders can still use the subset of "C style" C++ if that's easier for them.
- fafner 14y ago
  No, they use real C++ features. I noticed it when trying to compile a plugin and it suddenly failed to build.
tobinfricke 14y ago
> It looks like C++ is getting some traction That's some LOL-worthy understatement right there.
- adamnemecek 14y ago
  He's probably talking about FOSS projects where C++ is still very uncool.
  - sho_hn 14y ago
    The most productive FOSS communities in terms of loc and number-of-projects (KDE and Mozilla) produce primarily C++ code.
    - adamnemecek 14y ago
      Those are also exceptions. For KDE, it was probably because they were stuck with whatever Qt was written in. For Mozilla, I'm not sure. Possibly because C++ has had better support on Windows? You don't agree that there is a strong sense of anti-C++ sentiments in the FOSS community? ASAIK both Linus and Stallman hate C++ with passion.
      - FooBarWidget 14y ago
        KDE didn't use C++ because they were "stuck" with it. Talk to any KDE developer and they will tell you all about KDE's "superior C++ based technology" and how it's better than gtk/gobject. They do have a lot of nice stuff; with GObject there's just so much boilerplate.
        adamnemecek 14y ago
        I meant that they were stuck with it in the sense that any other choice would be insane. Not stuck with it in the sense that they would want to switch to something else but they won't because of Qt. There are no other choices. Also, at no point did I make a comparison between GTK and KDE.
        omaranto 14y ago
        You mean with GObject there's a lot of boilerplate if you use it from C, but it's supposed to be pretty nice from Vala.
      - sho_hn 14y ago
        No, I never got that feeling. I think there's a sub-culture of systems-level programmers that are skeptical of C++ (sometimes for reasons I can respect as pragmatic and reasonable, cf. Linus), but the FOSS community is a lot larger than systems-level programming. In the areas I've dabbled in - primarily the desktop - C++ is generally seen as a viable choice outside the G* isle, and even there you can find some significant exceptions (the de-facto FOSS vector graphics app, Inkscape, uses GTK+ and is written in C++). And speaking as a KDE developer, I don't think I've ever met one of us who feels we're "stuck with C++". We're certainly critical of some of the warts of the language, and the community certainly includes folks who prefer and care strongly about some of the other languages we produce or have bindings for, and we're doing a lot of JavaScript on top of C++ foundations lately, but the overall sentiment is that in the grand scheme of things, C++ is ultimately the best choice for our core products.

stefantalpalaru 14y ago

Isn't it just the subset compatible with C for now?

ciupicri 14y ago
This means that to build GCC from sources, you will need a C++ compiler that understands C++ 2003.
mpyne 14y ago
That's what it was for a couple of years, but now they've flipped the switch to where a C++03 compiler will actually be required. Note this is drastically different from a requirement to use advanced C++, coders can still use the subset of "C style" C++ if that's easier for them.
fafner 14y ago
No, they use real C++ features. I noticed it when trying to compile a plugin and it suddenly failed to build.

tobinfricke 14y ago

> It looks like C++ is getting some traction That's some LOL-worthy understatement right there.

adamnemecek 14y ago
He's probably talking about FOSS projects where C++ is still very uncool.
- sho_hn 14y ago
  The most productive FOSS communities in terms of loc and number-of-projects (KDE and Mozilla) produce primarily C++ code.
  - adamnemecek 14y ago
    Those are also exceptions. For KDE, it was probably because they were stuck with whatever Qt was written in. For Mozilla, I'm not sure. Possibly because C++ has had better support on Windows? You don't agree that there is a strong sense of anti-C++ sentiments in the FOSS community? ASAIK both Linus and Stallman hate C++ with passion.
    - FooBarWidget 14y ago
      KDE didn't use C++ because they were "stuck" with it. Talk to any KDE developer and they will tell you all about KDE's "superior C++ based technology" and how it's better than gtk/gobject. They do have a lot of nice stuff; with GObject there's just so much boilerplate.
      - adamnemecek 14y ago
        I meant that they were stuck with it in the sense that any other choice would be insane. Not stuck with it in the sense that they would want to switch to something else but they won't because of Qt. There are no other choices. Also, at no point did I make a comparison between GTK and KDE.
      - omaranto 14y ago
        You mean with GObject there's a lot of boilerplate if you use it from C, but it's supposed to be pretty nice from Vala.
    - sho_hn 14y ago
      No, I never got that feeling. I think there's a sub-culture of systems-level programmers that are skeptical of C++ (sometimes for reasons I can respect as pragmatic and reasonable, cf. Linus), but the FOSS community is a lot larger than systems-level programming. In the areas I've dabbled in - primarily the desktop - C++ is generally seen as a viable choice outside the G* isle, and even there you can find some significant exceptions (the de-facto FOSS vector graphics app, Inkscape, uses GTK+ and is written in C++). And speaking as a KDE developer, I don't think I've ever met one of us who feels we're "stuck with C++". We're certainly critical of some of the warts of the language, and the community certainly includes folks who prefer and care strongly about some of the other languages we produce or have bindings for, and we're doing a lot of JavaScript on top of C++ foundations lately, but the overall sentiment is that in the grand scheme of things, C++ is ultimately the best choice for our core products.