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Groups > comp.lang.c++.moderated > #7280

Re: Avoid 'int' and associates.

Cross-posted to 2 groups.

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On Sun, 14 Jun 2015 06:36:18 CST
Mr Flibble <flibbleREMOVETHISBIT@i42.co.uk> wrote:

> In modern C++ we should avoid using 'int' and its associates such as 
> 'short' and 'long' as they are all non-portable and unsafe (their
> size and value range can differ from one implementation to the next);
> instead one should use the typedefs from <cstdint> instead.

I disagree with this assertion.  Hardware evolves, and nonspecialized
variables evolve along with it.  

It's not strictly correct that "int" and "long" are nonportable.  It's
more correct to say their size is adapted by the compiler to the
machine.  Except in the case of I/O, ISTM that's an advantage.  

We have working code today written in the era of 16-bit machines, when
32-bit accesses required two memory reads and extra CPU cycles to
compute.  We have even more code dating from the VAX era, including
every operating system in common use.  The transition to 64-bit
hardware was made easier, I would argue, by *not* specifying variable
sizes in terms of bits.  Indeed, the biggest change has been away from
bare "int" to semantic, opaque types like size_t and off_t.  

I'm very glad we have <cstdint>.  It makes simple something that used
to ugly and arcane, and it a pleasure to use for e.g. network
programming.  It's a mistake to think it makes ordinary variables
obsolete.  Size usually doesn't matter very much, and is relative, and
changes over time.  

--jkl


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Thread

Avoid 'int' and associates. Mr Flibble <flibbleREMOVETHISBIT@i42.co.uk> - 2015-06-14 06:36 -0600
  Re: Avoid 'int' and associates. Melzzzzz <mel@zzzzz.com> - 2015-06-14 18:00 -0600
  Re: Avoid 'int' and associates. Francis Glassborow <francis.glassborow@btinternet.com> - 2015-06-14 18:07 -0600
  Re: Avoid 'int' and associates. "James K. Lowden" <jklowden@speakeasy.net> - 2015-06-14 18:11 -0600
  Re: Avoid 'int' and associates. James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2015-06-14 18:11 -0600
  Re: Avoid 'int' and associates. Maciej Sobczak <see.my.homepage@googlemail.com> - 2015-06-14 18:11 -0600
  Re: Avoid 'int' and associates. Paavo Helde <myfirstname@osa.pri.ee> - 2015-06-14 20:24 -0600
    Re: Avoid 'int' and associates. David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2015-06-15 07:13 -0600
      Re: Avoid 'int' and associates. Francis Glassborow <francis.glassborow@btinternet.com> - 2015-06-15 11:22 -0600
        Re: Avoid 'int' and associates. Mr Flibble <flibbleREMOVETHISBIT@i42.co.uk> - 2015-06-15 13:02 -0600
          Re: Avoid 'int' and associates. Francis Glassborow <francis.glassborow@btinternet.com> - 2015-06-15 14:54 -0600
            Re: Avoid 'int' and associates. Mr Flibble <flibbleREMOVETHISBIT@i42.co.uk> - 2015-06-15 15:54 -0600
              Re: Avoid 'int' and associates. James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2015-06-15 21:04 -0600
                Re: Avoid 'int' and associates. David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2015-06-16 07:05 -0600
                Re: Avoid 'int' and associates. James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2015-06-16 14:59 -0600
                Re: Avoid 'int' and associates. David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2015-06-16 16:47 -0600
              Re: Avoid 'int' and associates. scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2015-06-16 09:54 -0600
                Re: Avoid 'int' and associates. legalize+jeeves@mail.xmission.com (Richard) - 2015-06-16 14:59 -0600
                Re: Avoid 'int' and associates. Mr Flibble <flibbleREMOVETHISBIT@i42.co.uk> - 2015-06-16 16:47 -0600
              Re: Avoid 'int' and associates. "Chris M. Thomasson" <nospam@nospam.nospam> - 2015-06-16 15:03 -0600
                Re: Avoid 'int' and associates. Mr Flibble <flibbleREMOVETHISBIT@i42.co.uk> - 2015-06-16 16:47 -0600
                Re: Avoid 'int' and associates. pip010 <pip010@googlemail.com> - 2015-08-03 06:54 -0600
                Re: Avoid 'int' and associates. maddoxr@acm.org - 2015-08-03 10:01 -0600
            Re: Avoid 'int' and associates. James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2015-06-15 21:04 -0600
          Re: Avoid 'int' and associates. James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2015-06-15 15:55 -0600
        Re: Avoid 'int' and associates. David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2015-06-16 07:04 -0600
  Re: Avoid 'int' and associates. Öö Tiib <ootiib@hot.ee> - 2015-06-27 14:17 -0600

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