Subject: Re: OT: O'Caml (was: LISP - When you've seen it, what else can impress?)
From: rpw3@rpw3.org (Rob Warnock)
Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 16:44:21 -0000
Newsgroups: comp.lang.lisp
Message-ID: <unusn5f223ppef@corp.supernews.com>
Matthew Danish  <mdanish@andrew.cmu.edu> wrote:
+---------------
| However C function pointers are such a pain in the ass, that I regard
| them as a somewhat lower form of higher-order functions :-) Due to their
| painfulness, they tend to be used much less by C programmers than a
| functional language programmer.  Also, as you point out, they are much
| less useful without closures.  So in a sense, "C programmers get by
| without higher-order functions" in many situations where they would be
| useful.
+---------------

No argument.

However, it's worth also pointing out that once one has had significant
exposure to (quasi-)functional languages (CL & Scheme count here), one
may find *much* greater use of higher-order functions and perhaps even
explicit closures (manully-managed, or with a small auxiliary lib) popping
up in one's C code, with beneficial effects on coding time and correctness.

Heavens! I've even found myself occasionally using HOFs in *firmware*!! ;-}


-Rob

-----
Rob Warnock, PP-ASEL-IA		<rpw3@rpw3.org>
627 26th Avenue			<URL:http://www.rpw3.org/>
San Mateo, CA 94403		(650)572-2607