20 Tips to Improve Your Code

i found a rather interesting site last night that gives 20 tips to improve your C++ coding.

I'd like to know the opinions of the experienced people here on these tidbits of info before i post mine, because i'm sure most of the hackers (NOT crackers) here have been doing this stuff for far longer and understand it far better than i.

well, here's the site (and an interesting read it is):
http://www.devx.com/cplus/free/artic...s/toptips2.asp

that's a pretty good list. These are good guidelines that are hard to keep in mind sometimes.

but.....

hackers don't code C++. Programmer/Developers do. if you want hackers, you should try the C board :D

grr.. a hacker is an outstanding coder who knows alot about computers and how they work.

A cracker is someone who attacks/breaks into other people's/company's security.

all programmers should know the difference.

read this if you don't believe me:
http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html

hacker = good coder

True.

cracker = small crispy biscuit

Also true.

There are many different ways to define many different words, and for most of the world, hacker = cracker.

--Chorus

I have always defined a "hack" as something that is stuck into code as a band-aid. Not a correct fix or proper form. A hacker as I have always seen it is a sloppy coder or someone who doesn't think about proper design and the result is something that can only be maintained by a hacker.

Maybe its not the correct definition but it's the one I've used. And I wasn't saying that they had anything to do with cracking either.

anyone here ever crack a CD check/key? ;) :D

first: im not really Exped: enough to be considered a real Hacker i have no delusions of grandure.

second: until salems final word all that i say is not necessarily right.

Tip 1: Is not always applicabe since now most compilers just use something like this.

// iostream.h

Code:

---


#ifndef _IOSTREAM_H
#define _IOSTREAM_H

#include <iostream>
#include <ostream.h>
#include <istream.h>
#include <streambuf.h>
#include <ios.h>

//ect...
        using std::cin;
        using std::cout;
        using std::cerr;
        using std::clog;
//ect...

---

then again... some don't

Tip 2:

as for "tip 2", if you declared f() without the constant identitifier, you should not compile without some finegaling anyway, since you cannot have a reference to a true Rvalue.

Tip 3: ok, you really shouldn't use comma's anyway since the intention is not always clear and they make code harder to read.

Tip 7: as far as specifically avoiding the dynamic memory, i say don't, but the rest is fairly sound. STL containers are quite nice.

Tip 15: on most compiler you cannot compile a template unless its definded in the header file its declared in anyway.

Tip 19: proper coding habits prevent this. and vector may add substantial overhead.

Kudos to both the article's author, Danny Kalev, and you for sharing the site with us.

Having spent a fair amount of time poring over the STL, I found the information insightful and the article well-written.

Now, about that 'Big Oh' thing...:D

Thanks.

(I'm looking forward to yours, though...:))

-Skipper