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From: modena@netcom.com (Modena Software)
Subject: Re: *** Help Needed to Publicize STL ***
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Date: Mon, 7 Nov 1994 08:52:11 GMT
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In article <39gkei$a7m@ccnet.ccnet.com> Mark Haas <mhaas@ccnet.com> writes:
>I am working with Alex Stepanov, developer of STL, to help publicize its acceptance as part of the ANSI/ISO standard C++ library, and the availabilityof the HP implementation.  I am creating the press release that will be sent to editors at both industry/trade publications, as well as more business-oriented ones.
>
>While it is not necessary for me to get into the low-level technical details of STL, I could use some help in explaining the significance of STL to MIS managers, IT managers, software developers, and other corporate/governement/educational users of C++.  I'd appreciate anyone's opinion/view/prediction/etc. of what STL could mean to the industry should it enjoy wide acceptance and use.  How revolutionary a change could it create in the way software is developed?  Any and all input appreciated.
>
>Please send your replies to me via private email in addition to any postings here.  Thank you.
>
>Mark Haas
>mhaas@ccnet.com
>

Mark,

Included below is information about STL. Hope this helps.

(I) Advantages over other libraries
***********************************

STL has several advantages over other libraries:

  (1) PERFORMANCE:
        
      STL containers are all completely independent of each 
          other: the absence of an inheritance hierarchy, combined 
          with the intelligent use of template techniques, allows 
          STL to have a significant performance advantage over 
          other C++ component libraries.

          STL is fundamentally efficient. It can be used as a base
          for more conventional and/or dynamic libraries. Even for
          simple tasks, such as searching a vector, it is an order 
          of magnitude more efficient than other libraries.


  (2) GENERIC ALGORITHMS:

          STL is the first  available component library
          that contains several useful algorithms as well as data
          structures.  STL Algorithms are "generic" : each algorithm
          works with almost all containers.

          This has several important consequences, the most important
          of which is that there is no code bloat, since each operation 
          does not have to be programmed separately for each class.


  (3) BUILT-IN and USER-DEFINED DATA TYPES:

          Like C++, and unlike many other C++ libraries, the STL
          framework accomodates both built-in and user defined data
          types. There is NO LOSS IN EFFICIENCY for user-defined
          data types.  In many cases, the algorithms are as efficient
          as hand-coded routines for all data types.


  (4) Extensibility:

          The STL framework is designed to be extensible: users can
          add their own data structures, and have all algorithms 
          immediately work on them.  Or, users can add their own
          algorithms and have them work immediately on a variety of 
          containers.

          Since the STL containers are independent of each other, 
          they can be very easily integrated with other class libraries
          and with C++ code.


  (5) Tested and Proved:

          The STL framework is the result of practical and theoretical
          work by several people for more than a decade. The library has
          been extensively tested and is already in use by thousands of
          developers worldwide.



-- K. Kalyan
Modena Software Inc.
email: modena@netcom.com
Tel:   1-800-MODENA-1