Knowledge and Persuasion in Economics

Book Description

Donald McCloskey's previous books, The Rhetoric of Economics and If You're So Smart, aimed to bring economics back into the wider conversation of the day. In Knowledge and Persuasion in Economics he carries the conversation further, into the seminars of philosophers. His message is that economics is a science, but a human science. It is properly mathematical, but literary too. His book is highly unusual: a work of technical economics that can be read by anyone, a witty guide to the ins and outs of economic philosophy expressed in plain English.

Customer Reviews:

constructive and convincing on economics as a science.......1999-01-11

As an macro-economist interested in methodology of economics and the philosophy of science, i found McCloskey's book instructive and interesting. Especially the central role of language in science (as in all other human communication or, rather, persuasion), with clear links to American pragmatist philosophers like Rorty is convincingly put forward. The false and unhelpful dichotomy between 'objective facts' and 'subjective interpretation' gets a proper thrashing. I wish more economists and other social scientists would take note of this. Recommended for all economists with an interest in the foundations of their profession.

Knowledge and Persuasion in Economics. (book reviews): An article from: Southern Economic Journal

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Knowledge and Persuasion in Economics. (book reviews): An article from: Southern Economic Journal
Yong J. Yoon
Manufacturer: Southern Economic Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B00093TM5M
Release Date: 2005-07-28

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Southern Economic Journal, published by Southern Economic Association on January 1, 1996. The length of the article is 1024 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Knowledge and Persuasion in Economics. (book reviews)
Author: Yong J. Yoon
Publication: Southern Economic Journal (Refereed)
Date: January 1, 1996
Publisher: Southern Economic Association
Volume: v62 Issue: n3 Page: p824(2)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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Knowledge and Persuasion in Economics
Donald N. McCloskey
Manufacturer: NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N7EQ3C

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Knowledge and Persuasion in Economics
Deirdre N. McCloskey
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000QY38WM

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Knowledge and Persuasion in Economics
Donald N. McCloskey
Manufacturer: Cambridge Univ
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KK3YVW

Amazon.com

Even strict church-and-state separatists may think twice after reading Charles L. Glenn's convincing case for allowing religious-based organizations to deliver education and social services. Glenn, a respected voice who directed urban education for the state of Massachusetts for 21 years, argues that these groups can help "remoralize" society. Faith-based organizations are better at supplying services, he contends, because they have the distinct advantage of stirring religious devotion and enthusiasm where the government leaves people cold. Glenn's writing is simple, clear, and persuasive, touching on almost every aspect of this issue. He documents how public funds are already used for church daycare centers, private colleges, shelters for abused children, AIDS hospices, and other faith-based services. He also offers three in-depth examinations of successful faith-based ventures: a Protestant Pentecostal street ministry for drug-addicted youths called Teen Challenge, the Salvation Army, and the "neocorporatism" movement in the Netherlands and Germany that has made way for religious organizations in school and early childhood programs. Despite the book's broad view, Glenn fails to address how the United States, with its myriad religions, would distribute such power. He also glosses over the ugly prospect of intolerance, arguing that faith-based organizations should be allowed to hire and help whomever they wish.

Still, Glenn, now a professor of education at Boston University, has timed his argument well. There are recent signs that the United States may be softening its division of church and state, most noticeably with vouchers in Wisconsin, Ohio, and Puerto Rico including religious schools. The courts also have indicated a willingness to bend on the issue, allowing government aid to faith-based schools if the money directly benefits the students and, in the case of the U.S. Supreme Court, refusing to hear arguments in the Wisconsin voucher lawsuit. Both those who advocate a stronger embrace between government and religion and those who are wary of it would benefit from reading Glenn's view. --Jodi Mailander Farrell

Book Description

Glenn is ideally placed to make this argument. A leading expert on international education policies, he was for many years the director of urban education and civil rights for the Massachusetts Department of Education, and also serves as an Associate Minister of inner-city churches in Boston. Glenn draws on all his varied experience here as he reviews the policies and practices of governments in the United States and Europe as they have worked with faith-based schools and also with such social agencies as the Salvation Army and Teen Challenge. He seeks to answer key theoretical and practical questions: Why should government make greater use of faith-based providers? How could they do so without violating First Amendment limits? What working relationships protect the goals and standards both of government and of the organizations that the government funds? Glenn shows that, with appropriate forms of accountability and a strong commitment to a distinctive vision of service, faith-based organizations can collaborate safely with government, to their mutual benefit and that of those they serve. This is a major contribution to one of the most important topics in political and social debate today.

Download Description

This is a time of far-reaching change and debate in American education and social policy, spurred in part by a rediscovery that civil-society institutions are often better than government at meeting human needs. As Charles Glenn shows in this book, faith-based schools and social agencies have been particularly effective, especially in meeting the needs of the most vulnerable. However, many oppose providing public funds for religious institutions, either on the grounds that it would threaten the constitutional separation of church and state or from concern it might dilute or secularize the distinctive character of the institutions themselves. Glenn tackles these arguments head on. He builds a uniquely comprehensive and persuasive case for faith-based organizations playing a far more active role in American schools and social agencies. And, most importantly, he shows that they could do so both while receiving public funds and while striking a workable balance between accountability and autonomy.Glenn is ideally placed to make this argument. A leading expert on international education policies, he was for many years the director of urban education and civil rights for the Massachusetts Department of Education, and also serves as an Associate Minister of inner-city churches in Boston. Glenn draws on all his varied experience here as he reviews the policies and practices of governments in the United States and Europe as they have worked with faith-based schools and also with such social agencies as the Salvation Army and Teen Challenge. He seeks to answer key theoretical and practical questions: Why should government make greater use of faith-based providers? How could they do so without violating First Amendment limits? What working relationships protect the goals and standards both of government and of the organizations that the government funds?

Organization and Management in the Embrace of Government (Lea's Organization and Management Series)

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Organization and Management in the Embrace of Government (Lea's Organization and Management Series)
Jone L. Pearce , and Jone Pearce
Manufacturer: Lawrence Erlbaum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0805837698

Book Description

Organization and Management in the Embrace of Government is an original exploration of how governments affect the ways people organize themselves, manage those organizations, and respond to the organizations thus created. It is a grounded theory of how governments that are weak, erratic, or hostile undermine complex organization, trust, meritocracy, commitment, and other implicit expectations about how organizations operate. Scholars, students, and all those interested in a better understanding of how governments affect our cultural expectations of one another, our organizations, and the economies based upon them will find this groundbreaking volume to be a rich resource.

The author, President-Elect of the Academy of Management, distills original comparative data drawn from China, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, and the United States to paint a coherent theory of the organizational effects of governments. The book has been written primarily to introduce organizational and governmental scholars to the ways that governments can influence organization and management. However, it also is written with an eye to readers with practical interests in international management or governments. This pioneering work will be discussed and analyzed for decades to come.

Book Description

Call it Bird University. This gloriously illustrated volume provides comprehensive college-level information about birds and their environments in a style accessible to nonscientists and teachers the world over.

The Handbook of Bird Biology covers all major topics, from anatomy and physiology to ecology, behavior, and conservation biology. One full chapter addresses vocal communication and is accompanied by a CD of bird vocalizations. Produced by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology's world-renowned Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds, the CD illustrates key elements of bioacoustics.

The book's text was written by 12 leading ornithologists and illustrated by respected photographers and acclaimed artist John Schmitt. It includes an extensive glossary and index, a list of the common and scientific names of all birds mentioned in the text, author profiles, suggested readings following each chapter, and a complete reference section.

The Handbook serves as the backbone of the Lab's popular Home Study Course in Bird Biology, a self-paced course that can be taken from anywhere in the world, by anyone with a serious interest in birds who would like guidance from professional ornithologists.

Comprehensive and readable guide covering all major topics
Free CD of bird vocalizations enclosed
Extensive glossary and index
List of all common and scientific names
Suggested readings
Complete reference section
Companion to the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology's popular Home Study Course in Bird Biology

Customer Reviews:

Good book.......2007-09-21

This is a good compendium of ornithology. It contains general information on bird biology, however it is to general for university teaching. Probably it should be used together with Gill's "Ornithology".

Simply Wonderful.......2006-12-22

The folks at Cornell have done it again. This is a huge book, packed full of information, but it is also a joy to read. Even though it supplies plenty of the "encyclopedic" material, it's a bit reminiscent of David Attenborough's "Life of Birds" DVD, in that it highlight some of the "gee-whiz" aspects of birds, such as egg mimicry, artistic bower construction, lymphatic penises in ducks, and so forth. There was a surprising section on nocturnal birding by ear, which I had never seen addressed. They seem to have covered every topic and then some.
If you have only a casual interest in birds, this book may be overkill, but if you are a birder or ornithology student I'm sure you'll enjoy deepening your appreciation and understanding of birds with the help of this book.

A tour de force.......2005-01-04

I recently purchased the new "Handbook of Bird Biology" (hereafter, HBB) and would like to share my views of it. Published by Princeton University Press, this massive volume is a tour de force from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. I have taught university classes in ornithology for the past several years using Gill's "Ornithology" and Proctor & Lynch's "Manual of Ornithology" (both outstanding books), so I spent some time comparing HBB to these works. HBB consistently exceeded my expectations. It routinely (although not invariably) provided more details than Gill or Proctor & Lynch, and it also included topics that the other books omit. These topics (e.g. selecting binoculars, FAQs about backyard bird feeders) were typically geared more towards birding than towards classroom-based ornithology. Indeed, this was one of the main objectives of the Cornell Lab in compiling this book, to appeal to birders and not simply to students of ornithology. For example, the book includes a CD of various bird sounds (nothing that will replace proper "birding by ear" song/call guides, but useful for illustrative purposes). However, HBB is not light reading in any sense of the word. Weighing in at nearly seven pounds, it represents the proverbial "too much information" for casual birders. In addition, the book is costly (approximately $95 + tax, but that is still cheaper than purchasing even used copies of both Gill and Proctor & Lynch). It is not without its copy-editing flaws (particularly in figure captions). Its figures are solely in black-and-white (a major disappointment for me--try explaining structural colors without color examples), and many figures are taken directly from Gill or Proctor & Lynch (appropriately credited). The copy I bought (through Amazona) was missing its sound CD (sent to me by Princeton U.P. after I alerted them). The chapters are written by various authors, with little stylistic continuity (e.g. active voice in some chapters, passive in others).

These negatives do not take the luster off of a highly recommended book. If you are interested in birds but do not own an ornithology textbook, you really owe it to yourself to invest in one. I will likely require HBB instead of Gill and Proctor & Lynch in my future ornithology classes. The "Handbook of Bird Biology" will be a single source for valuable and fascinating information for years to come.

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where's Jarry Park?

Bad Timing Takes Away From An Otherwise Wonderful Volume

Wow!

VERY GLOSSY BUT COULD BE BETTER

Return to your field of dreams

The Ballpark Book : A Journey Through the Fields of Baseball Magic
Ron Smith
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill/Contemporary Distributed Products
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Baseball | Sports | Subjects | Books
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Ballparks Then and Now (Then & Now Thunder Bay)

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Ballparks: A Panoramic History

ASIN: 0892046333

Amazon.com

Fenway. Wrigley. Ebbets Field. These are the real fields of dreams. Sporting News senior editor Ron Smith pays tribute to 46 current and former major league ballparks in The Ballpark Book. Smith divides the parks into "Classics" (Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, and Yankee Stadium), the "Middle Ages" (including Anaheim Stadium, Oakland Coliseum, and Jack Murphy Stadium), the "Turf Era" (such as Riverfront Stadium, Three Rivers Stadium, and Busch Stadium), the "Dome Era" (the Metrodome, Olympic Stadium, and the SkyDome), and the "New Wave Era" (including Camden Yards, Coors Field, and New Comiskey Park). The "Gone, but Not Forgotten" fields are described in reverent, nostalgic tones--suitable for Tiger Stadium and the Polo Grounds, though few will miss the Kingdome and the Stick. Each park is profiled in detail, with great photographs of historic moments. Smith points out unique features, such as the swimming pool in the outfield at Bank One Ballpark, or the single red seat, high up in the outfield bleachers, marking the spot where Ted Williams hit the longest homer in Fenway history (502 feet).

Schoolboy Rowe once said, "Ballparks are individuals to me, not just so much stone, concrete, and steel." The Ballpark Book will help you get to know some of these fine individuals. --M. Stein

Book Description

"A nice package for young or old folks who still consider baseball our national pastime. This is a book for the real fans."--The Washington Times

In The Ballpark Book, The Sporting News takes readers on a sentimental journey through the past and present fields where major-league baseball is played. Fans learn the historical texture of each field, the very places where the game's greatest moments took place, and experience the ambience and feeling of each ballpark, old and new, as if they were sitting in the stands.

All of the nostalgic ballparks are here--from the Gone But Not Forgotten Era (Ebbets Field, Candlestick Park) to the New Wave Era (Camden Yards, Jacobs Field) and everything in between--49 past and present ballparks in all. Hundreds of full-color photos and illustrations make this an attractive addition to any baseball fan's collection.

New to this edition are recently opened parks including:

San Francisco's Pac Bell Park
Pittsburgh's PNC Park
Detroit's Comerica Park
Houston's Minute Maid Stadium
Seattle's Safeco Field
Milwaukee's Miller Park

From Miami to Seattle, from Boston to L.A., it's a trip around the country to where baseball is played!

Customer Reviews:

where's Jarry Park?.......2004-09-30

For any ballpark junkie this is a fix you need. The photos are simply amazing esp. the panoramic shots. And who knew the "Hit Sign, Win Suit" sign at old Ebbets Field was at the bottom of the outfield fence? I always imagined it was up high.

The text is mostly filler but interesting and intriguing filler at that. You learn stuff like kids who caught HR balls that cleared the park at League Park (the Indians' previous home) and Shibe Park (Philly A's and Phillies former home park) could turn in the balls for a free pass to a game. How cool is that?

Would give it 5 stars but somehow in the "Gone, but Not Forgotten" section they forgot to put in the Expos' Parc du Jarry yet managed to fit in the Jays' Exhibition Park. Considering that ballpark had about ten times the character as the Ex, I have no idea why they left it out.

Bad Timing Takes Away From An Otherwise Wonderful Volume.......2003-07-15

Part of the beauty of baseball is the ballpark. Picture a warm, sunny afternoon out on the diamond. That image brings to mind many wonderful things, and some of these memories are preserved in "The Ballpark Book". Divided into five sections- The Classics (traditional venues such as Fenway Park in Boston and Chicago's Wrigley Field), The Middle Ages (Anaheim Stadium and Jack Murphy Stadium are examples), The Turf Era (the time when "cookie cutter" parks such as Veterans Stadium were built), The New Wave (the return to retro-style parks such as Oriole Park at Camden Yards), and finally, Gone But Not Forgotten (which pays tribute to the fields which no longer exist for play). In this way, the book faithfully traces the evolution of the baseball stadium from simple fields jammed between busy city streets to the new spectacular complexes filled with modern amenities and everything else you can imagine. But this is much more than a history book. Each ballpark is featured in a two-page, full-color painting, upon which are printed various facts and descriptions of great moments happening at that particular field. The rest of the chapter is a tribute to the field and its corresponding team, along with a basic summary of important dates and milestones. The paintings are beautiful, and the casual fan can learn a lot of interesting things by reading through the chapters. However, for people like me who have studied the game thoroughly, the book may serve as more of a tribute and companion rather than a detailed reference volume. The biggest issue I had with "The Ballpark Book" is one which is the fault of the authors and publishers. Unfortunately, the book was first released right at a time when several new and beautiful stadiums were opening around the Major Leagues. None of these parks are included in the first edition, which I found disappointing. However, a revised edition has since been published, and this includes those newer parks that were skipped over the first time around as well as the ones that were included originally. So, if you are a casual fan and want to learn more about the fields you see on TV during games, this is a great choice. For a veteran fan who is a student of the game, this book will not teach you many new things, but it is still nice to look through. In my opinion, you can't go wrong with "The Ballpark Book", no matter what your level of interest is, especially if you purchase the second edition. This is clearly the best of the books of this genre that are available on the market.

Wow!.......2003-05-03

The ballpark book for ballpark lovers. Includes all current and many older ballparks, including many from the past 30-40 years that have recently been replaced. Great pictures and stories taking you down memory lane time after time.

VERY GLOSSY BUT COULD BE BETTER.......2000-12-31

THIS IS A FINE BOOK OF PAST AND PRESENT BALLPARKS. THE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE EXCELLENT. IF PICTURES AND ILLUSTRATIONS ARE WHAT YOU WANT THEN THIS IS A VERY GOOD BOOK. IF YOU WANT A GOOD HARD CORE DESCRIPTION AND ATMOSPHERE OF THE DIFFERNT PARKS THEN YOU WILL BE DISAPPOINTED. OVER ALL A GOOD BUY. BUT FOR A TRUE HISTORIAN OF BASEBALL STADIUMS THIS IS JUST AVERAGE.

Return to your field of dreams.......2000-10-25

I spent four summers toiling under the unforgiving sun that dominated Arlington Stadium, watching the Texas Rangers and selling peanuts along the first base line. I have since returned to visit The Ballpark, the new, oldstyle park that now is home to the Rangers.....but I have a real soft spot for that old orange monstrosity. The Ballpark Book is a brief look into ballparks of the past (Classics such as Fenway and Wrigley), the domes, the "Middle Ages" (Jack Murphy and Anaheim) and the new "oldstyle" parks noew in vogue. This book describes each park, its personality, the highlights of archecticture, the quirks that allowed each home team an advantage (none who have seen the fog roll into the Stick in San Francisco will ever forget it)and the memorable personalities that inhabit those parks. Having visited over half of the parks and loved each and every one as an intergal park of the game (OK, some I have loved less) I found this book a real joy to read and a real trip down memory lane to pour over photographs and illustrations. This goes right next to my autographs, my orange buttons for surviving extra inning Giants games, and foul ball collection.....a real treat.

The Ballpark Book : A Journey Through the Fields of Baseball Magic (Sporting News Ser.)

Average customer rating:

The Ballpark Book : A Journey Through the Fields of Baseball Magic (Sporting News Ser.)
Ron Smith
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MBMABY

Book Description

A dozen glorious designs, based on the stylish, nature-inspired stained glass creations of Louis Comfort Tiffany, add a touch of elegance to any reading material.

Customer Reviews:

Add if you need for free shipping.......2007-07-03

Nice bookmarks - I am going to include in friends birthday cards.

I love Tiffany lamps and these are quite beautiful.

Nice bookmarks.......2007-02-06

Good item to buy if you need the extra amount for free shipping.
Some of the bookmarks are really very pretty.

Tiny bookmarks are nice to share!.......2007-01-31

I love stained glass and so does the girl I gave this little book of bookmarks to. They are glossy with beautiful bright colors and are all prints of historic pieces by Louis Comfort Tiffany.

Cardboard bookmarks.......2006-08-05

They're pretty, plastic would have been nicer, as the other reviewer stated "they do the job"
And yes, I did use them as "fillers" to avoid shipping charges. hehehe

Bookmarks.......2006-03-21

Flexible card board book marks, They are OK.and will obviously do the job. Not something I would re-order unless I needed an
inexpensive item to add to my order to avoid shipping charges!!

Average customer rating:

I found the title misleading

Hope to see more books written by David Abrahams

Necessary book for template library writers.

An interesting book...

A different take on templates

C++ Template Metaprogramming: Concepts, Tools, and Techniques from Boost and Beyond (C++ In-Depth Series)
David Abrahams , and Aleksey Gurtovoy
Manufacturer: Addison-Wesley Professional
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Exceptional C++ Style: 40 New Engineering Puzzles, Programming Problems, and Solutions (C++ In-Depth Series)

ASIN: 0321227255

Book Description

"C++ Template Metaprogramming" sheds light on the most powerful idioms of today's C++, at long last delivering practical metaprogramming tools and techniques into the hands of the everyday programmer.

Since the introduction of templates, C++ programmers have discovered surprising and powerful ways to perform computation at compile-time. While the excitement generated by these capabilities among C++ experts has reached the community at large, their practical application remains out-of-reach for many programmers. Literature on C++ template metaprogramming has focused primarily on details of low-level "tricks" at the expense of strong idioms and abstractions, and without illuminating the path from metaprogramming to expressive interfaces and efficient, maintainable software.

This book delivers both "big picture" ideas and practical tools. It explains what metaprogramming is, why it matters, and how the unique combination of features in C++ make it an especially powerful language for metaprogramming. It also presents the Boost Metaprogramming Library, a powerful open source framework of high-level compile-time components based on familiar STL idioms, which makes C++ metaprogramming easy, expressive, and fun.

Customer Reviews:

I found the title misleading.......2006-04-26

This book is called "C++ Template Metaprogramming" but it should be called "Boost MPL API Reference." The first portion of this book covers the basics of template metaprogramming fairly well, but what I wanted the rest of the book to cover were both advanced techniques and real-world applications. What I got was material on how to use the Boost metaprogramming library. This book mostly covers just that library, and the various templates that it offers, but what I felt the book should have provided was not only how the more interesting parts of the MPL were implemented, but also interesting applications of the MPL where some interesting algorithm was made possible by template metaprogramming. I can look up the MPL reference docs online, thank you very much.

To summarize - this is a pretty good introduction to template metaprogramming, but seems to be suited for the unlikely position of someone who wants or needs to use this technique, but isn't academically interested in it, and so mainly needs a walkthrough of the set of standard functions available as part of the MPL.

This book is a bad choice for those interested in template metapgramming and wondering if it might help them, but want to learn more about it and its applications first.

Hope to see more books written by David Abrahams.......2005-04-04

C++ Template Metaprogramming is a very valuable book. For me, already chapter 2 was worth the money of the complete book. It showed me how to think in Templates and Metafunctions. That helped me to understand a lot of the other template technics.

As a user of boost.python I always wondered what's possible with templates. My personal target is to understand what's going on in that magic library. This book brought me a very big step further.

I suggest reading this book before reading any of the other Template books like 'Modern C++ Design'. But probably you don't need no other book after reading this one.

Necessary book for template library writers........2005-01-21

This book describes the boost MPL library. Its a very useful guide to this library and it includes enough examples to walk you through how to use it.

Secondly the book explains Meta-programming. This is a new concept to a lot of C++ programmers and old hat to LISP programmers. The C++ pre-compiler is constrained to integral types as constraints. But there are a host of tricks you can use within that constraint to build libraries that adapt to their calling structure. Thus generating code that is as efficient as hand written. Of course with your compiler, your milage may vary.

The other great thing about using this library, MPL, is that where you would write repeticious template code for every parameter in a template'd library like Tuples, you can automate with it with MPL.

Meta programming is a pretty new concept within the C++ community and this book will give us a common language to talk about it. There are other resources on the net, but this book pulls them together.

Highly recommended for expert C++ programmers, C++ Library writers and intermediate programmers study'ing to become experts. If you finished Andrei's book, "Modern C++ Design", this is a great next book to buy and own.

An interesting book..........2004-12-31

This is a really interesting book. The template metaprogramming technical topics covered are extremely advanced, and right at the leading edge of C++ library development, yet the step-by-step presentation makes the material understandable even to intermediate programmers. Since the book draws its examples from code that works with the Boost libraries (supplied on a CD), readers can try the examples and play around with them to see how they work.

Some of the libraries discussed (Boost Type Traits, Boost Bind) are well along to becoming part of the C++ standard via a library technical report, so they will eventually become available to every C++ programmer. The bulk of the book is devoted to the Boost Metaprogramming Library, which packages up a lot of advanced techniques into accessible form.

One issue with template metaprogramming is that compile times can get out of hand. The book includes an appendix with hints on avoiding the problem, together with test timings for a half-dozen popular compilers. I really like the timings; too many other authors make assertions about efficiency without supporting data.

I would guess that this book will be of interest to intermediate and advanced C++ programmers interested in library development. And less interesting to beginning programmers, or programmers who never package up their creations into libraries.

A different take on templates.......2004-11-26

It was only some 5 or 6 years ago that templates became standardised in C++. Even now, frustratingly, different C++ compilers may still have slightly different treatments. That notwithstanding, templates have been widely recognised as enhancing the expressive power of C++. But the authors reveal that perhaps you have not fully appreciated just how expressive templates can be.

They aim this book at experienced C++ programmers. Who still probably have not used templates beyond the standard examples. The metaprogramming in the book goes on at compile time, not run time. Previously, explicit user directives at compile time might have been parser type commands, along the lines of YACC. But templates open up this compile time to a wide new space of manipulations. While the authors were not the first to discover it, the book appears to be one of the first to promulgate the idea.

The book is replete with examples of programming these templates. Some of you will thrill to explore it. But others may find it very confining. Because data is immutable. So compile time C++ has no analog of the non-constant variables used in run time C++. This immediately rules out for loops, for starters. Instead, recursion is often used in place of for. It's a different mind set to cultivate. Metaprogramming is intriguing, but its utility may be only in a few circumstances.

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