Dan Saks has been writing for The C Users Journal for quite some time now. He has shown an exacting grasp of the C++ language, coupled with an ability to explain thorny topics clearly. (And we all know that C++ has more than its share of thorny topics.) As Secretary of WG21/X3J16, Dan is also responsible for producing extensive minutes for three standards meetings a year. That makes him a principal chronicler of the development of the C++ language standard.Thus, I am pleased to announce that Dan has agreed to "go monthly" with The C Users Journal. Starting this month, you can expect to find his column, "Stepping up to C++," in every issue. We can all look forward to more frequent doses of wisdom on a topic of steadily growing importance.
Several of his annual installments will be reports on the progress of the C++ language standard. WG21/X3J16 are still considering significant additions to the language, besides tying up numerous loose ends. From my experience as Secretary of X3Jll while C was being refined, I know well the importance of keeping the user community informed of committee deliberations. Dan, as Secretary of WG21/X3J16, has carried out that function for C++ in various trade publications. From now on, you can keep an eye on the C++ standardization effort just by reading CUJ.
I plan to keep my column "Standard C" focused primarily on the C language proper. The standards activity in that arena seems never to quite run down, however much it has slowed in the past year or two. Besides, I confess that I still don't "get" C++ with anywhere near the depth that I understand C. I suspect I never will. Dan Saks, on the other hand, has clearly "got" C++. We can depend on him to broaden our coverage to include both C and C++, while still keeping that coverage deep.
Despite my obvious preoccupation with standards, I realize they're only part of the picture. We also need tutorials, style guides, and examples of pragmatic code to help us improve as programmers and designers. Dan has promised to continue, and even extend, his offerings in these areas as well. Chuck Allison's "Code Capsules" have been giving us gentle introductions to basic topics in C and C++. "Stepping up to C++" will help those of us who are ready to be more ambitious.
My not-so-secret goal is to make The C Users Journal the magazine of choice for practicing C and C++ programmers. I'm content to let others keep telling you why you should be programming a certain way. But when it comes to learning how to get the job done, you can read about it here.
P.J. Plauger
pjp@plauger.com