Students gather to see C++ writer

As an audience of more than 140 students and faculty filled the seats, spilled out into the aisles and even stood outside of a Moore Building classroom last Wednesday night, Bjarne Stroustrup spoke of his invention -- the computer language C++. The lecture emphasized "why C++ looks the way it does and how it can be used well," according to Stroustrup. He engaged the crowd with his intellectual, informative and often animated presentation, which was titled "What C++ is and Why." Stroustrup developed C++ -- a general-purpose language with a bias towards system programming that addresses the real needs of current systems -- in the early 1980s. According to College and Engineering junior Raj Iyer, president of the Dining Philosophers, which sponsored Wednesday's event, C++ is "arguably the most popular object-oriented language today." Stroustrup, originally from Denmark, received his doctorate from Cambridge and now works for AT&T; Research. He said he became interested in this project because of the limitations of the languages he worked with as a doctoral student. Through a raising of hands, Stroustrup determined early in his presentation that two thirds of the audience had written C++ programs. Despite the level of knowledge evident in the room, he went through the history, future and design rules of the language, as well as programming techniques, in a way almost all could understand. But Stroustrup also discussed more complex examples and codes. And those who filled the packed, overheated room seemed to become entranced with the language Stroustrup had designed. The School of Engineering and Applied Science offers C++ as part of one Computer and Information Science class. Engineering junior Daniel Brushteyn, who called the event "great," said he thought that more classes on C++ should be offered. "Industry really wants us to know it," Brushteyn said. Stroustrup explained that he gave up counting the language's uses. According to Iyer, C++ is conceptually easier than many other computer languages, especially since, as an object-oriented language, its code is reusable. That immediately cuts costs for any company using C++. After the presentation, Stroustrup explained that he had participated in this event simply because Iyer had asked him. "What is the point of doing this type of work if you don't explain it," Stroustrup said, adding that he did not understand why someone would do "beautiful academic work" if it is not shared.

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