< From: nvkumar@icaen.uiowa.edu (Neel Vasant Kumar)
<
< I am writing my thesis and I need a citation for the ISO/ANSI working
< paper to say that namespaces have been included in the standard.

While I understand the desire, it's a bit early to make citations to the
working paper. In fact, the following words are at the beginning of each
copy of the working paper:

    This document is subject to change without notice, and may not be
    referred to as a Standard until approved by an accredited standards
    body. ... This document is a working draft and is known to be incorect
    [sic], incomplet [sic], and inConsiSteNt [sic].

    The information in this document is subject to change without notice and
    shall not be construed as a commitment by any individual or organization
    participating in the development of this document. ...

In other words: it's a draft, subject to change, and nothing in there is cast
in stone. Even namespaces are subject to change, although it's highly
unlikely that they'll be removed.

I think your best bet is to make reference to one of the committee reports
found in The C++ Report where it was reported that namespaces had been voted
in. Alternatively, as someone else suggested, make a reference to The Design
and Evolution of C++.

     Tony Hansen
       hansen@pegasus.att.com, tony@attmail.com
    att!pegasus!hansen, attmail!tony

In article <Cr7913.4I1@nntpa.cb.att.com> hansen@pegasus.att.com writes:
>< From: nvkumar@icaen.uiowa.edu (Neel Vasant Kumar)
><
>< I am writing my thesis and I need a citation for the ISO/ANSI working
>< paper to say that namespaces have been included in the standard.
>
>While I understand the desire, it's a bit early to make citations to the
>working paper. In fact, the following words are at the beginning of each
>copy of the working paper:
>
>    This document is subject to change without notice, and may not be
>    referred to as a Standard until approved by an accredited standards
>    body. ... This document is a working draft and is known to be incorect
>    [sic], incomplet [sic], and inConsiSteNt [sic].
>
>    The information in this document is subject to change without notice and
>    shall not be construed as a commitment by any individual or organization
>    participating in the development of this document. ...

I was wondering how long it would be before someone would give me an
adequate excuse to pick this particular bone.  (Thanks Tony!)

I think it's perfectly proper for grad students, researchers, and other
mere mortals to cite the ISO working paper... even now.  More to the
point, I think that it is *inappropriate* for anyone to tell them NOT
to do so.  After all, we are already being treated to ad campaigns (from
IBM and other C++ compiler vendors) which tout their products as being
``conformant to the latest draft ANSI C++ standard''.

Surely no one (including you Tony) would suggest that big corporations
should be permitted to cite the (unfinished) drafts of the standardization
committee while the rest of us little people are advised never to do so.

My point is merely that the drafts *do* exist... and until a finalized
standard comes along, it seems reasonable for both commercial *and*
academic interests to cite whatever *does* exist today.

--

-- Ron Guilmette, Sunnyvale, CA ---------- RG Consulting -------------------
---- domain addr: rfg@netcom.com ----------- Purveyors of Compiler Test ----
---- uucp addr: ...!uunet!netcom!rfg ------- Suites and Bullet-Proof Shoes -

Hi,
 I am writing my thesis and I need a citation for the ISO/ANSI working
paper to say that namespaces have been included in the standard.

Help would be deeply appreciated.
Thanks!

--
Neel Vasant Kumar     |  #include <disclaimer,h>
neel-kumar@uiowa.edu  |  WWW: http://d-is07.icaen.uiowa.edu/~nvkumar

>>>>> "N" == Neel Vasant Kumar <nvkumar@icaen.uiowa.edu> writes:

N> Hi, I am writing my thesis and I need a citation for the ISO/ANSI
N> working paper to say that namespaces have been included in the
N> standard.

I would suggest the following reference instead because it is more
easily available (i.e., in any bookstore):

 Bjarne Stroustrup (1994): "The Design and Evolution of C++,"
  Addison-Wesley.

Section 17.1 says:

 "Namespaces were voted into C++ at the Munich meeting
 in July 1993."

Hope this helps.

   -- Dag