From: mfdylan (dylan_at_[hidden])
Date: 2001-12-20 16:07:18
--- In boost_at_y..., Iain.Hanson_at_u... wrote:
>
> Efficientcy is not the only reason that iostreams are not suitable
for the
> loewest layer of a C++ networking library. They do not map well
onto any of the
> packet oriented protcols such as those build on UDP.
>
Who said anything about them being the lowest layer? Supplying a
socketbuf class simply _allows_ you to use streams with sockets, and
sure, they are really only appropriate for blocking TCP sockets
(technically you could them with non-blocking sockets but it would
get pretty messy), but they still serve a useful purposes for a wide
class of applications.
> ASCII protocols are far from in the majority either standardosed or
propriarty.
>
Perhaps, but the most commonly used ones (today) are all ASCII -
SMTP, HTTP, POP, FTP, NNTP, TELNET/RSH/RLOGIN etc. Raw binary data is
sometimes used as part of the protocol, but it can all be done with
an essentially ascii interface.
Dylan