C++ Santo POCO

Some years ago, I was introduced to ACE. I learned the classical networking patterns like Reactor, Proactor, Active Object, Half sync Half Async, Leader Followers... the hard way.

Ofcource I have been using some of the OS provided facilities like select and poll, vector i/o, even earlier but those patterns were giving more systematic way, more bird eye view of pross

and cons of doing it one or another way.

This was back in 2002-2003 when I met ACE. for the time it seemed to me that ACE is like a huge step in the right direction even though it has a steep learning curve due to its inherent

complexity and many header constants overwhelmed names etc.. I felt proud due to that fact that I am using a tool/framework which is used in so many project/companies in the world.

Before that in my early steps of learnign C++ I discovered a book named Advanced C++ styles and Idioms by Jim Coplien. Believe me or not but I have had a situations where I get

out on the terrace in the mid of the night screaming "Hey people you can't imagine the power and symplicity and genious about this and this". This was my reaction on the new stuff

I received the feeling of mind expansion. I completely agree that this book is like LSD not only because of his blue/purple color.

The screaming on the terrace happens only one time and I was thinking that it would be never-ever repeated due to the fact I believed nothing is able to expand my mind or to astonish

me in such a dramatic way. Nothing!! But! it happened that I met POCO (C++ POrtable COmpnoents). It is a comparativly new since 2005 networking oriented library.

But it's power, simplicity, elegantness made me really screaming again. This is really on of the most notable C++ achievements recently and it's inspired by the newer programming languages

and techniques. I was able just for a few days to achieve significant steps in learning the library and everithing just was happening the first time I was trying it. Just astonishing!!