Sunnyvale: How To Argue(ment)

How many different ways are there to pass an argument? Why do we have so many? Which way should you be using? What does it mean when you use the wrong one?

A function declaration is like the thesis statement in an essay. It should communicate both for the caller and the callee its purpose, semantics, and side-effects. We often think this communication is in the form of comments, but a function's arguments also convey this information.

This talk will catalog the many different ways to pass arguments. We will then explore which ones are redundant or nonsensical, and give meaning to the ones that remain. We will end with recommendations on what types to use to express your intent, and empower you with fundamentals to write clearer function definitions.

Richard Powell started using C++ ten years ago to write a psychoacoustic audio encoder/decoder and has continued to explore how to make software that unlocks the potential of hardware to bring amazing applications to life. Richard graduated from UC Berkeley with a BS in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and has worked throughout the Bay Area for the past 15 years. He enjoys teaching and learning about C++ and programming.