Templates in FPL?

[Jerzy Karczmarczuk]

Maestri, Primaballerine,

I have a really provocative question.
One of my student posed it, and I could not respond in a satisfactory
manner, especially for myself it was really unsatisfactory.


We know that a good part of "top-down" polymorphism (don't ask me what
do I mean by that...) in C++ is emulated using templates.

Always when somebody mentions templates in presence of a True Functionalist
Sectarian, the reaction is "What!? Abomination!!".

Now the question: WHY?

Why so many people say "the C++ templates are *wrong*" (and at the same time
so many people use it every day...)

Is it absolutely senseless to make a functional language with templates?
Or it is just out of fashion, and difficult to implement?

==
This is a sequel to a former discussion about macros, of course...


Jerzy Karczmarczuk
Caen, France