[geos-devel] segfault against 3.3.0 C++

[Howard Butler]

On Sep 9, 2011, at 12:46 PM, Peter Körner wrote:

> *) the docs say, that the C-wrapper is recommended and the C++ interface is not, although I don't really know why.

Because the implied developer contract of GEOS, which you signed before you downloaded GEOS ;), is to do our best to preserve backward and binary compatibility in the C API through mostly additions-only, and reserve the right to change things drastically for the C++ API. There's one major technical reason for this -- ABI compatibility -- and it has a nice social benefit of saying to GEOS library users "if you want to write your code once and (practically) never worry about having to change it again in the face of continuing GEOS releases, use the C API". 

C++ users are simply expected to keep up with changes to the classes as the code progresses and moves forward.  If you don't want to bleed on this bleeding edge, use the C API.

Howard