Why Templates?

[Ivan Senji]

Walter Bright wrote:
> "Ivan Senji" <ivan.senji_REMOVE_ at _THIS__gmail.com> wrote in message 
> news:duf72h$f40$1 at digitaldaemon.com...
> 
>>Maybe so, but I see a common Object base class a hack to solve many 
>>problems that are simple and efficient to solve with templates. For 
>>example containers. Containers in Java(before templates)-style and 
>>C#(before templates)-style are nothing but inefficient hacks.
> 
> 
> Technically, Java and C# implement generics, not templates. C++ and D 
> implement templates, not generics.
> 
> What's the difference? One way to think about it is generics are handled at 
> run time (by casting), templates at compile time. 
> 

I knew that C# templates/generics are different from C++/D ones but 
didn't know how and why. Thanks. So C#/Java generics aren't as efficient 
as templates? That sucks.