From: akfmnews@t-online.de   
      
   >> - Macros prevent the compiler to be as fast in compilation as compilers   
   >...   
      
   >That's the preprocessor in general, not macros specifically, or isn't it?   
      
   Depends, since a simple preprocessor with simple local macros is supported   
   in many languages.   
   Better said, that's commonly not a preprocessor like in C++, but a part of   
   the compiler itself.   
      
   I think it's the global character of macros. If macros would only have an   
   effect   
   on the current header file (by default), the compiler would only have to   
   recompile   
   the current header file and/or create automatically precompiled header   
   files.   
      
   But a simple macro may change the complete code (#ifdef ....) and it's hard   
   for the compiler to track which header or cpp file is using or has an effect   
   on it.   
      
   There are situations, where macros must be globally visible, but currently   
   the compiler can't differentiate between local macros or global macros.   
      
   Andre   
      
      
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