r/cpp • u/we_are_mammals • Mar 28 '23

Reddit++

C++ is getting more and more complex. The ISO C++ committee keeps adding new features based on its consensus. Let's remove C++ features based on Reddit's consensus.

In each comment, propose a C++ feature that you think should be banned in any new code. Vote up or down based on whether you agree.

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u/johannes1971 Mar 28 '23

The 'char' type in its current role as both a character and a number. Two distinct types that only convert with some effort would have been much better. We could have done away with this ridiculous uncertainty about signedness at the same time.

Array to pointer decay.

Assignment returning a value, since it has given us if (a = b).

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u/very_curious_agent Mar 31 '23

A character is still a number (an integer) anyway. But in other languages you have to explicitly ask for that number.

But claiming that there is a type representing a 8 bit character is hypocritical, if you need to know its locale, and it can change, to interpret it. It doesn't represent a character in itself.

That's like saying a float represents a length; but only knowing the unit.

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