On Thursday, 16 November 2017 at 02:48:27 UTC, Tony wrote:
I am surprised C hasn't tried to become a "better C". Add a string datatype (and maybe other datatypes like datetime). Add an array type (static and/or dynamic) that doesn't suffer from "array decay" when passed to a function or returned from a function. Provide an alternative to the ridiculous syntax for declaring a function pointer. And copy the scope() guard from D. They could also add some data structure code to the standard library. Not a lot of changes and suddenly the language is a lot more usable for all those GNU programs (and any like them) that are written in C.
What I really love about the evolution of C, is that 'it can' resist giving in to those temptations ;-)
I still have 'The C Programming Language' (1988) next to my pc, and I enjoy glancing over it now and then, knowing that everything in it is still valid. ;-)
And anyway, one change..always leads to another..and then another..and then another......
resist! resist! A better C belongs in a new language.
