Re: technology discussion → does the world need a "new" C ?

Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> writes:

On Fri, 16 Aug 2024 02:18:15 -0700
Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> wrote:
>

Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> writes:
[...]

IMHO, C++ is a particularly bad example.
Yes, C++ has call-by-reference misfeature. But arrays in C++ are
2nd class citizen, same as in C. They can't be assigned and can't be
passed to callee, neither by value nor by reference.
>
Also, I suspect that if you ask Ken Thompson, he will tell you that
C++ does not really have 'call by reference'. Instead, it has
references as 1st class object, so, naturally, values of references
can be used during 'call by value'.
I have enough of respect to KT to consider that his POV is not a
nonsense. 

 
Is that an attempt at proof by authority? 

>
Yes!
>

Not only does Ken Thompson
have very little to do with C++, but you're basing your conclusion on
what you *suspect* he would say.
 

>
Yes, but it's not baseless.
It is based on following section Go language FAQs that I assumed to be
either authored or approved by KT.
https://go.dev/doc/faq#pass_by_value

"As in all languages in the C family, everything in Go is passed by
value."

C++ clearly has what it calls "references", and parameters can be of
reference type.  If you want to argue that C++ doesn't really have call
by reference, I suggest basing your argument on a document that Ken
Thompson may or may not have had any hand in writing, and that could
easily have a mistake.  I also suggest you do it elsewhere.

--
Keith Thompson (The_Other_Keith) Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com
void Void(void) { Void(); } /* The recursive call of the void */