C, C++, Common Lisp, and others have the benefits of an ANSI standard. Any compiler that says it supports the standard, supports it, regardless of compiler vers

C, C++, Common Lisp, and others have the benefits of an ANSI standard. Any compiler that says it supports the standard, supports it, regardless of compiler version or breaking changes in future standards. My C89 code will continue to work as long as a compiler supports that standard. Worse comes to worst, I can create my own implementation. When you don't have a standard, you're left at the mercy of languages promising not to break stuff. If they do anyway, your options aren't as clean as just sticking to the older standard.