2 ms·
Adding `null` to C was very simple to add. It added a lot of complexity that the language designer did not see coming (hence the billion dollar mistake he made
by flossly 6mo ago
Adding `null` to C was very simple to add. It added a lot of complexity that the language designer did not see coming (hence the billion dollar mistake he made on that).
- phplovesong 6mo ago`NULL` was originally added to ALGOL back in 1965. C was not even a thing back then. It was obviously a bad choice to port NULL to C, one that ADTs would have perfectly modeled, without the billion dollar cost. In fact C was built sometime around the early 70s, and at the same time the first MLs where also being developed. One added null, while the other added a better mechanism for "nothingness". Bottom line is you cant compare "adding null" and adding a feature that is over 50 years old, one that is battle-tested thru generations, and still holds up. Solid maths does no suffer bitrot.
- flossly 6mo agoALGOL indeed. I stand corrected. https://www.infoq.com/presentations/Null-References-The-Billion-Dollar-Mistake-Tony-Hoare/ https://www.infoq.com/presentations/Null-References-The-Bill...