Given that C++ originated as a superset of C, it is perhaps not that surprising to see this quirk as a remnant. C++ has a whole bunch of other issues, however.

Given that C++ originated as a superset of C, it is perhaps not that surprising to see this quirk as a remnant. C++ has a whole bunch of other issues, however. The inundation of poor educational resources on it and the fact that many treat it as "C with Classes" rather than its own language doesn't help matters much.