4 ms·

Backwards compatability. Old valid code should remain valid. That includes code which calculates wavelengths.

• thelinked 12y ago
  An interesting example of C++ not being able to introduce new keywords is the co-opting of auto in C++11 from a storage class to type deduction.
  • ninkendo 12y ago
    But they had a decent justification: the auto keyword literally did nothing in C++. The only place it was valid, it was also the default.
    • danielweber 12y ago
      IIRC they audited a bunch of projects to see if anyone was using auto somewhere besides test code explicitly for the auto-keyword, and found nothing.
• deleted 12y ago
  [deleted]