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From: Tim Rentsch
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c
Subject: Re: question about nullptr
Date: Sat, 06 Jul 2024 20:36:09 -0700
Organization: A noiseless patient Spider
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References: <20240706054641.175@kylheku.com> <877cdyuq0f.fsf@bsb.me.uk>
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Ben Bacarisse writes:
> scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) writes:
>
>> Janis Papanagnou writes:
>>
>>> On 06.07.2024 14:54, Kaz Kylheku wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 2024-07-06, Thiago Adams wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> If you were creating C code today and could use a C23 compiler, would
>>>>> you use nullptr instead of NULL?
>>>>
>>>> In greenfield projects under my dictatorship, I use 0, as in:
>>>>
>>>> char *p = 0;
>>>>
>>>> I was still 20 something when I (easily) wrapped my head around the 0
>>>> null pointer constant, and have not had any problems with it.
>>>> Once I learned the standard-defined truth about null pointer constants,
>>>> and their relationship to the NULL macro, I dropped NULL like a hot
>>>> potato, and didn't look back (except when working in code bases that use
>>>> NULL).
>>>
>>> We also used 0 as "universal" pointer value regularly without
>>> problems.
>
> I also like to use 0, but I'm not sure I could say exactly why. Maybe
> because of pre-C exposure (B and BCPL).
Me too. If I had to guess about why, I think I would say (1) being
used to it from the original K&R, and (2) it's philosophically
consistent with how if(), for(), while(), and logical expressions
work. Speaking for myself that consistency is worth a lot, and
using NULL sticks out like a sore thumb.