[CrendKing]

But Edition can exist only because Rust intrinsically has the concept of package, which naturally defines the boundary. C++ has nothing. How do you denote a.cpp be of cpp_2017 edition which b.cpp be cpp_2026? Some per-file comment line at top of each file?

C++ is a mess in that it has too much historic baggage while trying to adapt to a fiercely changing landscape. Like the article says, it has to make drastic changes to keep up, but such changes will probably kill 80% of its target audiences. I think putting C++ in maintenance mode and keep it as a "legacy" language is the way to go. It is time to either switch to Rust, or pick one of its successor languages and put effort into it.

[umanwizard]

Rust doesn't have the concept of package. (Cargo does, but Cargo is a different thing from Rust, and it's entirely possible to use Rust without Cargo).

Rust has the concept of _crate_, which is very close to the concept of compilation unit in C++. You build a crate by invoking `rustc` with a particular set of arguments, just as you build a compilation unit by invoking `g++` or `clang++` with a particular set of arguments.

One of these arguments defines the edition, for Rust, just like it could for C++.

[ynik]

That only works for C++ code using C++20 modules (i.e. for approximately nothing). With textual includes, you need to be able to switch back and forth the edition within a single compilation unit.

[hypeatei]

> I think putting C++ in maintenance mode and keep it as a "legacy" language is the way to go

I agree but also understand this is absolutely wishful thinking. There is so much inertia and natural resistance to change that C++ will be around for the next century barring nuclear armageddon.

[actionfromafar]

I don't think even that would suffice. :)

[adgjlsfhk1]

Cobol's still around. Just because a language exists doesn't mean that we have to keep releasing updated specifications and compiler versions rather than moving all those resources to better languages.

[bluGill]

> I think putting C++ in maintenance mode and keep it as a "legacy" language is the way to go

That is not possible. The the following function in C++ std::vector<something> doSomething(std::string); Simple enough, memory safe (at least the interface, who knows what happens inside), performant, but how do you call that function from anything else? If you want to use anything else with C++ it needs to speak C++ and the means vector and string needs to interoperate.

[zozbot234]

You can interoperate via C ABI and just not use the C++ standard types across modules - which is the sane thing to do. Every other language that supports FFI via C linkage does this, only C++ insists on this craziness.

[pjmlp]

Only if using a hardened runtime with bounds checking enabled, without any calls to c_str().