Comment by taneq
1 year ago
There's no such thing as "standard C" that you can actually write, due to UB and implementation defined behaviour. There's just (C, compiler version, platform) that defines (if only through the compiler's source code) what will actually happen in any given situation.
It is entirely possible to write strictly conforming C.
so because there are implementation defined behaviors in the standard, language extensions become okay?
Language extensions are a feature, not a bug. They allow C to evolve and C compilers to compete without requiring committee consensus. Good extensions will eventually be picked up by other compilers, and maybe even find their way into the standard.
I love when we discuss C or C++, "Language extensions are a feature, not a bug", but then when discuss other languages that try to do without C, by adding extensios to their language reference, the speech turns into "Language extensions are a weakness, not a feature".
Additionlly "Language extensions are a feature, not a bug" seems only to be valid in the context of C and C++, IF the compilers being discussed are GCC or clang, because God forbid a comercial C or C++ compiler to have language extensions.
Speaking in general about the way these subjects are discussed online, not you in particular.
sure, i get the joke, i just don't like it. it's the same story as browsers. proprietary extensions in the name of progress because technically it's allowed, but also unimplemented standardized features galore, necessitating polyfill libraries and frequent checking of support matrices.
it's just sprawl with popular support.
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