const debacle

[Bill Baxter]

Janice Caron wrote:
> On 24/03/2008, Bill Baxter <dnewsgroup at billbaxter.com> wrote:
>>  As time wears on I find myself not becoming any more enthusiastic about
>>  const in D...
>>  All I wanted was a simple way to avoid simple mistakes in my code.  Not
>>  a complicated way to avoid complicated mistakes.  And certainly not a
>>  complicated way to avoid simple mistakes.
> 
> The feature which is being requested, and rejected, is *not available
> in C, or C++, or any other language of which I am aware*.
> 
> Therefore, the fact that it's also not available in D is hardly a criticism!

I was hoping for something simpler and less redundant than C++'s const. 
  Doesn't seem like it's going to be the case.  The more I think I about 
it the more I think I don't really care about transitivity and rock 
solid assurances.  I just want a simple way to prevent shooting myself 
in the foot in really dumb obvious ways.

...And this:

#include <stdio.h>

char* substring(int begin, const char* string)
{
     //string[0] = 'b';
     return string+begin;
}


int main(int argc, char* argv[])
{
     char * foo = "hi there\n";
     char * bar = substring(3, foo);

     printf(bar);
}

compiles in C with the line commented; doesn't compile if you uncomment 
it.  (Though gcc does give a warning in the former case.)

--bb