C is Brittle D is Plastic

[Cid Lib]

On Sunday, 22 March 2026 at 04:47:41 UTC, Walter Bright wrote:
>
> ...
> 
> The fix is simple - use length-delimited strings. D relies on 
> them to great effect. This can be done in C, but there is no 
> succor from the language, and such a package is not 
> standardized. I've proposed a simple enhancement for C to make 
> them work 
> https://www.digitalmars.com/articles/C-biggest-mistake.html but 
> nobody in the C world has any interest in it (which is 
> baffling, as it is so simple!).
>
> ...

C isn't just a language; it's a global ecosystem.

They aren't *ignoring* you because the idea is bad.

To the C world, 'simple' means "don't break the ABI."

C has been using the "manual fat pointer" for 50 years. And it'll 
still be doing it for another 50 years.

C isn't a sportscar; it's the *foundation* of interoperability.

You don't want your foundation changing very often, if at all.

In the end, there is no successor to C on the horizon, because 
C's unchanging nature is its greatest.

It's also its greatest weakness.