Getting started

[James J. Besemer]

Alex Martelli wrote:

>James J. Besemer wrote:
>        ...
>  
>
>>Types are otherwise pretty secure in C++ except the "cast" mechanism
>>"foils" the type system and thus allows type errors to occur.
>>    
>>
>
>Actually, unions are at least as bad -- they're not often used
>for type-punning because casts are handier for that, but if you
>took cast aways, people would (ab-)use unions (just like they
>abuse EQUIVALENCE in Fortran for similar purposes).
>
You're right.  I didn't mean to suggest that casts were the only thing 
that could make C++ programs type unsafe.  Should have inserted an 
"e.g.," in the sentence, as it was intended only as an example.

Regards

--jb

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