Hacker News Reader

I doubt that "learn how to speak C++" is why anyone _does_ read the standard. The standard is used for things like ensuring broad compatibility among compiler implementations.

CLARIFICATION: I suppose that might have been your point--that not much hindering of understanding is going on among the broad C++ community due to standards (un-)availability.

View on HN

Yeah exactly, I'd even go as far as saying that the standard is only useful if you're implementing a compiler or tracking down a bug in an existing one.

I'm realizing now that the original question was more about those developers doing work on C++ compilers and such than the broad community. Even so, I guess every heavy contributor and project like GCC, LLVM... have bought their own copy of the standard.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com