C++ Committee to shift focus on important issues

published at 01.04.2016 03:22 by Jens Weller
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While C++17 did not get modules, coroutines or concepts, the feedback after Jacksonville showed that something has to be done. And the committee is willing to learn from the community, and shift the focus on the more important issues. While most current important features not making it into C++17 are very likely to make it into the next standard, no one can guarantee this. Filesystem but also concepts show, that almost ready isn't enough to be included into the standard, with a better focus on important issues this could be prevented.

While a few committee members still favor the 3 year cycle to release new C++ Versions, a newly forming subgroup aims at a different target: final C++. The aim is to maintain the current pipeline, but also start working on an alternative. We are not sure how many more 3 year cycles it will take to reach our goal of a final standard, but it might already be the one after C++17. To achieve this goal, a cooperation with DARPA, CERN and other science institutions is managed through SG23.

Final C++

The goal of final C++ is, to have one C++ standard, that full fills all needed functionality. It is the clear goal, to end C++ Standardization with one, perfect, final Standard. It is clear that with current technology this goal is not reachable, but it is the job of SG23 to look into the options. The most promising option is time travel, as this would allow to speed up standardization at first. Later C++ could reach the goal of perfect final C++ standard that still can be optimized by time travel.

A different idea is to use machine learning and quantum computers for standardization, this also could yield a lot of progress towards a final C++ Standard.

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