Did you see it?

Pacific++ 2018: C++ Past vs. Future

by Titus Winters

From the video:

Over the last 35 years, C++ has remained a constant fixture in the programming landscape. With advancements in the language through C++11, 14, and 17, we've created new dialects that have breathed new life into C++. With C++ Core Guidelines and a rich community of authors and speakers providing guidance on C++, it is easier now to steer clear of problem areas and hopefully stay in the "good parts" of the language.
Or at least, that's what we'd like. In practice, many habits of C++ programmers are unsafe and will be hard to keep working. The triple perils of ADL, ODR, and ABI leave a wide assortment of pitfalls for code maintenance. Many systems happen to work, but perhaps more out of luck than actual correctness.
How do we explain this dichotomy? How is the language better than it ever has been, and at the same time so dangerous and burdened with silent pitfalls and legacy? Can the standard evolve over time to reduce these perils? More importantly: should it?
In this talk I'll remind people of how precarious most C++ code is in the face of change (like advancing to a new language version), and discuss the most fundamental issue facing the committee these days: how to balance between the legacy code of the past and the yet-to-be-written code of the future.