[oblio]

I know I'm in dangerous territory here, but what if the C++ community, as in committee, compilers, etc., pull a Javascript strict mode?

Basically subsequent C++ compilers provide the possibility of some subset of C++ which is considered modern. Then files can be marked with it, at which point the C++ compilers reject deprecated idioms. Over time this should take over, I think most of the JS in the wild is now using strict mode.

I can't be the first person to think of this. There must be a reason something like this hasn't gotten traction.

[gpderetta]

The header inclusion model (where you will be textually including hundreds of thousand lines of random code in a translation unit) doesn't make it easy to have version flags.

Also many of the issues are intrinsic to the way the language has evolved (the template compilation model for example), it is not just a matter of deprecating a few features here and there (although that might help)

[lowbloodsugar]

Headers are what need fixing first. They are why I would never consider using C++ for any new project and avoid jobs that require maintaining C++ code. C++ is the steam power of computing and keeping legacy monoliths running doesn't do anyone any favors. That shit should have been piece-by-piece rewritten by now.

[carlmr]

You're forgoing all of the sweet cash that C++ legacy maintainers will make in 20-odd years. Like the COBOL people right now.

[gpderetta]

Hey! That's my retirement plan!