[sacado2]

Go is middle-level, lower than scripting languages, higher than C++. You have control over memory layout, which lets you use less memory than a language that boxes everything (like Java or Python). You can use linear structs, or references to data, whatever fits your problem best. But, to do that, you need pointers.

However, Go pointers can't be casted to another type and you can't do pointer arithmetic. In this way, they are very close to Java or Python references, except they're made explicit. How can these kinds of pointers be any worse than references ?

[nawitus]

>How can these kinds of pointers be any worse than references ?

Because references are easier to use.

[sacado2]

I get your point, although I think references are not that easier ; if one doesn't think what's happening underneath when using refernces, nasty bugs can occur.