Clue Quote by Erik Naggum
“C being what it is lacks support for multiple return values, so the notion that it is meaningful to pass pointers to memory objects into which any random function may write random values without having a clue where they point, has not been debunked as the sheer idiocy it really is.”
About This Quote
Source Forum post: C programming discussion, Erik Naggum, 2005
C lacks native support for multiple returns, making pointer misuse risky and error‑prone.
In simple terms: C doesn’t easily return multiple values, leading to unsafe pointer use.
Key Takeaway
Prefer safer alternatives for multiple outputs.
Themes
programming
C
software design
Mood
critical
technical
Type
programming
technical
When to use this quote
- API design
- system programming
- code review
Key Concepts
Memory safety
function design
error handling
Questions to Reflect On
- What safer patterns can replace pointer tricks?
- How to mitigate pointer errors in C?
A Different Perspective
Alternative languages may simplify the problem.
