"And it's quite out of character for Linus not to have a blazingly clear opinion. (We all know his stance on C++, for instance.)""
explain, cite ChatGPT said:
The quote refers to Linus Torvalds, the creator of the Linux kernel, and his well-known tendency to express strong opinions on various technical topics, often in blunt and unfiltered ways. The specific reference to C++ alludes to his documented criticism of the language, particularly in the context of systems programming. Linus Torvalds on C++
Torvalds has been openly critical of C++, preferring the C programming language for kernel development. His most famous critique of C++ came in a 2004 mailing list post where he called it a "horrible language" and criticized its complexity, overuse of features, and lack of good programmers who use it properly. Key Points of His Criticism:
Overly Complex Features
Torvalds argued that C++ introduces unnecessary complexity, making it harder to write maintainable and efficient code.
Poor Quality of C++ Programmers
He believed that the language attracts developers who focus more on language features rather than writing simple and efficient code.
Kernel Development Considerations
Torvalds strongly opposed the idea of using C++ in the Linux kernel, stating that C is simpler, more predictable, and better suited for low-level systems programming.
Notable Quotes:
“C++ is a horrible language. It's made more horrible by the fact that a lot of substandard programmers use it…” (LKML, 2004)
“C++ generates far too much bloat, and far too much crap code.”
"In other words, the only way to do good, efficient, and system-level (kernel) programming in C++ is to not use any of the 'nice' features of the language. And that pretty much removes any reasons for using C++ in the first place."
Summary
The quote you provided suggests that Linus Torvalds is usually direct and decisive about technical opinions, and his strong stance against C++ is one of the clearest examples of this.