> instead of making references the default like most other languages
My primary language (at the moment) doesn't make references the default and actually doesn't standardize allocation practice. This can be very confusing and will often lead to unexpected results unless you are aware enough of the nature of the language to avoid common pitfalls.
To me, this adds to the learning curve and is an unnecessary headache.
I'm not saying this means that explicit pointers are the "right" way of doing things...but just providing an example where a language without explicit pointers can result in odd behavior.
Also, I am not saying my primary language is bad...it is, after all, my primary language so I continue to use it quite extensively. Just trying to give some food for thought since you posed a good question.
My primary language (at the moment) doesn't make references the default and actually doesn't standardize allocation practice. This can be very confusing and will often lead to unexpected results unless you are aware enough of the nature of the language to avoid common pitfalls.
To me, this adds to the learning curve and is an unnecessary headache.
I'm not saying this means that explicit pointers are the "right" way of doing things...but just providing an example where a language without explicit pointers can result in odd behavior.
Also, I am not saying my primary language is bad...it is, after all, my primary language so I continue to use it quite extensively. Just trying to give some food for thought since you posed a good question.