C++ creator hates that Bitcoin was written in the language he made – The Next Web

C++ creator Bjarne Stroustrup doesnt like that Bitcoin BTC was written in his programming language, at all.

In a recent podcast interview, Stroustrup took a moment to explain how he felt about programmers usingC++ for such wide variety of applications.

Mostly, it was pretty reasonable. He likened releasing C++ to building a tool, in that he cant control how its going to be used.

You try to improve the tool by looking at how its being used, and when people cut their fingers off, and try and stop that from happening. But really, you have no control over how somethingis used, said Stroustrup.

Then, he mentioned Bitcoin, which Satoshi Nakamoto wrote in C++.

So, Im very happy and proud of some of the things [that] C++ is being used [for], and some of the things I wish people wouldnt do. Bitcoin mining being my favorite example, [it] uses as much energy as Switzerland and mostly serves criminals, he added.

Indeed, the debate around Bitcoins energy consumption is real. Mining Bitcoin means using large amounts of electricity to solve a complex maths puzzle thats rewarded with digital currency.

Typically, miners immediately sell Bitcoin they generate to cover their costs. Whether you consider this a worthwhile endeavour really comes down to how much you value censorship-resistant money, which seems to go over Stroustrups head, at least currently.

However, Bitcoin mostly facilitating criminal activity, while unproven, is ultimately a function of that censorship resistance.

Sure, itd be nice if Stroustrup was proud of the fact that Nakamoto built Bitcoin using his magnum opus.

But, if hes stuck on worrying about Bitcoins energy usage matching a country of just 8 million people,convincing him otherwise is probably a lost cause, however brilliant C++ may be.

Published November 11, 2019 14:41 UTC

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C++ creator hates that Bitcoin was written in the language he made - The Next Web