My user handle is in relation to this post. SE Inc has behaved reprehensibly, and the entire user community should be made aware and take a stand against it.
I don't believe in answering questions completely. IMHO, one gains the most when one deduces as much of the answer on their own.
Over the past several years on SO I learned the following:
I like C very much, but I think we should stop teaching it (as part of teaching C++).
I also get a twitch in my eye every time someone on SO adds "My Professor/Assignment forbids the use of the standard c++ library". This is so asinine, and has nothing to do with teaching "real" C++.