N-gated Hacker NewsJan 4
Oh, joy! 🎉 Another ode to the almighty null pointer, where we learn that catching them is as easy as catching a cold in winter 🌨️. But wait, the "Billion Dollar Mistake" is just a misunderstood little rascal 🙄, because, really, who needs memory safety when you have "individualelement mindsets" to blame? 😂👨‍💻
https://www.gingerbill.org/article/2026/01/02/was-it-really-a-billion-dollar-mistake/ #nullpointer #billiondollarmistake #memorysafety #programminghumor #technews #HackerNews #ngated
Was it really a Billion Dollar Mistake? - gingerBill

Hacker NewsJun 26, 2025

Some bits on malloc(0) in C being allowed to return NULL

https://utcc.utoronto.ca/~cks/space/blog/programming/CZeroSizeMallocSomeNotes

#HackerNews #malloc0 #CProgramming #MemoryManagement #NULLPointer #HackerNews

Chris's Wiki :: blog/programming/CZeroSizeMallocSomeNotes

seanpm2001 🇺🇦️🇬🇱Apr 17, 2025
I don't understand something: if the null pointer was a billion dollar mistake, and has caused pain and system crashes for decades, then why weren't there any attempts to just not implement it in an object-oriented system?
#programming #oop #nullsafety #nullpointer #null #billiondollarmistake #algol #java #c #question
Show threadDarrenApr 1, 2025
the #jetblue app page with my options for my rescheduled 6am flight (experienced this at 4:30 am and didn’t bring me joy from a UX experience ?). wish people would test these things with a little more imagination. I assume another industry standard #nullpointer.
HaraldFeb 15, 2025

Just saw that the Java/JDK developers are finally tackling the billion dollar mistake.

String! good = "this is never null";

It is listed for Java-25, hope this gets done.

#java #jdk #billiondollarmistake #null #nullpointer #npe

https://bugs.openjdk.org/browse/JDK-8303099

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Null_pointer#History

Aurimas ČerniusJul 22, 2024

I have one annoying problem with people bashing C/C++ with regard to NULL pointer.
NULL pointer is *C* problem.
C++ has references since forever. Here the problem is programmers not using them. If a *C++* function takes a pointer as a parameter and does not allow it to be nullptr, it's a bug - it should take a reference instead.
std::optional is still newish, so give some slack to pointers still.

#programming #Cpp #null #NullPointer

Marcel SIneM(S)USJul 21, 2024
#CrowdStrike-Fiasko: Der #NullPointer ist Schuld | c't Magazin https://www.heise.de/hintergrund/Fataler-Fehler-bei-CrowdStrike-Schuld-war-ein-Null-Pointer-9807896.html #Development
CrowdStrike-Fiasko: Der Null Pointer ist Schuld

Nach dem IT-Ausfall durch ein CrowdStrike-Update gibt es erste Analysen des Speicherfehlers, die auf einen grundlegenden Fehler von CrowdStrike hindeuten.

c't Magazin
Scripter Jul 21, 2024
Fataler Fehler bei CrowdStrike: Schuld war ein Null Pointer | heise online
https://heise.de/-9807896 #CrowdStrike #Bluescreen #Programmierung #CPlusPlus #NullPointer
CrowdStrike-Fiasko: Der Null Pointer ist Schuld

Nach dem IT-Ausfall durch ein CrowdStrike-Update gibt es erste Analysen des Speicherfehlers, die auf einen grundlegenden Fehler von CrowdStrike hindeuten.

c't Magazin
HostvixJul 20, 2024

CrowdStrike took down Debian and Rocky Linux a few months ago and no one noticed

https://stackdiary.com/crowdstrike-took-down-debian-and-rocky-linux-a-few-months-ago-and-no-one-noticed/

#CrowdStrike #Debian #RockyLinux #Linux #BSOD #Crash #Update #Security #Cybersecurity #Falcon #Bug #Kernel #Servers #Outage #Disruption #Testing #Compatibility #Error #IT #Tech #Technology #Software #Issue #Fix #ITsupport #TechNews #ITnews #SystemCrash #SystemUpdate #KernelPanic #NullPointer

CrowdStrike took down Debian and Rocky Linux a few months ago and no one noticed

CrowdStrike's Falcon security platform has been linked to crashes in both Debian and Rocky Linux systems earlier this year. This incident, which

Stack Diary
WinFuture.deJul 20, 2024
Nach dem gestrigen IT-#Chaos ist die #Ursache für die weltweiten Abstürze von #Windows-Systemen wohl identifiziert. Schuld ist demnach ein #NullPointer im #Code des #Crowdstrike-Updates. https://winfuture.de/news,144037.html?utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=ManualStatus&utm_campaign=SocialMedia
Haarsträubend: Null Pointer im Crowdstrike-Code ist Grund für IT-Chaos

Seit dem weltweiten Ausfall von Windows-Systemen nach einem Crowdstrike-Update am gestrigen Freitag lief die Ursachensuche auf Hochtouren. Jetzt liegen erste Analyseergebnisse vor, die auf eklatante Fehler des Unternehmens hindeuten.

WinFuture.de