alt Hacker News> int is basically the signed version of size_t aka a word sized data type. It's not meant to have a fixed size.
It isn't. `int` is at least as large as `short` and at least 16-bits. On modern systems `int` is still typically 32-bits whereas `size_t` is typically 64-bits. There's a `ssize_t` in POSIX for signed sizes.
> When people want the classic 4 byte data type they should choose long instead.
`long` is only at least 4 bytes, and at least as large as `int`. On MSVC (LLP64 data model) it's 4 bytes, but on SYSV (LP64 data model) it's 8 bytes. `long` should almost never be used if you actually want portable code today.
`int` is 32-bits and `long long` is 64-bits on both LP64 and LLP64. If you want portable code using the native integer types, these are the ones you should use, definitely not `long`.
Great now you made C look stupid again.
I am not a C developer but I used to think that there was some sanity in the design. Now that residual sanity I thought was left in C has faded away. I retract all my comments in this HN submission that defend C. Whenever anyone reads them, they should consider them made erroneously in good faith by a person who wanted to justify some of the weird decisions made in C but it turns out they were just plain silly.
Edit: actually now that I think about I'm willing to extend goodwill to C retroactively if sparkie retracts his silly nitpick and makes it charitable instead.