Subj : Re: Why not unions
To   : comp.programming
From : Scott Moore
Date : Tue Jul 26 2005 05:48 pm

Jon Harrop wrote:
> Shwetabh wrote:
> 
>>Hi, my question is related with data structures.
>>Why are only structures used for implementing data structures.
>>Why not unions when they are more memory efficient than structures.
> 
> 
> This sounds like a question about struct and union in the C programming
> language. Both struct and union are used by C programs. However, struct is
> much more common than union. Also, union is unsafe and can easily be the
> cause of bugs.
> 
> Many more modern languages (like OCaml and SML) provide safe alternatives to
> union called variant types.
> 

As do older languages, such as Pascal.

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