Bjarne Stroustrup offers a sneak peek at the next version of standard C++ (“C++0x”) which should be complete by 2009.

A Brief Look at C++0x

The C++0x improvements should be done in such a way that the resulting language is
easier to learn and use. Among the rules of thumb for the committee are:

• Provide stability and compatibility (with C++98, and, if possible, with C)
• Prefer standard library facilities to language extensions
• Make only changes that change the way people think
• Prefer generality to specialization
• Support both experts and novices
• Increase type safety (by providing safe alternatives to currently unsafe facilities)
• Improve performance and ability to work directly with hardware
• Fit into the real world