FWIW, I teach
- pass-by-value
- problems: performance of all those copies; how to write an out-parameter?
- C solution: pointers (a pointer holds a memory address)
- pass-by-pointer
- C++ enhancement: references (***)
- pass-by-reference
I agree with your sequence, and I use something very similar.
But…..
Why do you teach the “pass by pointer”? Maybe you and I have different audiences. I have 1 semester to get engineering undergrads writing (from scratch) semi-serious simulations in clear, working, not-too-inefficient code. So I teach the C stuff
way at the end of the semester as “In case someone throws you an old code base, you may come across this.” Otherwise I see no reason for teaching it.
Otherwise thanks for agreeing (or at least sympathizing) with me.
Victor.