I was not proposing sweeping changes to all the defaults in C++, I was proposing to adopt a single, specific change. That change does not break any existing code, removes pitfalls from the language, and has already been tried by industry and found to be beneficial. Why is it not in C++26?

https://open-std.org/jtc1/sc22/wg21/docs/papers/2023/p2754r0... provides what appears to be the answer to this question: "No tools will be able to detect existing logical errors since they will become indistinguishable from intentional zero initialization. The declarations int i; and int i = 0; would have precisely the same meaning." ...yes, they would. _That's the point_. The paper has it exactly the wrong way around: currently tools cannot distinguish between logical error and intentional deferred initialization, but having explicit syntax for the latter would make the intention clear 100% of the time. Leaving a landmine in the language just because it gives you more warnings is madness. The warning wouldn't be needed to begin with, if there were no landmine.

I'm not sure what you mean with "who don't even use the language". Are you implying that only people that program professionally in C++ have any stake in reliable software?