c++ - Why is 'new' an operator, not a function? -

are there issues, compile time operator, sizeof associated new?

new operator can overload (or all) of classes.

edit: i'll try clarify address @sbi's comments below.

consider 2 classes:

class base { }  class derived : public base { }

let's assume new() function, , want specialize base class , descendants. have "basic" new() function:

void *new(size_t size);

overloaded functions cannot differ return types alone, can't do:

base *new(size_t size);  // illegal.

we can't use member functions because need existing instance called. use static member functions:

class base {     static base *new(); }

but resulting syntax when allocating instance of derived quite awkward:

derived *derived = base::new();  // uh?

TY