static_assert on initializer_list::size()

Question

Why is std::initializer_list<_E>::size not allowable in a static_assert, even though it\'s declared as a constexpr in my libstdc++ (v. 4.6)?

For example, the foll

Answer 1

"Initializer lists" are just horrible kludges.

Don't:

#include 

template
void Dont(std::initializer_list list) { // Bad!
    static_assert(list.size() == 3, "Exactly three elements are required.");
}

void Test() { Dont({1,2,3}); }

Do:

template
void Do(const T(&list)[N]) { // Good!
    static_assert(N == 3, "Exactly three elements are required.");
}

void Test() { Do({1,2,3}); }