> The "awkwardness" of the syntax is arguable
It really isn't. You would need to store the array allocated like in a struct along with something tracking its cardinally just to pass it around safely. Come on, buddy. You know it and I know it. Entire math libraries exist to ease the programmer with the abstraction management of it. Anyway, the issue is moot. You insulted me by telling me to "pick up a book" without asking what I meant by awkward, when the reality that extra book-keeping and arithmetic expressions are factually required: even by you for any "portable code," apparently.
You could just say, "oh I misunderstood what you meant, my culpa," you know? Rudeness was unnecessarily, added to nothing, and didn't help a single sole on earth understand anything better. It was pointless.