title: Why is the "this" pointer in C++ a pointer and not a reference?
body: <p>Why is the <code>this</code> pointer in C++ a pointer and not a reference?</p>
  
  <p>Are there use-cases that I'm missing that make "this" as a pointer more useful than a reference?</p>
  
  <p>If not, are there any language design implications/considerations involved in having it as a pointer?</p>