title: Why should I use reference variables at all?
body: <p>As my first programming language I learned Java, but since I changed to a different University, I am now learning C++. </p>
  
  <p>Coming from Java and learning the basics of C++, I read about references and reference variables. And how dangerous they can be, and how to be careful with them and so on. </p>
  
  <p>So in my head arises one simple question: 
  Why should I bother using that kind of complicated, and therefore potentially problem-causing, stuff at all?</p>
  
  <p>Is it somehow worth it, or just a relic from times where RAM was about 64MB big?</p>
  
  <p>Since a lot of answers have mentioned pointers: That concept is clearly from the stone age, imho. Except for high-performance-computation I wouldn't even touch that stuff. </p>