Indeed. The post begins with a question and asserts that the reader doesn't know the answer. I knew the correct answer instinctively and I haven't written any C in anger in years. Expecting a C compiler to promote expression operands prior to assignment because the output location is a larger size... that's just not the mentality C programmers develop; what if the output is smaller? Should all the expression operands be demoted automatically, producing radically different results as large numbers get truncated prior to evaluation? No. Obviously not. That sort of thing is self-evident to a competent C programmer.