#include int main(int argc, char* argv[]) { void *vp; void **vpp; double d = 3.14; int i; int *int_ptr; int ***ippp; *int_ptr = 333; // boom srand(0); // initialize the random number generator int_ptr = (int*) rand(); // generate a random number *int_ptr = 333; // boom int_ptr = (int*) &d; *int_ptr = 333; // doesn't crash, but probably doesn't do what you want vp = &i; vpp = vp; // no type checking! return 0; }