The "optimization" if you can call it that saves time by calling delete in the first place and setting the pointer to NULL.
At least in some implementations, the C runtime and the C++ one is quite big with lots of code to do a single thing. Just look at new/delete with Microsoft's implementation.
Think of how many thousands of instructions you'll save from not calling it at all (not to mention you save a function call).
No, it's not much of an optimization at all since it will be lightning fast anyway.
Originally Posted by Adak
