Thread: Is C out of date?

That's funny. Off topic about being off topic and this thread being hijacked.

> There is no "higher being". There are no system calls. No memory managers. No virtual memory. No other code running except yours.
That's what I meant by no OS. In that case, you would have no choice but to write your own memory manager.

> What you are talking about is real mode. You can't do that in protected mode, unless you are the OS.
It's actually harder in real mode because you have to set the segment and then use the offset, int 10, ah=e is easier. In pmode, you can use the normal linear address. That always works as long as your in the right VGA mode. VGA is configured mostly by io to ports. It's worse than mem mapped hw.

> Do you get a memory manager in real mode? It's the same thing.
Not that I know of... DOS had a memory manager, but that's different than what you're talking about, I think.

Languages are tools. Some are good tools and some not as good as other tools. Some tools are better used in certain situations than other tools but in the end all tools have their purpose.

Asking if C is out of date is like asking if a screwdriver is no longer useful. When you approach languages and APIs and what have you as tools I think you begin to look at the issue a bit differently. I wouldn't only use a screwdriver to remove the transmission in my car but rather I would leverage the whole set of tools that my toolbox offered. If my toolbox didn't offer the tool I would most likely go and purchase the right tool(s) for the job. But what some do is sit around and complain that the screwdriver isn't a an allen wrench and that a screwdriver is too limited in it's focus and purpose. So in the end all tools are terrible when used for the wrong task but all tools can become useful when they are used to perform the task(s) there were designed for.

That's what I meant by no OS. In that case, you would have no choice but to write your own memory manager.

So we've been agreeing all this time?! What a waste of time. We could've spent all this time arguing on things we don't agree on! .

I'm still here, just in case anyone was wondering. I haven't bothered to post again because I was just content with following the discussion and seeing what you all thought. Although my knowledge of C doesn't extend to programming in it's application domains, ( e.g embedded programming ) it was a good insight into what jobs I would/should be looking at if I wish to program in C.

My University will be tasking me with learning C during the summer break between 2nd and 3rd year ( I've been learning it, on and off, for a year now although I start university in september ) I believe that when I start my 3rd year, we will be studying multithreading ( I believe its pthreads although I'm not a hundred percent sure on that ). They also teach Python and Java in the first and second year respectively.

I'm open to learning new languages, that isn't a problem from me, but I enjoy the relative simplicity of C compared a more complex language like C++, I have bought a number of C++ books, thinking that I was "done" learning C and could advance to the "next level" by learning C++. But I found C++ to be much too large to learn, the size of the language and the number of features it offers really put me off learning it. That being said, I feel that eventually C++ will overthrow C in it's application domains, because as I said before and I think Elysia pointed it out as well, C++ is C and maybe even a "better C" as Bjarne Stroustrup put it.

Does anyone here currently hold a job programming in C with no "outside forces" pushing you to learn C++? There seemed to be a debate about the extend to which C++ could be implemented in reference to embedded programming, is there a definite answer as to whether C++ is capable or will be capable ( in the next 5 years, say ) of performing as well as C in the embedded domain? I don't see why not, I mean you could program in C++ using the C part of it (if you really wanted to) couldn't you?

> Does anyone here currently hold a job programming in C with no "outside forces" pushing you to learn C++?

Yes. I hate __HATE__ C++. It is totally backwards from the way I think.

I won't be using X++ as long as those X++ people sell their X++ too much and say X++ is better X and X++ can do all that X can do and even better, etc..

Originally Posted by grumpy

Maybe it's you who's backward Don't worry, I'm just kidding, I don't mean that.

Using C++ effectively requires a substantially different way of thinking than using C effectively (although there are areas of overlap, clearly). Different people will therefore prefer one language over the other and (if this thread represents any form of evidence) disparage the other.

Some people prefer driving BMWs, others prefer Mercedes, others prefer Toyota (and the list goes on). Doesn't mean any of them are deficient, simply that they have individual preferences and tendancies. The same sort of thing carries over to programming language.

Two points on that score:

1) it is VERY akin to Alabama vs Auburn in Alabama -- extremely polarizing and when the two parties are near each other in football season, things get ugly (I'm an Alabama fan)

2) please note that I said I hate C++, but not those that use it.

Too bad the Gators beat both of them most of the time...