Thread: Further developing C for the web

  1. #1
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    Further developing C for the web

    Hi,
    I'm just wanting to express my strong desire for C to become a more prominent Web language, something like php. I am a web developer and have a strong loyalty to C. C is the first language I learnt and personally I think its the best structured language.
    The thing however is I have noticed that C hasn't grown with new advancements with most other web languages. Does anyone know of any work being done to improve C for Web applications - things like being able to embed functions in html pages etc.
    I really would like to see C being in front of the rest on the Web. I'm currently designing a complete web content management system and will be throwing my weight firmly behind C as being the language that powers the software. I just want to encourage the people who develop the C Language to take this into consideration for future improvements.

  2. #2
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    I don't see "improvements" on C for web applications, I also don't see the necessity for adapting C to make it applicable for web applications. There are already a lot of other languages which are very good capable for web applications.

    From your point of view, a web developer, I can understand you would like C to become a web language. But from my point of view, an embedded systems developer, I like C to stay the fast, efficient and compact language it currently is.

    Hmmm, I forget something. What, in your opinion, should be added or changed to the C language to make it capable for web development?

  3. #3
    Just a Member ammar's Avatar
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    I like this idea, I also want to use C, or C++ for web applications, because it's the most language I'm familiar with...

    For example there is Visual Basic, and VBScript, so why don't we have a C script.
    none...

  4. #4
    Registered User whistlenm1's Avatar
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    In some ways I think you can think of php as C script (think about it)! I am too in favor for more growth of the C language (ANSI) but unless someone creates their own library for such a case I dont think it will happen much. Thats were my goals of programming in C \C++ is heading. Graphix, games, unix, linux and windows are all great offshoots for our favorite language, but it will always be the library that gives C\C++ its power.

    ICYW, I'm reviewing my C\C++ programming ADT right now I have been concentrating more on my CALC and PHYSICS studies. Now that I'm back on the wagon so to speak next will be Win and Linux\Unix apps and finally to creating my on ANSI libraries.

    Win2K/DevC++ 4.01
    Man's mind once streched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions
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    In other words, if you teach your cat to bark (output) and eat dog food (input) that doesn't make him a dog. It would have to chase cars, chew bones, and have puppies before I'd call it Rover ;-)
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  5. #5
    Just a Member ammar's Avatar
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    I don't think it's the libraries that make a good programming language, I think it's the language's capabilities.
    none...

  6. #6
    and the hat of int overfl Salem's Avatar
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    Best to leave the language pretty much as it is IMO. The last thing C needs is to become some bloated monstrosity which is capable of performing every task, but is far from ideal at doing any of them. As it is, it is capable of doing every task, but it is especially good at some of them.

    There isn't a single best language for every task, and nor is it possible to try and create such a language. If PHP gets the job done then use it.

    Of course you're free to write your own language if you want to - there are several thousand already to choose from (here are a
    few).
    If you dance barefoot on the broken glass of undefined behaviour, you've got to expect the occasional cut.
    If at first you don't succeed, try writing your phone number on the exam paper.

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  8. #8
    Just a Member ammar's Avatar
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    Originally posted by Salem
    Best to leave the language pretty much as it is IMO. The last thing C needs is to become some bloated monstrosity which is capable of performing every task, but is far from ideal at doing any of them. As it is, it is capable of doing every task, but it is especially good at some of them.

    There isn't a single best language for every task, and nor is it possible to try and create such a language. If PHP gets the job done then use it.

    Of course you're free to write your own language if you want to - there are several thousand already to choose from (here are a
    few).
    I think it will be better if you can have one programming language, that can be used for creating all types of applications, console, windows, web applications, etc...
    It will be easier for people to learn a one language, and be able to creat almost all kinds of applications with it.

    Note:
    The link is nice.
    none...

  9. #9
    and the hat of int overfl Salem's Avatar
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    > It will be easier for people to learn a one language,
    I disagree - its going to be easier to learn two small languages which are best suited for a specific task than one huge one (with a bunch of features which don't interest you and which drain resources).

    Besides, learning a programming language is easy after you've learnt a few. The hard part is learning how to program in the first place.

    What's stopping you writing it in C++, and implementing a few "web" classes?
    If you dance barefoot on the broken glass of undefined behaviour, you've got to expect the occasional cut.
    If at first you don't succeed, try writing your phone number on the exam paper.

  10. #10
    Registered User CompiledMonkey's Avatar
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    C for the web!?! Are you joking? Java owns everything as far as web goes.

  11. #11
    Just a Member ammar's Avatar
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    Originally posted by Salem
    [BI disagree - its going to be easier to learn two small languages which are best suited for a specific task than one huge one (with a bunch of features which don't interest you and which drain resources).
    [/B]
    Maybe you are right about that, I didn't think of it that way.
    none...

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    Why not make C the most Comprehesive

    What I'm mainly talking about is creating something like asp with C. It doesn't really require any real changes - just some additional libraries and server software. Perhaps I will develop it myself.
    All you need is a program that resides on the server that parses each webpage. It looks for let's say Cscript <cscript> tag and treats everything inside as C code to be executed. It would have to do away with Compiling and be an intepreter like for Perl and php.
    This idea is not to change C itself but for a new C compatible asp type system to be created.
    I can program in C quite comfortably and the thing I find most annoying these days is there are too many languages to have to learn for different tasks. Its a little like having to be able to speak English, French, German, Japanese etc . If it could all be C it would make life a lot easier.

  13. #13
    Registered User CompiledMonkey's Avatar
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    Re: Why not make C the most Comprehesive

    Originally posted by bjdea1
    I think people are trying to get across the "why reinvent the wheel" point. It's stupid to mirror a language like jsp (java), php, or asp when they already perform the operations you are looking for plus they are maintained much better than you probably ever could. The answer is simple, use one of the existing languages for what you are trying to do.

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    I get your point but C is dieing in this area

    I get your point quite well and in reality perhaps you're right - because there's a lot of work involved doing something like this.
    But think about it - why are there so many competing languages already mirroring the same asp type system - they seem to think its worth mirroring and competing in this area. None of them have conceded to the original language and just used it - because they want their Language to be the dominant language and they see the Web as probably the most important application now and in the future.
    On the Web C is small and beginning to fall far behind. I'd love to see this reversed with an influx of new web features.
    Look at this Web Forum - its a Cprogramming Board - but its powered by php - now that's a joke ! What does that say about C? It says C is limited and not the best language for the job - I want to reverse that. Anyone else feel the same?

  15. #15
    Registered User CompiledMonkey's Avatar
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    Re: I get your point but C is dieing in this area

    There are the three big ones because of politics. Sun loves to bust Microsoft's chops whenever it can. Microsoft wants to cash in on the success Sun has had with J2EE, so they create .NET. PHP is a quaility solution to the web, but I don't see PHP as an enterprise solution. The backend ability of Servlets is something PHP lacks and ASP is just getting with .NET.

    C doesn't belong on the web IMO. It does what it was made for quite well, better than anything except C++. There isn't a tool that is the best for every job. That's why we have all of these different technologies.

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