Thread: Why is C++ used more for software development that C?

For typical (desktop) applications, an object-oriented approach is a good fit for GUI programming, so C++ sees a lot of use there. For scientific research, it's much easier to write high-performing code that is also memory safe in C++, so it sees a lot of use there as well. I wouldn't say it is used more than C, but it's certainly a strong competitor to C. I can foresee large portions of the Linux kernel someday being converted to C++, once Linus is no longer in control. Object oriented design works well for operating system concepts as well.

Originally Posted by rstanley

I would love to see/hear Linus's opinion on this! ;^)

As if we didn't have enough of that. He has always been very vocal about C++.

But truth the matter is that Linus isn't the only software engineer out there. And neither is he the only one developing kernels. Many other SEs are perfectly happy writing kernel code in C++ without falling to the repetitive and boring-already nonsense that "C++ is a slow and bulky language". And their kernels work just fine, proving them right.

Now, the only thing that can be said here is that it makes no sense to turn the linux kernel into a C++ kernel because there is no benefit in it that outweighs the massive cost of converting the code. And only that.

Originally Posted by rstanley

There is too much overhead with C++ for "large portions of the Linux kernel" to be rewritten in C++.

And you base this on what exactly? C++ adheres to the guiding principle that "you don't pay for things you don't use." In a "freestanding environment," as described in the C++ standard, such as an operating system kernel, there is no standard library, streams, containers, etc. I fail to see how there would be any overhead. There is the C++ language, and whatever code the developer decides to add. RAII, for example, would be extremely useful in a kernel environment.

Originally Posted by rstanley

"... implements a non-standard extension to the C language to support RAII: ..."

As you said, it's nonstandard, and should be avoided in code intended to be portable. Chances are, it's not even used in the Linux kernel, because of its nonstandard-ness. If not the existing kernel code, I can certainly see the door being open to allow official kernel modules, written in C++, so long as they provide a compatible binary interface to the existing kernel.

Originally Posted by rstanley

I would love to see/hear Linus's opinion on this! ;^)

Linus does not understand C++, nor does he care to. He is completely unqualified to comment on its suitability for use in any application.

Except C doesn't have templates. I'm giving C one cookie for that.

But... macros. I'm taking that cookie back.

I would love to see/hear Linus's opinion on this!

O_o

Foaming steeped in hyperbole followed by a solitary middle finger...

Except C doesn't have templates. I'm giving C one cookie for that.

But... macros. I'm taking that cookie back.

A language with no mechanism for generics beyond abused objects is no language I'd want to use.

Soma

Originally Posted by MutantJohn

Whoa, guys. What's up with the hate for generics?

No hate. Instead, dislike of their language design. Much as I dislike macros (although here it's more to do with developers).
Have you ever looked at a generics tree that tries to be something more than the most basic of structures? Those things are nearly indecipherable. It's syntactic gibberish with real meaning that will take an axe through your skull to finally understand. Templates are the most horrid syntactic addition to C++, making them difficult to learn, difficult to use, difficult to understand and difficult to maintain. I'd rather spend my time reading Mandarin in braille.

EDIT: And because, unless you are a library writter your use case for generics is considerably low, any time you eventually have to use them you will have to actually go back and relearn the whole damn thing, because there is no way you can keep that stuff in your head if you don't use it every day of your life (templates are C++ regex).