[Coldbricks]

Originally Posted by jcatena

I don't enjoy pointless discussions, and this will be my last post here.

Linux is written in C and C++. So is Windows. So is OSX. So is vxworks. So is RTOS. And so will be every OS in the next years. It is not possible to write an OS in Java, nor Pithon, nor Virtualbasic...

Java is written in C or C++. And so is Pithon. And so is C#. And so is Visual Basic.

You can think of C++ the language with all the features and no restrictions, without pre-imposed compromises, and known by the largest number of developers.

Every other language is tailored to a specific application environment, and inside that environment, it may be popular, convenient, or whatever. But none of these can replace C/C++, because lack of fundamental general purpose fearures. Java and Pithon are the most popular in web contents programming, but nearly unused anywhere else.

I have been in software development for 28 years. I know Java, C# and Pithon, and use them as appropiate for specific applications (web contents and certain portable devices). I know assembler too (it was the first language I learnt).
But I could not consider myself a software engineer without mastering C and C++, what I use in more than 90% of my work. And when I hire a programmer, I ask for C++, not only because it is the most used language, but also because anyone that know C++ well can learn anything else pretty easy (like in a week or two), while the opposite is not true.

I fully respect anyone that doesn't like C or does not use it because only programs in one of these aspecific application areas. But I have to fully disagree with those that say that C/C++ is obsolete and has been or is being sustituted, because it is plain wrong.

I totally agree w/ you. C/C++ is the foundational language. There is no denying that. I learned in my freshmen year (and of course, still continue to learn!!). However the original poster wanted to know if it was worth knowing? I don't know. Your point about the forward compatibility with C++ is 150% true; anyone who knows C++ can learn nearly any other language very quickly. That's the debate though, do you NEED to know C/C++?? I personally think you don't NEED to know C++ in order to program kick ass apps and programs these days. Granted you are also right about Java and C# environments, which I do believe run in a virtual machine setting, which is different than C++. You can program stuff fairly easily with these languages. However, like I said before, It is a very VERY good idea to learn it. That's all!