[TriLUG] C# and .NET

[Andrew C. Oliver]

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>Andy, 
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>I think it depends on what field you're in.  I personally haven't
>seen Java take over C++ either.  Until recently, my field was
>computer graphics and C and C++ still reign supreme there (yes
>there are a few small attempts to get java in there, but by
>and large they're failures, and yes, I include Java3D in that).
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Oh yes, may the gods not punish too harshly that which tries to do 
graphics in Java (or anything
else resembling real-time -- yes not all graphics programming is 
"real-time", but it sure looks funny
if it doesn't happen by the RightTime(tm) ).  Look at D. 
 (http://www.digitalmars.com/d) -- we're porting it to gcc.. 
 (http://www.opend.org) --  Its like C++ only without all the nasty 
stuff and *plus* built-in references and garbage
collection.  (No VM)

>The computer field is bigger than just web stuff.  Yes, there
>are more java jobs than Perl, PHP, etc.., but please don't
>include C++ in that group.  C++ is a much more mature, powerful
>language than java is.  The only thing java has over C++ is
>it's rich library, and even then there are efforts underway 
>to rectify that with C++.
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I prefer C to C++.  I don't care to get into a flamewar over it but for 
software that will be
maintained by multiple developers over a long lifecycle, C++ gives them 
far more tools to
hang themselves and you with them.  (And the arguments are well 
documented on both sides,
but I happen to find the anti-C++ arguments more compelling after being 
bitten just enough to
not want to do it again)

As for my lumping, the lumping was not based on what language I thought 
was good or better, it
was intended to show the scale of Java.  In my view, Java is more common 
than C++ in most larger
businesses.  While not everything is web programming, most things are 
not graphics programming either,
and when they are...they don't typically mandate any actual graphics 
programming.  

Java will never match a native language for performance especially where 
graphics are involved.  C/C++ will never
match Java's tools and maintainabilty for "enterpise" applications. 
 Right tool for the right job.

Maybe once we get the D front end (which is written in C++) ported to 
GCC (which is written in the GNU form of C,
"GNU form" = writing the most cryptic crappy looking code you can and 
making excessive use of macros), we'll get that
servlet spec ported over to D ;-)  -- Someone is already working on a 
Graphics library but its only for win-doze.

-Andy

>Tanner
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