Developers Corner

I was reading around (don't quite remember where), anyways I saw that Microsoft is pushing to have C# the next big language. I was wondering if this is true. I know that they are really trying to push it above LUA for UI's and such, but usually you use C++ and LUA, so it would then be C++ and C#. I always thought C# was slower and designed as a more compact/portable language, while C++ is just a power house. I know C++ is really getting old now, but is C# poised to pass it as the most widely used language, and is C# even capable of doing so (power wise)?

    thanks

---axehero

all progamming languages are different, they are all used for different things. C++ just happens to be the standared its not like there is one god of a language.

Id go with C# its easier to learn its .net its microsoft theres a lot behind it. Thats just my opinion. A great book to learn C# games programming is "Beginning C# games programming" by Ron Penton. Takes you from the basics to the more difficult stuff.

Only in the case of Mono.

But Python is still better, and Boo makes Python style even more .net worthy.

To be honest, I'd do Java over C#.

I'd chose C++ over any language for programmers. Now, i'd go with Java for business. C++ for game engine

C++ looks better on resume and when u got to a game industry job interview you will be tested on C++ at most places

Some places might try to use C# for backend stuff and for Tools (like at EA). But they always consider a cpaable C++ programmer can crossover into anything else.

Cant hurt to know C# thyough

I do like LUA integration for designers. nice simple scruipting language to throw at them and low learning curve

Originally posted by axe_hero

I was reading around (don't quite remember where), anyways I saw that Microsoft is pushing to have C# the next big language. I was wondering if this is true. I know that they are really trying to push it above LUA for UI's and such, but usually you use C++ and LUA, so it would then be C++ and C#. I always thought C# was slower and designed as a more compact/portable language, while C++ is just a power house. I know C++ is really getting old now, but is C# poised to pass it as the most widely used language, and is C# even capable of doing so (power wise)?

    thanks

 

---axehero

Yes C++ is still the most powerful - able to use inline assembly very easily and with good compilers generates some speedy code. It is also still amongst the most complex of the most popular high level languages - I love it myself BUT i dont try to toss the kitchen sink in to some of what I do and I don't try to make it jump through hoops like some of the guys over at Boost [nice idea, some nice components in Boost but also some horrid complexity - use a different language to do some things or move the standards process along a little faster!]

The new C++ standard will be voted on in 2009 - presumably a thumbs up - the most recent draft is decent in my slightly biased opinion.

C# really plays off C & C++  - so did Java;  I havent used C# enough but i am pretty sure i can turn off or make sure some objects are faster by making sure the garbage collection mechanism doesnt get to deal with them [might have to do that at the .net level more or less with some C# calls *shrug* ? can anyone help me out here ? i just use enough C# to get by ....]

C# is faster than Java - it probably will supplant java unless sun's next version gets appreciably faster numerically....

Lua is .... kind of slow and takes a bit more learning than C# if you already know C and some simple OOP terminology and paradigm

Python ...at least the next version is going to be oooooh so much better than Lua and python still plays so great with C++ and C that ... I've just never bothered to do anything with Lua - think it just has a bunch of dedicated fanboys more or less.

XNA uses C# and directX to turn out some decent games for MS xbox platform as well as winblows pc games - since MS is really trying to both turn a decent profit in that industrial sector as well as build on it one would imagine the next rev of the C# standard [though MS put it out there somewhat open via ECMA, they still exert considerable influence over it's growth path ....]

If you are already an expert in C++ - dont sweat the lil stuff stick with that strength - if you know C but don't know C# or C++ i'd learn C# first - the avoidance of multiple inheritance makes for a lot less hairy code and designs in general and really makes it more of a RAD oop language.

as for being "old" C++ is a hybrid and we know  hybrids are the latest greatest tech!!!! seriously, C++ is still the best language and will be for the next decade - it's just very complex for todays lazy graduates and american students [take that from a non-lazy american graduate lol] i recall some of my fellow students were a class or 2 away from their entire bachelors in compsci and they still really didnt grasp pointers or just couldnt handle coding in them well! ridiculous the quality of some of the developers out there!

C# WILL NOT supplant C++  anytime soon - it will probably achieve something of a percentage parity on large projects within about 7 years time - stealing away some thunder from both java and c++ and vb;  this is just a shot in the dark but probably about 10 years from now there may be as many C# developers as C++ ***assuming*** sun doesnt improve java enough - if sun does improve java dramatically then C# won't catch C++

take the above with a grain of salt mind you but for the most part it is the way things will go

Thomas

PS if you dont think python isnt better than Lua - check out sage  http://sage.math.washington.edu/sage/ you wouldnt be able to use LUA on a project like sage

With the release of Visual Studio 7, compiled code from C#, C++ and VB is the same, so talking about which language is the most powerful is a little bit strange.

C++ is traditionally the fast language however, which is why its used in games programming. C++ has not only been used to program probably all MMO's around, but its also today used in business applications, taught in cmoputer classes and it has access to some lowlevel coding that is just too interesting for most serious programmers to ignore.

C# is not by any count widely used yet..., but it has the potential to be so, there is nothing in C++ you cant do in C# and C# has the ease of use that VB offers. There is no doubt that Microsoft would rather C# became the future standard. The idea behind C# was to create a language based on primarily C++ and VB, to give developers the best of both worlds.

VB is still by far the most used lanauge in the world, its so big that we are talking like 90% of all programming being done in VB. Not when it comes to games ofcourse, but since VB is the lanague you are using when you do stuff for your office sutie, and the fact that you can spend less time on programming in VB obtaining the same goal, make VB the best solution for business applications.

Pascal, was once where C# is today, the best language to program in, but as C++ and VB took several leaps into better interfaces and programming style, pascal has kind of faded out. There are still companies around that uses Delphi Pascal and it is definitetly a potential powerful programming language.

Java made its way to the internet and got popular because of that. Its a very easy language to get into and the fact that you can put it on the internet site, made it interesting to the family man and the web-programmers. Java came in various versions, even Java compilers and has the cross platform ability that C++ also has. While VB is gaining ground on the internet side, there is no doubt Java will continue to be the preferred internet stie language for a long long time.

Perl and a few other script languages most of all offer a change in programming style, which after many years of programming in one language, is very welcome. Perl doesnt really offer anything that cannot be done in any other language, but the fact that it is a definite underdog makes it so much more interesting and at least I enjoy programming stuff in Perl.

This is all I know...

C# has great potential and is a powerful language, but it still cannot beat C++...

For starters however, C# is supposedly the "best" especially for game development.

Originally posted by Mitara

With the release of Visual Studio 7, compiled code from C#, C++ and VB is the same, so talking about which language is the most powerful is a little bit strange.

What you're talking about is programming with .NET framework, and even with .NET programming, there are differences between compiled MSIL results depending on which language you're programming with.

Native C++ is still faster, in most of the cases, and definitively a better choice for a mmorpg if you're looking for pure performances.

Microsoft is trying to make C# the "next big language" for management applications.

Really if you look at it people use C#/VB.NET for the same reason people use C++ over Assembly.  Easier and quicker development.

The speed differance is almost a pointless argument anymore considering its a very small fraction of what it was. 

Its not that C# is going to become the standard its that managed code in general is becoming the standard.