C vs C++ vs Java

Sorcery-ltd — 2008-02-17T13:22:42Z

Thanks Tote, always good to get your opinion.

I don't really care what programming language I use (within reason - please no Visual Basic!). You're right that C is the major language for Linux. The kernel and drivers are written in C. User space programs can be C or C++ (or a mixture). The main user interface frameworks, Qt (recently bought by Nokia) and GTK+ are in C++ and C respectively. So I guess Maemo, using GTK+, tends to be mostly C programming at the moment. I think that C-style programming (although no reason not to do that in C++) is best for low level software/drivers and C++ is better for UI stuff.

If Java had really lived up to the write once run anywhere hype then it'd be great but on smartphone platforms at least it's currently not much more than an inefficient execution environment with restricted APIs.

I'm very concerned that Google's Java on Android is just making this worse as it is just another new variant and the VM isn't even standard. While I'd be happy to have a play with Android or the iPhone SDK I think I'll wait and see if either of them are likely to ship some significant device volumes before giving much of my own time to them. I'm much more interested in ways of getting the same code to run across lots of platforms with minimal changes.

Mark

Open to new

tote_b5 — 2008-02-17T11:51:20Z

Mark,

I'm, for one, open to explore other areas than S60. Let it be another Symbian (UIQ) or something completely different - I'm in it. But although I've had some experience with Linux, too, I'm a bit afraid of going back to programming in C, which I thought to be the #1 programming language for Linux (mobile or other). Up until now, since e.g. Google has introduced their Linux-backed sw stack and the primary(?) programming language is Java. With access to every feature there exists. I've already heard rumours that the soon-to-be-introduced iPhone SDK would support Java, too. I'm more than happy to hear that and can hardly wait for a project on these platforms.

You know, I like Symbian, but I believe that my view to the world gets broader by exploring "horizontally" in mobile developer space. Not to mention the fact that I'd eventually become more valuable, too. :)

Mark Wilcox's Forum Nokia Blog - S60 vs Maemo

C vs C++ vs Java

Open to new