[TUHS] Is C obsolete? (was Re: [tuhs] The Unix shell: a 50-year view)

Mike Markowski mike.ab3ap at gmail.com
Tue Jul 6 01:53:11 AEST 2021


On 7/4/21 7:24 PM, Derek Fawcus wrote:
> On Sat, Jul 03, 2021 at 05:49:57PM +0200, Andy Kosela wrote:
>> They also think that C is obsolete
> 
> I'd not say it is obsolete, but despite it having been my main
> language for the last 30 years, these days I would be inclined to
> restrict the range of new tasks I'd use it for.

Hoping to correctly recall computability theory, a language needs only 
statements

S := 0
S := S + 1
if S == 0 goto Label

to be Turing complete.  It doesn't mean the language is always pleasant 
to use, but is enough - just as an editor with only char ins/del is 
technically enough.  C has its place, and so do tools for other classes 
of problems.

I enjoy python for signal processing work.  Matrices, complex numbers, 
many libraries are all there.  Libraries even parcel out calcs to cpu 
cores behind the scenes, letting the DSP guy worry (mostly) only about 
math.  And then C is speedy for the end product.  As comp sci evolves, 
we get more blades in our Swiss Army knife.

Mike Markowski


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