----- Forwarded Message ---- From: JAMES SCOTT <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Michael L Torrie <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, November 26, 2007 2:37:18 PM Subject: Re: C vs C++ for GTK
To list members following this subject: I have a question - not a flame, as I try to understand the diversity of responses to this topic. How many of you who have suggested "Patrick" learn something other than C, know C already for yourself. Over the course of my experience I have found that learning assembler and C for a given platform has helped me better understand and use that platform. Also, knowing C make picking up or reading other languages like - python, php, perl, and many others easier. I'm assuming that, those of you who are pointing another way - already know C! Why not let Patrick follow your well worn path through C/GLIB/GTK2, maybe he will come out afterwards to C++, Python, or some other door. Yes, my preference is C/GLib/Gtk+. But I use lots of other when needed. James, "Just another Hobbyist and Professional Developer: 35+ years" ----- Original Message ---- From: Michael L Torrie <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Patrick <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: gtk-app-devel-list@gnome.org Sent: Monday, November 26, 2007 1:11:07 PM Subject: Re: C vs C++ for GTK Patrick wrote: > Hi Everyone. > > Sorry for the flame war bait, I know how passionate language debates > get but I need some guidance. I am using PyGTK right now and I am happy > with it, but a day is coming soon were the speed limitations and > less-then-straight-forward threading will be an issue. I don't see any reason at all why a GUI done with PyGTK should be any slower than a GUI done with straight C. Thus I don't see any compelling reason to abandon Python for C or C++. That said, however, Python sometimes isn't the right language to use for computationally-intensive tasks. Personally I think you are going about this the wrong way. You could be wanting to do premature optimization. Rather than trying to replace python, you should consider either extending python with C or C++, to replace the slowest and most-used computational paths, and stick with python for everything else. It's very easy to write python modules in C (10 hours to learn), or C++ (Boost makes it easy to wrap C++ classes and functions). Alternatively you can code in C or C++ and embed Python to drive your GUI. > > I figure my next move should be to learn C or C++. I would like to stay > up-to-date with things and I would like to be able to reuse GTK code > from other Apps. When it comes to the basic API, translating a code-generated GUI between python and C++ (with GTKmm) should be very simple. Even translating it to C won't be that hard either, except that you don't have an easy way to bind callbacks to a particular instance of data without some work, like setting data values and using the void *data argument on the callbacks. > > I thought that C++ must be the way to go as it can do everything that C > can "plus plus" but some heavy hitters don't seem enthused with it, > Linus Torvalds in particular has been quoted as calling it a "horrible > language". >From my experience it is those that don't understand C++ and how to wield it that describe it that way. Torvalds is biased anyway, since he's focused on kernel programming. > > I can only spend 8-12 hours a week programming, I am not a professional > programmer, is C++ to complicated? Is C going out of date? Am I limited > with C? C++ is complicated, but not overly so. I feel that coming from Python, C++ is probably going to be easier for you to move to than C. Again, though, I think > > Thanks-Patrick > > > > > _______________________________________________ > gtk-app-devel-list mailing list > gtk-app-devel-list@gnome.org > http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/gtk-app-devel-list > -- Michael Torrie Assistant CSR, System Administrator Chemistry and Biochemistry Department Brigham Young University Provo, UT 84602 +1.801.422.5771 _______________________________________________ gtk-app-devel-list mailing list gtk-app-devel-list@gnome.org http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/gtk-app-devel-list _______________________________________________ gtk-app-devel-list mailing list gtk-app-devel-list@gnome.org http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/gtk-app-devel-list
