Newbie 2 programming...

[cgkanchi]

In which language is the following applications written ?
* MSN / Yahoo Messenger - At least part of the application (if not all of it) is written in C/C++
* Windows - A combination of Assembly Language (for the lower level stuff) and C

And how powerful is Visual C++ ?

Imagine having all the features of C++. Then add the ability to do Windows programming. Then add the ability to use every feature present in Windows. Then add the ability to use other API's. Encapsulate all these into convenient classes. Add a nice WYSIWYG editor. That's VC++.

Cheers,
cgkanchi

[XNikon]

Well, I understand C++ is more powerful indeed..
But what about Visual C++ with other OS's like Linux, Mac etc ??

[cgkanchi]

Visual C++ is available for the Mac. However, for Linux, I'd recommend using Qt since VC++ isn't available for that platform.

Cheers,
cgkanchi

[XNikon]

Hmm. ok thanx... 'n how 'bout perl.. Where are its applications ??

[embro1001]

Originally posted here by XNikon
Hmm. ok thanx... 'n how 'bout perl.. Where are its applications ??

Perl tends to be used more for web-based apps (CGI), although it doesn't have to be. When good Mr. Wall (great name) started working on Perl, it was meant to be used as a means of extracting data from large amounts of information (hence the name - Practical Extraction and Report Language).

I've also seen Perl used to create stunning gui-based programs using external packages (like Frozen Bubble - done in Perl).

I personally have used Perl for creating dynamic web sites (but I've found that PHP is easier and better suited for that sort of thing), as well as data applications (Today in History - where the program runs through large numbers of files to pull out the relevent info, sort, and spit out).

As far as other programming languages go - I use primarily Java. Before I started learning it, I had some experience in C++ (but not much). What little I knew really helped out, since many other computer languages are either C-derived, C-based, or C-like (Perl, PHP) syntacticially.

I use Java because the GUI building is very easy (with Swing). The documentation is straight forward and organized, and it has all the niceties of an OOP language, including inheritance, polymorphism, data abstraction, encapsulation, etc. It's an easy learn, and had that great "write once, run anywhere" quality (most of the time...when you don't use it with system dependent code...).

If I had the patience, I would learn C++. And I probably will... It's a language that every programmer should be familiar with (along with C).

~happy programming

[chsh]

Originally posted here by embro1001
Perl tends to be used more for web-based apps (CGI), although it doesn't have to be.

Actually, IME Perl tends to be used for whatever the person writing it needs to do with it. It's quite a versatile language for something interpreted. I'd say it's an absolute must for doing systems administration -- Bash, sed, awk just don't cut it. I recommend Perl for System Administration, as it breaks it down based on the needs of a Sysadmin.

[embro1001]

Originally posted here by chsh
Actually, IME Perl tends to be used for whatever the person writing it needs to do with it. It's quite a versatile language for something interpreted. I'd say it's an absolute must for doing systems administration -- Bash, sed, awk just don't cut it. I recommend Perl for System Administration, as it breaks it down based on the needs of a Sysadmin.

True there. Perl can automate a lot of the jobs an admin would have to do by hand.