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The Lessons of Software Monoculture

Posted by michael on from the penicillin dept.

digitalsurgeon writes "SD Times has a story by Jeff Duntemann where he explains the 'Software monoculture' and why Microsoft's products are known for security problems. Like many Microsoft enthusiasts he claims that it's the popularity and market share of Microsoft's products that are responsible, and he notes that the problem is largely with C/C++ and mostly because of the buffer overflow problems."

5 of 585 comments (clear)

  1. Popularity not the problem. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    All that "popularity" can do is emphasize the problems that are already there. Ultimately, it's Microsoft's fault for letting the massive number of bugs in to begin with.

  2. Re:C# by cablepokerface · · Score: 1, Troll

    No, C# was made so Microsoft could make money off Java. By changing the name, and some keywords, they can market the next OO language to a bunch of people who never learned C++.

    Haha, with such incredible lack of knowledge I am not surprised you checked the AC box. :)

  3. Re:managed code by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

    "Umm, one who knows that it is required for proper interoperability with existing libraries?"

    Yeah, I guess that's why languages like Python and Ruby which don't have pointer arithmetic can't call existing C libraries. Oh, wait... nevermind.

    "One who knows more about language design than you?"

    Well, at least you didn't let your emotions on the subject degrade your argument...

  4. Re:C# was created because of business politics by BarryNorton · · Score: 0, Troll
    If it also solves the buffer overflow problem (I don't know C#), that is a beneficial side effect.
    Which is to ignore why Microsoft were interested in a 'new' language (ok, no parametric polymorphism, no inductive datatypes, no higher-order functions etc. etc., but, oooh, array bounds checking!) like Java in the first place... You didn't really think much about your answer, did you?... (Congratulations for feeling qualified to rehash the same old rubbish about lawsuits without even knowing or thinking about the technology...)
  5. Re:C# by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Wow,,,,
    I have never seen so many MS A$$-lickers in my life. What the F... this has got to do with C/C++. I thought IE was coded in VB anyway. C/C++ are just tools. You the programmer create bugs, and they just get to stay there by bad debugging and stupid assumptions as all MS products have a lot of it. I never thought that one day I see someone blaming bugs on C/C++. Maybe in the future it'll be the CPU to blame, who knows????