What Programming Language For Linux Development?

k33l0r writes "Recently I've been thinking about developing (or learning to develop) for Linux. I'm an IT university student but my degree program focuses almost exclusively on Microsoft tools (Visual Studio, C#, ASP.NET, etc.) which is why I would like to expand my repertoire on my own. Personally I'm quite comfortable in a Linux environment, but have never programmed for it. Over the years I've developed a healthy fear of everything Java and I'm not too sure of what I think of Python's use of indentation to delimit blocks. The question that remains is: what language and tools should I be using?"

Comments

Re:C/C++

[walshy007]

Are C/C++ really fast?

if you have to ask that question, you will have to surrender your geek card at the door

as for using large libraries, if you don't need the functionality why use it? and if you do do you really think you can implement it in a more efficient manner quickly?

Re:C/C++

[erikina]

Are C/C++ really fast? Have you got figures to back it up?

Give me a break. Of course it is. And no, I'm not going to provide figures for an accepted fact.

I'm not just talking about using C directly, but using C with some heavyweight library like Gtk which does its own very inefficient implementation of objects (glib), uses reference counting, and adds tons of asserts (which in a true HLL could be eliminated by the compiler).

Jesus Christ. Do you have any idea what you're talking about? You think if the detail is hidden from you, it doesn't exist. As for removing asserts and debug stuff, I can't think of an easier way than with C. You can even just use the preprocessor (#IFDEFINE) to remove the body of the function. Then let the compiler optimize out any use of it. Try that with Python/Ruby.

As Wikipedia would say ... [citation needed].

Rich.

w/e

Re:C or C++

[Joce640k]

...you mean "C++". This is 2008, nobody should be using C except as a last resort.

Re:How much do you want to learn?

[AJWM]

ever heard of this mono thing?

Yeah, it's a disease. The host is lethargic and slow, and can suffer inflammation.

Re:Indenting code

[larry bagina]

looking through the faq convinced me: python is gay and only suitable for retards.

Q: Why do/don't you x?

A: You're an idiot and need to wear a diaper so you don't make a mistake.

Re:Indenting code

[Tumbleweed]

I do not understand why people keep bringing up this argument

Crappy & lazy programmers are the ones who bring up this argument. We've all had to rewrite the kind of code these people produce, right? When these people create HTML, they they things like use table-based layout and don't bother to close their bold tags at the end of cells, because "well, it works in IE, so why bother?"

Just ignore them.

Re:I like Python

[19thNervousBreakdown]

Yes, I should definitely cure my OCD by adamantly sticking to exactly one editor all the time. That's a good one.

Also, thank you, thank you, thank you, for diagnosing my terrible affliction over Slashdot posts. You've changed my life already. Most trained psychologists, couldn't do that. You must be a genius.

Re:I like Python

[Sj0]

Besides, aren't you being a little OCD in getting antsy in the pantsy over my preferences?

Listen. Your first and last paragraphs were only one line, which is fine.

But your second paragraph had FIVE lines while your third and fourth had FOUR.

You're a real asshole, you know that? Quit being an indecisive prick and chose one. THREE lines or FOUR.