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From: Martin Gregorie <martin@address-in-sig.invalid>
Newsgroups: comp.lang.java.programmer
Subject: Re: What's the best non-JVM native language to look at?
Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2014 20:39:40 +0000 (UTC)
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On Thu, 16 Jan 2014 13:05:31 +0000, lipska the kat wrote:

> I can't think of a language that isn't ultimately implemented in C.
> If you think about it, any language *other* than C is simply a high(er)
> level interface to C (ignoring assembler of course). Even C compilers
> are written in C (go figure :-)
>
I agree with Lipska. As ultimately all languages using curly brackets are 
derived from C, its a good idea to know it.

As for C learning tools: 

- If you haven't already, get a copy of "The C Programing Language" by
  Kernighan and Richie. Get e3dition 2 or later because these describe
  ANSI C rather than the earlier K&R language version. 

  IMO this is one of the best language teaching books that I've seen and
  its a useful reference after that.

- Use the GNU C compiler and make for compilation and learn to use make
  as soon as you start to write C programs to include more than single
  source and header files. 
  
  This is the standard compiler for Linux and is also available for
  Windows, either as the stand-alone djgpp compilation system or as part 
  of the mingw or cygwin packages.

- The GNU compiler compiles both ANSI C and C++. Not that I advocate
  using C++. As you said, its quite complex and in any case I seen more 
  so-called C++ which is really just ANSI C with C++ comments (using the
  // delimiter than I've seen with actual objects etc.

- As lipska says, forget IDEs - use your favourite editor and run 'make'
  from the command line or from the editor if it offers that facility.
  The only reason to change editors is if your usual one insists on 8
  character tabs: the usual C standard is to use 3 or 4 character tabs.

- If you're writing C for Linux or another of the Unices, you may also
  want a copy of "UNIX System Programming for System VR4" from O'Reilly.
  I've had my copy since the late '90s and its still a very relevant
  reference in my library. 

> That's what I did (do) and I wouldn't change a thing given my time
> again.
>
Same here.


-- 
martin@   | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
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