Messages in this thread | | | Date | Sat, 16 Jan 1999 19:04:27 -0500 (EST) | From | "Richard B. Johnson" <> | Subject | Re: C++ in kernel (was Re: exception in a device driver) |
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Just an idea. If someone can make a simple C++ module (like the loop device) that can be inserted or removed from a running kernel, they have demonstrated that C++ can, indeed, be useful in the kernel. I think the only usefulness of C++ in the kernel would be for new things, new file-systems, etc. Certainly one would not rewrite anything that already worked. Or would they?
Or is this what this is all about? If so, look very closely. The kernel can't even be rewritten in 'C'. It is a mixture of assembly language and GNU 'C' language extensions. Even the 'C' language doesn't provide all the functionality you require. We need to use additional tools to make a kernel. Fortunately GNU provides most of these tools as part of `gcc`. However, the result is not 'C'. It is a complete tool-box of 'C' and extensions necessary to communicate directly with hardware.
C++ gets you even further from hardware. To make C++ work would require a wrapper around everything that talks to hardware. This wrapper can't be written in C++. It would therefore require........guess.
As I have cautioned before. C++ is just another tool. It is useful to know how to use a lot of tools. One is not necessarily better than another. When someone invents a replacement for a hammer, I will not tear down my house and rebuild it with the new tool. Instead, I might use it for repair or building an addition.
Cheers, Dick Johnson ***** FILE SYSTEM WAS MODIFIED ***** Penguin : Linux version 2.1.131 on an i686 machine (400.59 BogoMips). Warning : It's hard to remain at the trailing edge of technology. Wisdom : It's not a Y2K problem. It's a Y2Day problem.
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