Quote:
Originally Posted by
gandolf989
Whatever you do, don't dream to be a pro C programmer. IMHO, I think it is just around for backwards compatibility.
C is certainly not always the right tool for the job, but C is the language which
creates the right tool for the job.
C is the language to write languages and libraries in. AWK, Perl, Python, PHP, Apache, most SQL implementations, tar, zip, gzip, bzip, lzop, Windows, X11, BASH, KSH, CSH, ZSH, Linux, OSX, Java, Firefox, and beyond -- all C or C++. Libraries and extensions and drivers for all of the above -- generally C/C++ too.
This is because C is fairly unique: A high/low level language so low-level it almost describes basic CPU operations, and compiles to CPU bytecode,
and depends on nothing. Lots of languages have one or two of these properties, almost none have all four. C libraries can export to nearly any language, which makes them a good common denominator as well.
In short, C is a living, current language, used for almost everything you do with your computer, and not obsolete by any means. It probably won't be for quite a long time yet.