When I started learning C#, a few hard-core developers gave me a hard time for not starting with C or Assembly instead. My arguments for C# were rooted in the desire to write new Windows applications. Their counter-arguments were rooted in performance concerns.
Yes, an application written in C can be faster than one written in a higher-level language like C#. But there’s one incredible significant trade-off you make when you use a lower-level language: ease-of-installation.
End-Users
The first program I ever wrote was in Microsoft QBasic.[ref]QBasic was a freeware version of QuickBasic, which came pre-installed on many systems. The primary difference between the two: QuickBasic could compile executables. QBasic could not.[/ref] My aunt had asked me to write her a simple Rolodex program so she could keep track of an ever-growing list of email contacts. I wrote a program that read and displayed data from a text file, recording changes and new entries back to the same file.
I shipped it to her on a floppy disk. There was a [cci].bas[/cci] source file, the QBasic runtime, and a [cci].bat[/cci] file that ran the source via the runtime. She couldn’t figure it out. Three files to run one application violated the concept of “simple” and she kept using a legal pad next to the computer instead.
Whenever I work with server software today, I feel the same way. Installing a program is often as easy as running [cci]apt-get install ____[/cci]. Sometimes, though, the version of the program I need isn’t available through a stock repository. I instead have to download the source and compile it so the new program matches the architecture I’m using.
I can often use the same software on Windows, too, but I first have to download the source and re-compile it for Windows. It works, but isn’t a very intuitive or user-friendly process.
I write programs that aim to help non-technical users interact with technology without needing to learn the inner workings of a computer to do so. WordPress lets anyone run a website or publish content without forcing them to learn hosting, networking, database infrastructure, or PHP. It’s a beautiful thing.
Cross-Platform Utilization
When Apple first announced iOS, I was ecstatic. The early reports called it a “scaled down version of OSX” that targeted mobile devices. The promise of the platform was essentially one operating system that ran on separate devices.
For a developer, this means you can write code once to target an operating system, and so long as it uses that OS’ exposed APIs, it will run on any compatible system. In a world of desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones, the “write once, run anywhere” idea appeared to be the holy grail of development.
Imagine my disappointment when iOS turned out to not be this holy grail.
Imagine my disappointment when Microsoft introduced Windows RT as its version of Windows specific for tablets.[ref]Win RT was functionally equivalent to regular Windows, but apps only had one-way compatibility. RT applications could run on regular Windows (using the Metro interface) but not the other way around.[/ref]
Imagine my excitement, though, with the announcements surrounding Windows 10 (due out in early 2015). One operating system that runs on all classes of devices. The app you build for your phone can run on your desktop. The program you write for task management on a laptop can run on the phone. It’s the first real cross-platform system we’ve seen.
And it promises to be amazing.
I might need to start brushing up on my C# to get ready for this beautiful future.