5 ms·

I wonder why the developer picked the D language?

deaddodo 3y ago
I wonder why that's something worth wondering about. Maybe they like it? It's a perfectly reasonable systems language, even if it's not my personal favorite. It might be something questionable if they used Fortran or Algol-68, sure.
- Philpax 3y ago
  I think it's a fair question to ask; what particular qualities of D drew them off the beaten path for this kind of task? Now, I know the answer as a former D acolyte - it's an interesting language with powerful abstractions, albeit hobbled in some ways - but most people don't, so I think it a reasonable question to ask.
  - deaddodo 3y ago
    I guess the way I read it was my like "why would you choose D when Rust and Zig exist"...but you're right, it could have been a perfectly curious question.
- pjmlp 3y ago
  Fortran and Algol 68 were used to write operating systems before C was invented, hardly questionable.
  - deaddodo 3y ago
    Starting a new OS in those languages today would be heavily questionable.
    - pjmlp 3y ago
      Same applies to C, 10 years younger than them, less capable in language security, in an highly connected world, yet people keep doing it.
      - deleted 3y ago
        [deleted]
      - deaddodo 3y ago
        You're really pettyfogging simply to be contrarian. C is a language with a large and active community, and is still the most common/popular language in its fields. Algol-68 and Fortran are not. It has nothing to do with age of the language and everything to do with modern-day usefilledness. The fact that you're unable to distinguish the difference means you're being purposefully obtuse and annoying or are simply naive.
        pjmlp 3y ago
        A usefulness out of historical accidents and sunken cost.
        deaddodo 3y ago
        Which has absolutely nothing to do with the original point.
        pjmlp 3y ago
        It definitely has everything to do with sensible decisions.
        deaddodo 3y ago
        Ok.
        nequo 3y ago
        > The fact that you're unable to distinguish the difference means you're being purposefully obtuse and annoying or are simply naive. This part is really unnecessary. Parent is most likely not "unable to distinguish" and name calling poisons the air and cheapens your other point which I think is good.
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
generichuman 3y ago
Author's talk at dconf (from today, actually) may be of interest: https://www.youtube.com/live/wXTlafzlJVY?feature=shared&t=24308 https://www.youtube.com/live/wXTlafzlJVY?feature=shared&t=24... (Timestamp is 6:45:08)
lockhouse 3y ago
The author elaborates more in this blog post… https://zyedidia.github.io/blog/posts/1-d-baremetal/ https://zyedidia.github.io/blog/posts/1-d-baremetal/
lionkor 3y ago
Cant speak for the author, but I would pick D for anything where C++ is appropriate, but I want to have less hassle (and dont need any dependencies). D is very, very fun.

I wonder why that's something worth wondering about. Maybe they like it? It's a perfectly reasonable systems language, even if it's not my personal favorite. It might be something questionable if they used Fortran or Algol-68, sure.

Philpax 3y ago
I think it's a fair question to ask; what particular qualities of D drew them off the beaten path for this kind of task? Now, I know the answer as a former D acolyte - it's an interesting language with powerful abstractions, albeit hobbled in some ways - but most people don't, so I think it a reasonable question to ask.
- deaddodo 3y ago
  I guess the way I read it was my like "why would you choose D when Rust and Zig exist"...but you're right, it could have been a perfectly curious question.
pjmlp 3y ago
Fortran and Algol 68 were used to write operating systems before C was invented, hardly questionable.
- deaddodo 3y ago
  Starting a new OS in those languages today would be heavily questionable.
  - pjmlp 3y ago
    Same applies to C, 10 years younger than them, less capable in language security, in an highly connected world, yet people keep doing it.
    - deleted 3y ago
      [deleted]
    - deaddodo 3y ago
      You're really pettyfogging simply to be contrarian. C is a language with a large and active community, and is still the most common/popular language in its fields. Algol-68 and Fortran are not. It has nothing to do with age of the language and everything to do with modern-day usefilledness. The fact that you're unable to distinguish the difference means you're being purposefully obtuse and annoying or are simply naive.
      - pjmlp 3y ago
        A usefulness out of historical accidents and sunken cost.
        deaddodo 3y ago
        Which has absolutely nothing to do with the original point.
        pjmlp 3y ago
        It definitely has everything to do with sensible decisions.
        deaddodo 3y ago
        Ok.
      - nequo 3y ago
        > The fact that you're unable to distinguish the difference means you're being purposefully obtuse and annoying or are simply naive. This part is really unnecessary. Parent is most likely not "unable to distinguish" and name calling poisons the air and cheapens your other point which I think is good.

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

generichuman 3y ago

Author's talk at dconf (from today, actually) may be of interest: https://www.youtube.com/live/wXTlafzlJVY?feature=shared&t=24308 https://www.youtube.com/live/wXTlafzlJVY?feature=shared&t=24... (Timestamp is 6:45:08)

lockhouse 3y ago

The author elaborates more in this blog post… https://zyedidia.github.io/blog/posts/1-d-baremetal/ https://zyedidia.github.io/blog/posts/1-d-baremetal/

lionkor 3y ago

Cant speak for the author, but I would pick D for anything where C++ is appropriate, but I want to have less hassle (and dont need any dependencies). D is very, very fun.