Messages in this thread | | | From | "Anthony Barbachan" <> | Subject | Re: C++ in kernel (was Re: exception in a device driver) | Date | Sat, 16 Jan 1999 22:28:51 -0500 |
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-----Original Message----- From: Richard B. Johnson <root@chaos.analogic.com> To: Khimenko Victor <khim@sch57.msk.ru> Cc: chip@perlsupport.com <chip@perlsupport.com>; barbacha@Hinako.AMBusiness.com <barbacha@Hinako.AMBusiness.com>; alan@lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk <alan@lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk>; ncm@cantrip.org <ncm@cantrip.org>; linux-kernel@vger.rutgers.edu <linux-kernel@vger.rutgers.edu> Date: Saturday, January 16, 1999 7:24 PM Subject: Re: C++ in kernel (was Re: exception in a device driver)
> >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. >
What wrapper is required??? I've got an old DOS mouse driver written in C++ and it speaks directly to the hardware.
>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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