6 replies to this topic

[Siten0308]

Hello everyone,

I have been looking at the differences so far and they are very close in similar. However one of my friends who is a developer told me to stick with C# due to the fact it is easier to program in one OS rather than several. Also he told me java is a memory hog. is that true? I also was reading that C# is really c++ and java put together including adding additional features, right?

[WingedPanther]

C++ is the parent of Java and C#, with C# borrowing ideas heavily from Java. Java provides functionality so that you generally don't have to worry about differences between OS's, so your friend's argument doesn't mean much to me. Java does have the overhead of the JVM, but C# has the .NET library, so it ends up being something of a wash. Mono provides cross-platform support for C#, but I'm not sure how feature complete it is. In the end, it doesn't make a lot of difference which one you pick, as you will be able to pick up other languages with increasing ease. A programmer that only knows one language is VERY limited.

[Siten0308]

Cool thanks for the info wing,

I have one last question, is C# good for writing game development? if so, why is so many gaming companies look for C++? how about java, is it good for gaming programming?

[WingedPanther]

Most game development companies want code that is as efficient as possible (inefficient code = lower framerates). For that, C or C++ is the way to go. High-end games need low overhead. Also, C# requires .NET, which is a huge library to force someone to install for a simple game. For more basic games, both C# and Java work, but you won't see somebody asking $50 for one of those in Target.

[MeTh0Dz]

WingedPanther a programmer who only knows one language is VERY limited?

So hypothetically, I'm a C++ (change in C) guru, but it's the only language I know. How exactly am I limited?

[Xav]

You could try the XNA Framework for C#.

[WingedPanther]

MeTh0Dz|Reb0rn said:

WingedPanther a programmer who only knows one language is VERY limited?

So hypothetically, I'm a C++ (change in C) guru, but it's the only language I know. How exactly am I limited?

Simple: there are a lot of jobs out there that REQUIRE Java, or C#, or PHP, or [insert language other than C/C++/Assembly]. If you know C++, you can pick up any of those languages easily enough, but you are still locked out.

Also, while I love C++, there are times when it is not the best tool for the job. If you know several languages, you can use the best tool (sometimes sed/awk, sometimes perl, etc). If you only have one language you know, you are forced to decide between the learning curve on a new language or doing a poorer job with the language you know.