WI: No C programming language

[Johannes Parisiensis]

In 1972, Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie developped the low-level C language from the B and the BCPL languages.

This language was used to write the kernel of Unix and inspired several other languages such as C++, Java and Python among others.

How would be the computing world if the C language hadn't be developped?

 

[scrlk]

Arguably something that would have been similar to C would have ended up being developed anyway.

Moving from assembly to a higher level language was already taking place (think COBOL/FORTAN), and something was needed for fit the purpose of systems development.

C was developed to enhance Unix portability from the PDP-11; again, if C was not developed then we could see Unix ported from the PDP-11 in a different language. (although it is interesting to see that Multics and MCP came before Unix, written in PL/I and ALGOL respectively)

A Unix free world would be an interesting one to say the least as the concepts developed has had a major impact on computing as we know it today; for example, the idea of the 'Unix philosophy' - small programs that do a few functions well that can be linked together. The systemd controversy in the Linux community at the moment stems from arguments surrounding this.

For all intents and purposes, I'd imagine that OS development for most applications (e.g. PCs/home computing) would still be assembly based even if C was not developed. Compiler technology simply wasn't up to scratch, plus you had very limited resources to work with.

One thing for sure - Dave Cutler of Windows NT fame would be a happier man!

 

[Dathi THorfinnsson]

The thing about C is that it's NOT a high level language like Cobol or Algol, say. It's, in some ways, a glorified, portable assembly language. OK, that's a bit of an exaggeration. It did serve, however, to fill a place halfway inbetween.

I dont know what would have happened without it. My guess is something like it might happen - or rather some things like it. Instead of having a single language that's wildly popular, you might get 5 or so. Bell Labs has one, IBM another, CDC a third, etc.

Query: any chance Knuth's MIX instructional language from his seminal computer books 'the art of programming' gets used?

 

[Johannes Parisiensis]

1. How would be impacted the future languages (syntax, orientation)?
2. Will the absence of an easily portable language be a detriment to the developpement of programming?

 

[Kalvan]

Without C, the Modula series (successors to Pascal), Ada, and probably Smalltalk/HyperCARD get more time in the limelight.