Should I convert to C?

[spenser aden]

[This is a cross-posting from comp.lang.misc ... I forgot to cross-post to]
[the newsgroup of origin.     -Spenser                                    ]

In article <158 at lakart.UUCP>, dg at lakart.UUCP (David Goodenough) writes:
> From article <10800 at agate.BERKELEY.EDU>, by arnold2 at violet.berkeley.edu (mchawi):
> > Summary:
> > C RULES (shortened)
> > PASCAL = BABY FOOD   FORTH = HIEROGLYPHICS   LISP = PERVERSION   COBOL IS DEAD
> > FORTRAN = OBSOLETE   PL/1 IS DEAD    BASIC IS FOR STUPID PEOPLE 
> 
> I rarely flame, but this I think needs a flame. Let it be noted that
> EVERY language ever invented was designed to fulfill a need. 

> [text deleted defending many of the above mentioned languages]

> PL/1 I
> will not comment on as I know nothing about it. 

I use the PL/M programming language exclusively here in my job to develop
real-time applications, and must say that it is quite useful as such.  PL/M
is a subset of PL/1, and while not nearly as versatile as PL/1, it is extremely
handy and easily learned/managed.  It may not have the system interfaces that
C does, and I can't manipulate the system as easily, but IT DOES IT'S JOB
EFFICIENTLY.  And that is the point anyway, isn't it?  

I have also been exposed, in a much more limited way though, to the full PL/1
language, and will vouch for it's immense ability once it has been mastered.
It does take a little work to learn though (it did for me at least ... it 
might not for another :-).  And I have seen PL/1 used for real-time apps also,
so let it be known that it is not dead!  In fact, about a year ago I read an
article about PL/1 in a magazine like _BYTE_ or _PC_ (I regret that I can't 
remember what mag), and it discussed the pluses of PL/1 and the fact that it
seems to have been re-discovered as a very powerful language.  

Anyway, I agree with David wholeheartedly ... every language had and has it's
purpose, and while others may do the same things, as long as it does it
efficiently and is easy enough to manipulate, I think it should be respected
for it's purpose!

-- 
===========================================================================
S. Spenser Aden                          ..!uunet!nuchat!sugar!ficc!spenser  
Any opinions expressed above, unless explicitly denoted, are mine alone and 
do not reflect those of my employer.  My wife won't claim them either ...