roelof@idca.tds.PHILIPS.nl (R. Vuurboom) (05/10/89)
I'ld appreciate a little help on this one. My organization (me really but I've got managements backing) is interested in the possibility of gradually introducing C++ into the organization (in the region of 200 software developers). I'm no C++ expert but as the Dutch saying goes "In the land of the blind, One Eye is King". Anyway my idea was to develop a standard Unix device driver in C++ and attempt to link it in to our kernel. The idea being to see what sort of difficulties we encountered along the way. What I wanted to do first was develop the driver using the Zortech compiler (I'm impressed, Walter) and then when we had settled on some usable code continue with either Cfront or glockenspiel or some other translator in order to be able to generate our kernel. The idea of using first the compiler and then a translator is to compare the relative ease of use. Now I'm sure this experiment has been done a number of times before. So these are my questions: 1. Is the proposal I'm suggesting a good way to evaluate how well C++ can be integrated into an existing C environment? Comments, alternatives? 2. Does it make sense to first use the Zortech and then a translator?. Are there C++ compilers running under Unix?. Are there other compilers running under MS-DOS? 3. Which translator should I use and where can I get them? 4. Has anybody else already done this and has a C++ driver waiting to be "borrowed"? 5. Has anybody done something similar but then to a different part of an OS? I'm assuming I should have no (little) trouble linking in code generated from C++, is this really true? Questions of a more fundamental nature: 6. What are the opinions as to the timeliness of this step, viz. will C++ really break through within the next 2 years? 7. When (if?) does ATT plan on switching over to C++ for its OS? (I'ld love to know the answer to this one). Please e-mail me your replies unless you think your words are of global importance (don't we all?). I'll summarize to the net in a week or so. Thanks in advance Disclaimer: Opinions are my own, for my employers you pay extra.