is learning C still important now a days?
By arcenal
@arcenal (171)
Philippines
August 19, 2008 7:33am CST
on my previous discussions, many are telling me that C isn't important now a days.
Those higher level languages are more important and those languages should be taught at school. Some also say that it is not necessary to learn C. do you agree with these? Personally,as a computer science student, i don't agree with what the other people say about C. C is the foundation of JAVA,etc and if you'll be able to master C those higher languages can be easily learned. What about you? What do you think?
5 people like this
21 responses
@vipulchawla (2220)
• India
20 Aug 08
To tell you about me, I am a Software Engineer. But i dont belong to computer science background, neither i had computers during my school time as a subject.
I graduated in Electronics and Communication engg, but landed up in an IT firm as an employee. I did my training in Mainframes, learnin COBOL, so you can imagine that such an old language is still being used.
I came across C during the first year of my college. though i didnt pay attention learning it that time, but i did self study during my holidays and become more efficient in C programming during my training in job. C, i don't thin is being used much these days, but it serves as the foundation for learning of other languages. Once, you become well versed with C, it becomes easy for u to learn C++, Java,C# and .Net. I only have an idea about these languages. Because, i did my training learning COBOL and now in job, i dont even use it. I am in Testing Department. So personally, i feel there is no use of teaching or infact learning such languages. Its all dependednt on ur job requirement.In my 1 yr of job, i have been more of a trainer than a developer actually
@vipulchawla (2220)
• India
20 Aug 08
Okay if you ask me with respect to the entrance criteria, then i must say yes,C is important. They look for the logical thinking of the person with respect to programming. So, you would always be at an advantage while giving an interview if you know C and C++. Infact, they become the necessary criteria but not the sufficient criteria.
@manojjonam10 (350)
• India
19 Aug 08
C is an very important programming language, it is a base for studying higher level language, if u know C everything is easy, thats the reason C is called as middle level language
@apples99 (6556)
• United States
20 Aug 08
Yup, learning the computer is very important these days because everything is becoming more and more computerised and there really grate for educational purposes they can really help you learn a lot.
@Boatter (37)
• China
20 Aug 08
I think it's still important today, not because the language itself but its classic representation of all kinds of computer languages.
Some people may think it's not improtant as before. It's reasnable, because there're more computer languages than before, we have more choice to start our computer language learning, such as perl. But after we understand C, perl is almost easy for us, vice versa.
@amey_dev143 (483)
• India
20 Aug 08
Learning C is very important,but not at school level.At school level,other subjects keeps the students occupied.C is a technical subject which plays an important role in college.So after completing school,one can join tutions for C.But afetr completing school.
But yes,learning C is very important.
@PRIYANK1992 (1677)
• India
20 Aug 08
Yeah If you can Know everything about C language.Then you can easily learn other languages.
@fwangaa (3057)
• China
20 Aug 08
yes,i must study java,but i don't quite understand C,and i have studied c for several years,i nearly forgot it,and not one can help me to study java.i found it very difficult to study java.and i don't understand it even one page of the book.so i must study java ,and i don't want study c, because i don't want to waste time.and i want to have a find a job about java.
@TantrooM (61)
• United States
20 Aug 08
Even if Java is based off of C they are different. What was C based off of? What was that language based off of. You go further back up the chain until you reach machine code, which isn't easy at all, and would be as much fun as a root canal. The farthest back we ever went in our courses was assembly. It is not necessarily correct that it is easier to understand the decedent of X. Machine code to assembly is a bit of a jump, as is these 2nd level languages to a 3rd level one.
Of course in this case understanding C will make it easier to learn Java, because Java was my first language and that made it easier to understand C. The relation is close enough where the converse of the C to Java learning direction is true. In other words, knowing Java will help you learn C easier as well.
There are flaws with thinking that either way will make it a land slide though. They are not identical. For example C is iterative while Java is Object Oriented. C, however can have structs and unions which is somewhat similar, but you would go about them in very different ways. If you do know C's OO decendent C++, even then you could have trouble because C++ allows you to declare a function where there are (seemingly) infinite number of arguments. Java you are stuck with making it finite. So if one were to make a program that adds a bunch of numbers you could have two very different looking things.
Though, in the end, it's sort of like Enzo from Reboot whining about them being dinosaurs, it is useful and still relevant, but requires extra effort to learn about. I still see jobs in my search that say they need a C programmer (though more often C++,C#), so there is still a use. More so then some of the languages they had me dabble in my classes, like ML...
@arcenal (171)
• Philippines
21 Aug 08
Yeah, assembly language is really hard. I'm really finding a hard time learning the subject. I am really amazed by assembly because you would be able to manipulate the memory directly and I find it so enjoyable but really very hard. On the other hand, what is the most in demand programming language among IT companies? Because I think that's what matters most.
@clickicy (571)
• Indonesia
19 Aug 08
Well,
Academic point of view: C is simple and easy to learn because it is a structural language. Therefore it is used as a example a lot in Algorithm.
Business point of view: I don't care how you implement this business application. Pick any language that you think capable to bring efficient, effective, and robust to make my business goes well. Don't you fail or I fired you! This is how i make business (and here we are entering feasibility analysis process). etc. etc.
Well C is good a starting point to any higher level language. I says C is english in our ordinary world. Learn it well. C is like Basic in my old days.
@nicebelle (27)
• Philippines
28 Aug 08
C.is the basic and the foundation of all the languages we have nowadays..
@razor123 (979)
• India
27 Aug 08
You are right arcenal. C and C++ are the basis for languages like JAVA and .NET too. If your familiar with C and C++ the studying JAVA and other higher level languages become much more easier.
However in the IT industry these days no one uses C and C++. All companies want JAVA, .NET, SAP etc such languages. But one cannot write paragraphs if they don't know the letter A to Z. The analogy is the same in this case.
@arcenal (171)
• Philippines
28 Aug 08
Wow, thank you for your comment. Yeah, I agree with you, now a days, the IT companies are not using C anymore and what they want are JAVA programmers. It is a problem for me because I barely know C and in our school,the focus is on C. I guess I'll just do self study for JAVA. Besides, I already mastered C so it's easy for me to learn JAVA. What are the differences among C and JAVA?
@ashar123 (2357)
• India
27 Aug 08
When your base foundation is not strong then how can a big, high and heavy building stand erect on it. C language is the foundation computer language. Many concepts in it like pointers, classes play important role in understanding JAVA and other high level computer languages. I don't know why people ignore such important languages.
@vicky30 (4766)
• India
20 Aug 08
Yes i too think the same.C is the basic to learn before java.Once you are familiar with all the concepts in C there will not be much headache in learning java.Also c works in dos making less use of processor and memory.
@gelsey (18)
• Philippines
20 Aug 08
Yeah!!C is very important because it is widely used on a great many different software platforms and computer architectures, and several popular exist. C has greatly influenced many popular programming languages, most notably C++, which originally began as an extension to C.
@FlyingHat (8)
• United States
20 Aug 08
As everyone else says, learning C is important to learning other "higher level" languages. If you try coding in C++ with no knowledge of C, you're going to have a nice meaty chunk of trouble headed your way. That is all.
@suri008 (118)
• India
25 Aug 08
hi
if you learning on high level languages must be know some basic concepts and basic language lagic. Java is high level language ( high level language means benefits,concepts, other usefull concepts and algorithms from the low level language used )learning c is concepts must be know.without knowing on c concepts donot know the java.if you know that java in JVM developed in c language.This is my opnion