I'll add some answers as of why it's powerful:

1) It's a middle-level language, meaning it has the best of high-level languages with the control and flexibility of assembly language. New languages are judge with C++. Most algorithms & examples (even DirectX) will be written in C++ code.

2) It is portable, but not in a platform sense as Java. This just means that assembly language is not portable from machine to machine, but using C/C++ as a layer above makes programming in it portable.

3) It has been used for numerous things, such as operating systems, interpreters, file utilities, device drivers, performance enhancers, etc.

4) It's a general language, meaning it's not tied to a commercial company such as Sun or Microsoft. If anyone owns it, I'd have to say ANSI/ISO.

5) For GUI development, there are third-party Windows APIs that are similar to C#'s syntax which indeed do the same work: access the Win32 API. Several companies use these for their GUI work. Visual Studio 2005 also has the C++/CLI which is full C++ with a C# syntax feel. It also has a full WYSIWYG editor!

SmartWin++: http://smartwin.sourceforge.net/
Gtkmm: http://gtkmm.sourceforge.net/
V GUI C++: http://www.objectcentral.com/
Qt: http://www.trolltech.com/

Why I use it more and more these days is because it can build operating systems to the most complex 3d games to date. I don't think any other language can claim this.

[Edited by - nullsmind on May 9, 2006 3:48:23 PM]

Quote:Original post by nullsmind
1) It's a middle-level language, meaning it has the best of high-level languages with the control and flexibility of assembly language. New languages are judge with C++. Most algorithms & examples (even DirectX) will be written in C++ code.

So, basically, because "everyone's using it," it's great?

Quote:2) It is portable, but not in a platform sense as Java. This just means that assembly language is not portable from machine to machine, but using C/C++ as a layer above makes programming in it portable.

Actually, contemporary C++ isn't very portable at all. Once you move beyond simple console I/O, you need complicated abstraction libraries to make the differences in platforms transparent to your code, and sometimes those differences are so ingrained that the library exhibits different behaviors on different platforms.

Quote:3) It has been used for numerous things, such as operating systems, interpreters, file utilities, device drivers, performance enhancers, etc.

So has damn near every other language on earth.

Quote:4) It's a general language, meaning it's not tied to a commercial company such as Sun or Microsoft. If anyone owns it, I'd have to say ANSI/ISO.

JavaScript is simply Netscape's branded version of ECMAScript (ActionScript is Macromedia's, LiveScript is Adobe's). C# is both an ISO and ECMA standard. The list goes on.



The vast majority of people stating "strengths" of C++ in this thread seem to be under-informed. Grain of salt, yadda yadda.

Oluseyi, I'm suprised you're still here after all these years, and that you still have time to chat with us beginners! Half the time I see you quoting noobs and attack them. Maybe you should open a new board section called Rants. You'd fit perfect there :) Please get a life outside of this sometime. The real world may benefit from your knowledge, but not your social side. Maybe that's why you have time here.

Quote:Original post by Oberon_Command

Quote:Original post by Spoonbender
If you really disagree with me, then show me a program in C++ that couldn't have been made using C#.

An operating system? You would need a C# compiler that compiles to native binary, and to the best of my knowledge there aren't any...

Well, Microsoft is supposedly writing an operating system in C# as a research project called singularity so it is possible http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singularity_(operating_system).

Anyway to the OP: Don't restrict yourself to just C++ just because "everyone uses it". Try out different languages too, or even a completely different type of language like a functional language. It can only be beneficial to you the more languages you know and once you know one language, it's pretty simple to learn other languages. Since you're just starting out, I suggest you stick with one language at the beginning but to focus more on algorithms and general programming practices. These are the more important skills rather than knowing a programming language. Knowing a scripting language also helps because the trend in game programming is to only program the engine in C++ and use a scripting language to handle AI, actions etc.

I agree with him partially but his response reminds me of an unsocial brat. I'm not suprised his sad life is wasted here on a daily basis. Anyway, I'm thankful that I don't have to deal with it any longer due to a new focus that's more realistic in the real world. I'm sorry that the rest of you have to deal with Oluseyi.

Quote:Original post by nullsmind
Oluseyi, I'm suprised you're still here after all these years, and that you still have time to chat with us beginners! Half the time I see you quoting noobs and attack them. Maybe you should open a new board section called Rants. You'd fit perfect there :) Please get a life outside of this sometime. The real world may benefit from your knowledge, but not your social side. Maybe that's why you have time here.

I didn't see him attacking anyone... could you point out an example, please?

Maybe when I get my own OS working, I'll write a C# compiler for it so I can learn how to write C-like language compilers.