dmd platform support - poll

[Yigal Chripun]

John Reimer Wrote:

> Hello Tim,
> 
> > Yigal Chripun Wrote:
> > 
> >> personally I don't see a point in JVM/.NET - One of the best things
> >> about D is that you get the ease of use of Ruby/python/etc with the
> >> benefits of native compiling like in c/c++. Why throw that away and
> >> make yet another version of Java/C# ?
> >> 
> > Supporting .net would give you access to the most modern and probably
> > best-currently-supported Windows API. It would, if you counted Mono,
> > add a very nice cross-platform UI framework. Finally, depending on
> > what version was supported, it might enable you to write Silverlight
> > apps in D, permitting flash-like apps that run cross-functionally in a
> > web browser.
> > 
> > TK
> > 
> 
> 
> Agreed.
> 
> Concerning .NET and D technology, I say go for it... especially if someone 
> has the initiative to keep such a port going (afterall, such initiative is 
> really the most important virtue for any hope of success).  For myself, I'm 
> kind of learning not to "restrain" D with my personal biases.  Sometimes 
> we just can't predict what kind of benefits might be in store for the language, 
> the platform, or other people; such expiditionary moves might not be successful 
> in themselves, but they could be the critical factor that brings D to the 
> limelight in some future endeavor.
> 
> D may be successful in areas we don't necessarily predict or prefer, and 
> .NET is just one of several interesting possibilities to explore.  Therefore, 
> I don't think we should get too tunnel-visioned about "D is better because 
> it's a compiled language".  It may be important to keep the vision a little 
> more open to other technologies (like VM's and such) especially as optimizations 
> improve in these areas.  Otherwise, D will be at risk of loosing it's general 
> purpose nature... and being permanently fixated as a niche language.  Porting 
> to .NET, therefore, becomes a clever way of "proving" D's viability on other 
> technology platfroms.
> 
> I haven't used C#, but I can bet that D could offer a very competitive and 
> comfortable programming environment such that it would be a welcome alternative 
> even in the .NET world.  Microsoft may even come to see the benefits, since 
> D might attract an even more diverse audience to the platform, people who 
> would have otherwise avoided it.  You never know. ;)
> 
> That'd probably be all it would take for me to start experimenting with .NET 
> and Mono.
> 
> -JJR
> 
> 
> 

You make a valid point. Attracting new developers to D by supporting more platforms is a worthy long-term goal for the D language.

however, I have a 64 bit PC and since Walter is only one person with limited time, I'd personally want that Walter spend his time in the short term on adding support for 64 bit, not working on a .net port. I can live with C# on .net for now and as I said before it's close enough to a D.net.
On the native compiled front I really wouldn't want to go back to C++ after using D.  
so answering Walter's original question:
for me .net port is VERY low priority compared to 64 bit support which is  a HIGH priority.