

Real men program in C (C is still very alive, especially in embedded) - benhoyt
http://www.embedded.com/columns/barrcode/218600142

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roedog88
The article talks about how many embedded projects use C and the need for new
developers. I have two thoughts about why embedded developers choose C.

One reason for this choice that I've observed is the very conservative mindset
in those developing safety critical software. I think this is understandable
given potentially fatal consequences for errors. The approach to safety is
somewhat brute-force, write the code to strict guidelines, then test, test,
and test. Changing a language or compiler would require extensive re-testing,
introduce unknown risks, and the development of new guidelines.

The other big driver for embedded software is unit cost. The logic goes this
way. Saving a dollar on a part used in 2 million unit saves $2M in costs. A
cheaper part is selected if the part cost savings is less than the extra
engineering costs needed to squeeze the functions into a smaller memory and
slower chip. C, and C++ can be quite lean, while perhaps taking longer to
develop than another language.

