I think the mistake people make when trying to teach this stuff is in generalizing too much.
His input layer is good because it helped him emulate local multiplayer with keyboard and mouse. It solved _his problem_.
The graphics layer is good because it is so much easier to work with than OpenGL _for him_.
The library wrappers are good for him because they solve _his desire_ to run portably while maintaining the smallest possible interface.
This stuff matters to Eskil because he’s:
- just one person
- has deep expertise in what he’s wrapping (win32, OpenGL)
- wants to make an impressive program solo
I think his expertise, historical perspective, and culture make it feel as if this is the only way to do this very hard task, so he wants to share it. It helps him believe his way is right that many great, and reliable projects are done in C89.
I think the truth at this point is that folks still using old versions of C have, on average, more experience than everyone else. It’s not just the language that’s making them strong, either. It’s having evolved with the platforms.
Now the only question that leaves is whether it makes a huge difference to really stick with one language over the decades. I know we’ve all heard both sides of that quandary.
His input layer is good because it helped him emulate local multiplayer with keyboard and mouse. It solved _his problem_.
The graphics layer is good because it is so much easier to work with than OpenGL _for him_.
The library wrappers are good for him because they solve _his desire_ to run portably while maintaining the smallest possible interface.
This stuff matters to Eskil because he’s: - just one person - has deep expertise in what he’s wrapping (win32, OpenGL) - wants to make an impressive program solo
I think his expertise, historical perspective, and culture make it feel as if this is the only way to do this very hard task, so he wants to share it. It helps him believe his way is right that many great, and reliable projects are done in C89.
I think the truth at this point is that folks still using old versions of C have, on average, more experience than everyone else. It’s not just the language that’s making them strong, either. It’s having evolved with the platforms.
Now the only question that leaves is whether it makes a huge difference to really stick with one language over the decades. I know we’ve all heard both sides of that quandary.