System level software in C# ?

[MrAsm]

Hi,

Is it possible to write system level software in C#?

(Of course, I'm not thinking about HAL.)
But would be C# OK to write an OS kernel?
....Or a web browser?

Thanks in advance
MrAsm

[Peter Duniho]

On Sat, 02 Jun 2007 02:58:17 -0700, MrAsm <mr***@usa.comw rote:

Is it possible to write system level software in C#?

(Of course, I'm not thinking about HAL.)
But would be C# OK to write an OS kernel?
...Or a web browser?

Web browser for sure. OS kernel? I suppose that depends on what kind of
hardware you want that kernel to run on, and what you expect it to do.
I'd say generally the answer would be "no", but I can imagine some very
simple "OS kernel"-like projects where C# would probably work fine.

Why do you ask?

Pete

[Hakan Fatih YILDIRIM]

hi,
Web browser.. hmm check out the web browser component in .net 2.0.

[Dave]

Not really as C# is a high level compiler. If you really really wanted to
you'd have to create an OS kernel first in some other language to support
the C# code. I guess you could create a cross-compiler which would allow you
to create the C# code which is then converted into the lower level code
which an OS runs.

Keep in mind that on your PC C# is executed via the .NET engines which run
off the Windows engines which run of the computers BIOS. That's a lot of
functionality to replace.
"MrAsm" <mr***@usa.comw rote in message
news:dm******** *************** *********@4ax.c om...

Hi,

Is it possible to write system level software in C#?

(Of course, I'm not thinking about HAL.)
But would be C# OK to write an OS kernel?
...Or a web browser?

Thanks in advance
MrAsm

[Miroslav Stampar [MCSD.NET / Security+]]

C# was not made for system level developing. You can do advanced
things with it (like call low-level Win32 API functions, make windows
services, attach to global events, and etc.), but due to its "virtual
nature", stay out from it when considering system level software
development.

Maybe, and only maybe, Vista brings this feature because it's better
interconnected with .NET (http://www.grimes.demon.co.uk/dotnet/
vistaAndDotnet. htm)

MrAsm je napisao/la:

Hi,

Is it possible to write system level software in C#?

(Of course, I'm not thinking about HAL.)
But would be C# OK to write an OS kernel?
...Or a web browser?

Thanks in advance
MrAsm

[MrAsm]

On Sat, 02 Jun 2007 03:29:41 -0700, Hakan Fatih YILDIRIM
<hf*********@gm ail.comwrote:

>Web browser.. hmm check out the web browser component in .net 2.0.

Is the web browser component in .NET written entirely in C#, or is it
a wrapper around a COM component written in C++?

MrAsm

[MrAsm]

On Sat, 02 Jun 2007 11:26:14 -0700, "Peter Duniho"
<Np*********@nn owslpianmk.comw rote:

>OS kernel? I suppose that depends on what kind of
hardware you want that kernel to run on, and what you expect it to do.
I'd say generally the answer would be "no", but I can imagine some very
simple "OS kernel"-like projects where C# would probably work fine.

Why do you ask?

Because I'm studying C# and I like it very much, and I'm interested in
the "scope" of the language; while I think it's fine to write apps in
C#, I was interested to understand if it is OK also to write more
low-level software using it.

I read about an experimental C# OS called Singularity.

MrAsm

[=?ISO-8859-1?Q?Arne_Vajh=F8j?=]

MrAsm wrote:

Is it possible to write system level software in C#?

(Of course, I'm not thinking about HAL.)
But would be C# OK to write an OS kernel?
...Or a web browser?

I am not sure I will call a web browser for system level software.

You can definitely write a browser in C# even though I am not
aware of anyone doing so.

An operating system will require some native code but huge
parts could be done in managed code.

Checkout http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singula...erating_system)
for what can be done.

Arne

[Ashot Geodakov]

It's a wrapper.

Tons of C# components are just wrappers around good-ole COM.

As for the system-level - well, you can work with files, registry, network,
web, comm. ports, write a service, create a process, create threads, do some
fancy graphics, etc.

You most likely won't be able to write a brand-new OS in C#, since any .Net
app will require CLR, which in turn will require Windows. You can probably
write some OS that will run inside Windows, for an exercise.
"MrAsm" <mr***@usa.comw rote in message
news:ce******** *************** *********@4ax.c om...

On Sat, 02 Jun 2007 03:29:41 -0700, Hakan Fatih YILDIRIM
<hf*********@gm ail.comwrote:

>>Web browser.. hmm check out the web browser component in .net 2.0.

Is the web browser component in .NET written entirely in C#, or is it
a wrapper around a COM component written in C++?

MrAsm

[MrAsm]

On Sat, 2 Jun 2007 09:47:26 -0700, "Ashot Geodakov"
<a_********@nos pam.hotmail.com wrote:

>It's a wrapper.

Tons of C# components are just wrappers around good-ole COM.

Thank you for these information.

I think that it does make sense for Microsoft engineers to reuse
alread developed and tested COM C++ components, wrapping them in C#.

However, I wonder if it would be possible to write these components
from scratch in C#, or if there would be performance problems that
force to use C++.

MrAsm