Questions tagged [systems-programming]
16 questions
37
votes
7 answers
what exactly is system programming?
I have never understood what system programming meant. The usual definition given is "...doing something close to the Os or extending Os features...".
Does using Windows API directly rather than some libraries to say do file i/o make it system…
kentjh
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22
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7 answers
How do programmers deal with low level software development in high level languages?
I am somewhat new to programming and the best way I can ask this question is with an example.
I know how to do basic things in Java and C#. Things like a small windows forms application or make a generic class. I've basically been learning and…
fender1901
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11
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8 answers
How can calculus and linear algebra be useful to a system programmer?
I found a website saying that calculus and linear algebra are necessary for System Programming.
System Programming, as far as I know, is about osdev, drivers, utilities and so on. I just can't figure out how calculus and linear algebra can be…
Victor
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8
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3 answers
Getting started with system programming?
Ever since I discovered programming five years ago, I've done a lot of things. I've learned numerous programming languages and technologies and tried out many interesting things. I've written games, both console and with graphics, console and…
Ryan
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8
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4 answers
File shredder algorithm
As a part of learning system programming, I am looking to implement a file shredder. The simplest way (and probably seen as naive) would be to replace the data bytes with zeroes (I know OS splits the files and I'll replace bytes in all those…
Mike
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7
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4 answers
Other than the Linux kernel, which operating system kernels should you study?
The Linux kernel is often listed as a code base which you are recommended to read and, even if it is poorly commented (or the files I have looked at have all been), it does have some really good code in it.
Now, putting the Linux kernel aside, which…
Anto
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4
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5 answers
System Programming & Object Oriented Design - what to look out for
Next semester (starts in just under 5 weeks), I'm taking System Programming and OOD concurrently. Apparently SP centers on working in C on Linux, and I only have Java and Python experience, so I am a little nervous about this.
For those of you…
Jason
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4
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2 answers
How do I implement the bg, &, and fg commands functionaliity in my custom unix shell program written in C
I am extending the functionality of a custom unix shell which I wrote as part of my lab assignment. It currently supports all commands through execvp calls, in-built commands like pwd, cd, history, echo and export, and also redirection and pipes.…
user1631009
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3
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What features should the next systems language come with?
It seems like we still resort to C or C++ when we are going to do "serious" systems programming. We have some small languages which try to come up with new stuff inside systems programming such as Go and D (I have had a little experience with D and…
Anto
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Avoiding polling with components
Once you create separate components that need to communicate with each other you enter the realm of systems programming where you have to assume that errors could originate at any step in the process. You throw try-catch blocks out the window and…
Mario T. Lanza
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3
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Web applications have "the todo list." What analogous program is there for systems programming?
You can find many frameworks with an example todo list for demonstrating a small but full application in the framework. You don't have to consider large problems like scaling or caching, but you still exercise most of the fundamentals of that…
Mark Rushakoff
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3
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3 answers
Diving into microcontroller programming
I just got a batch of LED matrix modules from Sure Electronics (http://www.sureelectronics.net/goods.php?id=1120) and a driver board (http://www.sureelectronics.net/goods.php?id=972).
I've got it wired up, and connected to my Mac. I found the right…
Vidar S. Ramdal
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2
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1 answer
Checking out systems programming, what should I learn, using what resources?
I have done some hobby application development, but now I'm interested in checking out systems programming (mainly operating systems, Linux kernel etc.). I know low-level languages like C, and I know minimal amounts of x86 Assembly (should I improve…
Anto
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Side-by-side Configuration on Linux/ELF
One of the best/worst Microsoft software innovations (great for compatibility; terrible for efficiency) has been Windows' Side by Side Configuration. This allows, among other things, for different components of a program to have multiple versions of…
allquixotic
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0
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2 answers
Measuring an enterprises reliance upon software
In bidding a complex project for a client, I wanted a way to determine their reliance upon software. They have many people doing manual entry and Excel spreadsheets power many pieces as well as legacy code and some off the shlef solutions that do…
Mike Trader
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