> I have a dumb question. Why can “we” write pretty good apps in languages other than C, but can’t write operating systems? Is talking to hardware so much different than talking to APIs?
To some small extent, yes. But I don't think that is the main issue here.
The real issue is that the stakes are much, much higher when implementing an operating system than when writing, say, an image editor. You can live with an occasional crash in a userland app. But the same crash in an operating system may open the door to taking over the entire computer, possibly even remotely.
To some small extent, yes. But I don't think that is the main issue here.
The real issue is that the stakes are much, much higher when implementing an operating system than when writing, say, an image editor. You can live with an occasional crash in a userland app. But the same crash in an operating system may open the door to taking over the entire computer, possibly even remotely.