DOS a Programming language, or not?

blastman · 19 Oct 2007 at 21:00

Hey all,

I was at a interveiw today, and when i was asked the question "what programming language's do you know?"

I replied "well i have just starting using VB.net but my baby has got to be DOS"

The interviewer then said "Come on, DOS isn't really a language is it?"

This confused me as i mainly use it to write batch files and such. A Batch file is a executable so the code in them must be a language.

I am i right or is the interviewer??

BillytheImpaler · 19 Oct 2007 at 21:02

Nobody would refer to Windows batch scripting as writing in DOS, just like nobody would refer to Linux scripting that way as writing in Bash. I'd personally refer to both as shell scripting.

"well i have just starting using VB.net but my baby has got to be Windows shell scripting"

whitecrook · 19 Oct 2007 at 22:22

What's the next step from XP batch scripting? I'm finding I'm hitting the limits in a few things I've been doing and need a bit more power.

Perl? PHP? MS Powershell?

Mainly just manipulating text files and image files, directories and user input.

SiriusB · 19 Oct 2007 at 22:34

Perl probably. PHP is server-based so you would have to install Apache or similar to run it.

Bakedgoods · 19 Oct 2007 at 23:03

You're not getting that job.

JIMA · 19 Oct 2007 at 23:10

I'd most certainly agree with SiriusB, Perl is a good scripting language. It's particularly suited to processing files, string searching etc. Well worth learning. Or if you want to use UNIX scripting stuff on Windows I think cygwin might be worth a look.

Also heard that Python is worth a look though I know little about that.

Wouldn't it be good if Windows came with the same sort of scripting functionality that Linux/Unix does?

Jim

whitecrook · 20 Oct 2007 at 00:14

JIMA said:
I'd most certainly agree with SiriusB, Perl is a good scripting language. It's particularly suited to processing files, string searching etc. Well worth learning. Or if you want to use UNIX scripting stuff on Windows I think cygwin might be worth a look.

Also heard that Python is worth a look though I know little about that.

Wouldn't it be good if Windows came with the same sort of scripting functionality that Linux/Unix does?

Jim

Isn't this the sort of the MS Powershell is supposed to be (an MS 'Bash' if you will)

robmiller · 20 Oct 2007 at 00:37

JIMA said:
Wouldn't it be good if Windows came with the same sort of scripting functionality that Linux/Unix does?

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/hubs/msh.mspx

SiriusB · 20 Oct 2007 at 01:14

Good ole Powershell - codename Gonad...Monad even...

chesterstu · 20 Oct 2007 at 02:09

TBH, am a senior dev at a software house and if i sat in at your interview and you said DOS as a programming language, i would **** myself laugthing and not give you a job

Thrash · 20 Oct 2007 at 04:39

DOS is an OS, the answer's in the name - Disk Operating System, it would be like saying I write applications in Windows XP. It is a platform not a programming language. Anyway, unless you have a very old PC running MSDOS 6.22 then you are not even creating batch scripts in DOS, you will be using the Windows command line interface, which is not DOS.

Sorry but the answer you gave showed a fundamental misunderstanding in operating systems and programming languages.

whitecrook · 20 Oct 2007 at 13:27

Blastman, that was a bit n00bish as mentioned above by by Thrash. Hell post 3 in this thread of yours trys to clear up the 'DOS' thing...

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17784882&highlight=username_whitecrook

Mr Jack · 20 Oct 2007 at 13:45

I presume you cooly explained that you meant scripting using batch files?

psyr33n · 20 Oct 2007 at 13:49

blastman said:
I replied "well i have just starting using VB.net but my baby has got to be DOS"

Worst. Reply. Ever.

robmiller · 20 Oct 2007 at 14:27

blastman said:
A Batch file is a executable

no it's not

BillytheImpaler · 20 Oct 2007 at 14:30

robmiller said:
no it's not

What is it then, an executable script? The scripting engine compiles it and executes it. When you chmod +x something what are you doing to it other than flagging it as executable?

Una · 20 Oct 2007 at 14:49

BillytheImpaler said:
What is it then, an executable script? The scripting engine compiles it and executes it. When you chmod +x something what are you doing to it other than flagging it as executable?

Not quite, its interpreted not compiled. It's the interpreter that is executable and interprets the script. Indeed.

BillytheImpaler · 20 Oct 2007 at 14:52

Una said:
Not quite, its interpreted not compiled

You're right, I misspoke. Regardless, an executable program is reading the script and creating from it instructions.

Inquisitor · 20 Oct 2007 at 15:06

BillytheImpaler said:
You're right, I misspoke. Regardless, an executable program is reading the script and creating from it instructions.

Exactly: the interpreter is the executable, not the script.

RockLobster · 21 Oct 2007 at 12:21

ROFL I wish I was at that interview.

DOS a Programming language, or not?

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