> So, setting aside the need to maintain 30+ year old code, what would be modern reasons to start a new project in C?
C code written today will still be runnable 30+ years from now, and likely on whatever platform you're using, unlike code written in some flavor of the month language. C is standardized, has been ported to every architecture, and is easy to port in general, and there's so much code that's already been written in it that the inertia behind it is virtually insurmountable. I've invested significant time in other language ecosystems (like Perl, coincidentally also on the front page) only to see them eventually declared "uncool" (however productive) and killed-off by faddish HN types. But I'm confident they won't have similar success against C.
C code written today will still be runnable 30+ years from now, and likely on whatever platform you're using, unlike code written in some flavor of the month language. C is standardized, has been ported to every architecture, and is easy to port in general, and there's so much code that's already been written in it that the inertia behind it is virtually insurmountable. I've invested significant time in other language ecosystems (like Perl, coincidentally also on the front page) only to see them eventually declared "uncool" (however productive) and killed-off by faddish HN types. But I'm confident they won't have similar success against C.
C is the real Hundred Year Language: http://www.paulgraham.com/hundred.html