Ohhkayy... This is my first post here on Nairaland and it's about software that are probably bigger than the best of a one-man or even 2men army programmers...

The first on the list is:
1. An Operating System
-- the hardest software to make in the world is a general purpose operating system.
Microsoft is coinned as the world's Software giant not expressly because of its 90% dominance of Desktop operating systems... But because it is the most complicated thing to write a piece of Software, with such modularity that it can be extended to coordinating any computing device in the world so far as certain sane requirements are met...
Linux also has this up-hand... One difference is that people love shortcuts... For example, writing a simple driver for Linux is not cakewalk...
In general... A general purpose operating system has to:
a. Have an interface for writing a driver to control almost all modern electronics ...either by directing embedded OSs.... etc
b. run all manner of possible software a human being can think of
c. Many more.... Find out......

2. A Compiler for a new general purpose programming language....
---- believe it or not.... A one-man EXPERT programming team will take 7years to derive a new language from Java(for example)... And embark on writing its compiler to such a standard that it may perform even almost up to par with its parent... and if the person succeeds.... Java would have been somewhere else....! Most popular programming languages have been in existence of several years... So, ..... :-)

3. A domain specific operating system...
---- domain specific OSs may include special Software built mostly by Government agencies... Such as the US' NASA, USARMY, ... To run specialized and in-house devices and complex systems... This ranges from... Operating systems that controls Space shuttles, machine rise National Defense systems ..., etc.
The ones we built for the initially failed(((NIGCOMSAT Nigeria))) ..that is if any part of the software were made in Nigeria.....lol...

4. .....more to come later........... (if a good number of people takes interest....)

...it doesn't mean you can't make a new variant of any of the listed software... You can.... <it would take a few years of your life though>
...make your contributions....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~WhiZTiM

I'd rather write a driver for a linux distro than for a windows OS

lordZOUGA: I'd rather write a driver for a linux distro than for a windows OS

Why?

A-ZeD:

Why?

writing drivers for both Operating Systems requires C/C++... But for linux, its pure C/C++. On Windows, you will get some mutilated version of C/C++. I will always take the pure version..

The time always depend on the team members. I personally split my project into factions and code part by part.

Don't know about the rest, but writing a compiler is extremely crazy! I've been working on compiler for a custom application (pseudo similar to BASIC) and its interestingly tough!

now i remember why i don't do the techy sections more often

I don't want to see any ''i want to learn programming'' comment on this thread, there is a thread for that. Be warned!

Microsoft is using the best hand around the world, so it may not be a difficult thing for them.

Richfella:

I want to learn programming .

Banned for 1 week...

slimming: Microsoft is using the best hand around the world, so it may not be a difficult thing for them.

It's still not easy!

Everything is easy. All that is required is training and commitment. The problem down home is that there is no training.

Though programming is tasking and required very logical minds

Pls Whiztim, how difficult is it to write 3D graphics software like Autocad,Maya etc and what programming language(s) can be used.Thanks

Tunby: Pls Whiztim, how difficult is it to write 3D graphics software like Autocad,Maya etc and what programming language(s) can be used.Thanks

all those are not difficult, you just need a good ground in mathematics
C/C++, java, python etc can all be used, but rendering which involves serious mathematical calculations will be best written in C
also to remind you, Maya has python support, just like you can write in MEL to automate tasks, same can be done with python right inside maya.

seriously, when i first open this thread, I was expecting Autodesk Maya to top the list, that piece of software kickass

lordZOUGA:
writing drivers for both Operating Systems requires C/C++... But for linux, its pure C/C++. On Windows, you will get some mutilated version of C/C++. I will always take the pure version..

You're kidding me right ? Just think of the windows API C++ has the 'regular C++ on steriods'. I wrote a hardware driver about ten years ago for my final year thesis. and it was one of the most 1daful programming experiences I ever had.
The USB interface wasn't quite commonplace in the market as at then (most systems just had one or two ports on the front panels), so I used the printer port interface.
Based on my experience, every code in pure C/C++ ran in window api programming. You just had to lay your hands on the documentation to know how some stuff are accomplished.

To be a successful windows programmer, it is of neccessity to 'worship at the feet' of one man - PETZOLDI.

Charles Petzoldi single handedly birthed a generation of windows programmers and without his works, I doubtlessly would not have been able to complete my project. God bless him !

On leaving school, my fascination was in hardware programming/interfacing and embedded systems but I realised that there were few opportunities in that line in Nigeria and didn't have the means to leave the country so I had no option but to join them - Delve into the shitty world of web programming !

webdezzi:

all those are not difficult, you just need a good ground in mathematics
C/C++, java, python etc can all be used, but rendering which involves serious mathematical calculations will be best written in C
also to remind you, Maya has python support, just like you can write in MEL to automate tasks, same can be done with python right inside maya.

seriously, when i first open this thread, I was expecting Autodesk Maya to top the list, that piece of software kickass

Thanks