Advice? Which language to best use for a large project like this?

[2Radon]

For Windows, and not sure but maybe Linux as well...

It would also include sort of customizable 'widgets' on screen, opening multiple programs and keeping them idle, quick execution of several programs, hiding windows of other programs, etc.

Basically, maybe you could call it application manipulation...

So, as I am starting to dig into the C lineage to gain broad knowledge (before also tackling Java) after basic studies in other languages at school and creating a minor version of this project in AutoIt over several months while in internship, I ask your advice to elaborate which language you know will accomplish this and more in the best way.

Am I thinking right that here 'the best' doesn't mean just performance, but also how much coding and readability it would take?

[JLogan3o13]

This is more suited for Chat or Dev Chat, I think. As you don't have an AutoIt question, and in fact rule AutoIt out when you mention possibly running on Linux, you may have better luck getting the audience you're after in one of those more appropriate forums.

[2Radon]

This is more suited for Chat or Dev Chat, I think. As you don't have an AutoIt question, and in fact rule AutoIt out when you mention possibly running on Linux, you may have better luck getting the audience you're after in one of those more appropriate forums.

 

Alright, let it be in Developer Chat then.

 

Hope guys got some advice. :s

[cageman]

C++ using QT library, which can be used as a GUI library and has a lot of main functionality (supports multiple platforms) or java.

[JLogan3o13]

I would vote java myself, though as it is currently my main working language I am probably biased.

[mrider]

Java wouldn't be a bad choice.  Probably your only difficulty will come from those that don't have a JRE installed at all - I don't know your requirements or audience, so there's no way of knowing whether you can dictate that the user must have a JRE, or if they inherently will have one, or what.  But you may have some lack-of-JRE issues.

Also, be aware that many GNU/Linux users object to Oracle's heavy-handed administration of Java.  Generally speaking, you'll want to make sure your code runs on OpenJDK as well as Oracle's version.  I've found that simply targetting 1.5 - so you have generics and annotations - avoids most pitfalls nicely.  This may be a bit conservative for your taste though.

 

If you decide to go the C/C++ route, I would advocate for WX Widgets personally.  This might be more bias than anything (since I've never done more than dink around with QT) - but I find WX to be pleasant to work in, and the fact that there are wrappers for many high-level languages is a nice bonus.  I often times prototype in Perl or Python and then build in C++, and I have a number of programs that use nothing but the high level language.  E.g. -> '?do=embed' frameborder='0' data-embedContent>>

[EDIT] "your" versus "you're" issue.

Edited June 23, 2014 by mrider