[pjmlp]

> Can you imagine the Linux kernel not being written in C?

No, only because the Linux kernel started as an UNIX clone and C is the UNIX's systems programming language.

Other OS were written in another systems programming languages. Before and after C got invented.

C only became widespread because a few successful startups in the 80's adopted UNIX for their workstation OS.

[ArkyBeagle]

I'd say that in terms of seats sold, Borland and Microsoft had more to do with it. Maybe first one then the other. But 'C' was the semi-official language of the old DOS PC world from 1985 until Linux happened. It's somewhat tragic, because Modula-2 and Ada toolchains existed, but were harder to use than 'C' for performance and memory constraint reasons ( not to mention the toolchain costs )

Borland started out with Pascal, but went to 'C'.

[pjmlp]

>Borland started out with Pascal, but went to 'C'.

As someone that used all their products before they became Imprise or how it was called, I never saw this happening.

Even nowadays C++ Builder actually uses the Delphi framework.

EDIT: Just wanted to add that in my part of the planet, it was all about Assembly for systems programming, games and real applications. Turbo Pascal for general purpose applications without much performace issues and CLIPPER for the typical CRUD applications.

[pmalynin]

In the OS-programming world C/C++ is staple.

[pjmlp]

I am old enough to remember when it wasn't even an option.