enhanced08

I'm not a programmer, I took C++ in high school a few years ago and learned the bare basics. I'm working on a project in which I need a program written and dont know what the best language would be to do it in. I'm trying to find someone to write the program for me but if I can figure out the best language and/or method it will make their job easier.

This is what I'm lookin at.... I need to collect data from computer systems such as L2, CPU Speed, RAM, CAS, etc and send them to a webserver to be put into a database. I need a program for Windows, Linux and Mac operating systems. At first Java seemed to be the best because one program can run on all 3 OS's but Java can't do hardware queries. C/C++ was next inline but 3 programs would need to be written and updated. Another option is to use CPUz to collect the data and save it to a txt file and have another program read the file and send it.

The CPUz idea seems like the best because the program would be easier to write, could be in almost any language, and most of the updates (new CPUs etc) would be done by CPUz and not on my end. BUT CPUz is only for windows and even tho you could write the other program in Java so it would run on Linux and Mac, CPUz wont run so something else would have to work.

So, what I'm asking is this, what would be the best bet? I would like to get this running asap so I think I'll go with the CPUz idea and only work with windows machines while I find someone to code an entire program for me and who would be willing to keep it updated.

Any thoughts?
TIA

jaeusm

You don't need to query hardware, you just need to ask the operating system -- it should know how to talk to the hardware. You actually could use Java for this task. Here is a link to Java code that obtains the CPU name and speed for a Windows system.

enhanced08

Hmmm... that makes things easier. Is this true for all 3 systems, Windows Linux and Mac?

jaeusm

If you want to obtain information about the underlying hardware, you need to ask the operating system.

Jimbo

... which would probably result in 3 different versions for 3 different OSs.

enhanced08

So what would be the best choice for this? I really liked the idea of Java because only 1 program would need to be written....

Dameon

Hardware querying is a very OS-specific venture. You are about equally likely to find a library for it that works with one language as you are the next. Otherwise, you will probably writing several different versions. Usually it comes down to a windows version and a nix version, though. If you've ever looked through the source of a cross-platform app, don't be surprised to find an #ifdef (or equivalent) here and there to deal with platform-specific eccentricities.

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enhanced08

so in the end i'll still probably endup with 3 ports of this program?

jaeusm, that page you link me to, would it be able to get the same kind of data as CPUz? I dont know if asking the OS for the data would work the same as i know MS reports the stock CPU speed rather than the overclocked speed.

jaeusm

and...?
Since you know that, I guess you answered your own question
However, it is much easier to write software that queries the OS rather than bypassing it.

enhanced08

Well, I need specific data like that of CPUz so what are my options now? I'm thinking about using CPUz and comeup with a program that reads the text file from CPUz. Once my project gets more intrest It should be easier to find someone to program an entire program that can be ported to all 3 OSes and kept updated easily.