Why We Need More Programming Languages

snydeq writes "Fatal Exception's Neil McAllister writes in favor of new programming languages, given the difficulty of upgrading existing, popular languages. 'Whenever a new programming language is announced, a certain segment of the developer population always rolls its eyes and groans that we have quite enough to choose from already,' McAllister writes. 'But once a language reaches a certain tipping point of popularity, overhauling it to include support for new features, paradigms, and patterns is easier said than done.' PHP 6, Perl 6, Python 3, ECMAScript 4 — 'the lesson from all of these examples is clear: Programming languages move slowly, and the more popular a language is, the slower it moves. It is far, far easier to create a new language from whole cloth than it is to convince the existing user base of a popular language to accept radical changes.'"

Comments

Pffft.

[epiphani]

Only language we ever needed was C. You putzes just aren't using it right.
 
/flamebait friday!

Re:Pffft.

[2.7182]

I'll chime in with the correct answer. If we all programmed in Haskell or OCaml the world would be a better place. Lisp even.

But I won't go on with a full rant. Functional programming is silently winning the war.

Re:Pffft.

[Anonymous Coward]

You forgot the "++" after the "C".

That is an important distinction, since C++ is the perfect programming language for all tasks, always has, and always will be.

Re:Pffft.

[Ukab the Great]

Only language we ever needed was punchcards. You putzes just aren't using it right.

Re:Pffft.

[david.emery]

Programming peaked with COBOL and has been in a downward spiral since.

Exactly! See http://developers.slashdot.org/story/11/12/09/1533252/java-apps-have-the-most-flaws-cobol-the-least

One of the problems with this business is the continuing preference for the "new and shiny" at the expense of proven quality. COBOL is -very good- at a significant class of problems, and there are a lot of geezers who are very good at it.

One of the problems with new languages is that everyone starts out stupid. Think about C. How much experience do you need, beyond an understanding of K&R syntax, to be an effective C programmer?

@begin(flamebait)
Frankly, I think the base topic here, the argument for new languages over improvements to existing languages, is to make everyone equally -incompetent-. Many studies show the "10x difference" between good programmers and bad programmers. Some (significant) part of that difference comes with expertise with tools including programming languages.
@end(flamebait)

p.s. if you recognize above as Scribe mark-up, good for you! Do you really think Microsoft Word is an improvement over Scribe?

Re:Pffft.

[Anonymous Coward]

Since someone here called me so old and out of touch that I'm probably still programming an Analytical Engine...

The only language we ever needed was a gear cutting lathe. You putzes just aren't using it right.

No, we don't

[Anonymous Coward]

Obligatory XKCD. http://xkcd.com/927/

Just recycle the old ones ..

[ackthpt]

Algol for Web, COBOL beans, Object Oriented PL/1 ...

Slash-CAllister

[MikeTheGreat]

Is it just me, or has almost every article by Neil McAllister made it to the Slashdot front page?

I propose
1) a "slashcallister" because it rolls off the tongue, and can be used to tag these articles (as part of the greater "slashonomy"), so that
2) McAllister's articles be picked up by Slashdot's server-side RSS reader and auto-posted & auto-tagged, thus creating the Official Slashdot Neil McAllister Channel

Re:Runs anywhere

[Chrisq]

Easier != Better

Except when it does.

That's the case with women and emergency exits.

Re:Talk about missing the point.

[Anonymous Coward]

There isn't a thing Emacs can't do, still there isn't a thing I can do with Emacs.

keep building them I will keep using them

[codepunk]

Keep building new languages, I will surely find a way to bill hours for it.

Java - billable hours and ass loads of hardware
PHP - quick and dirty web development cleanup billable hours
Python - one off get it done quick billable hours
Perl - systems stuff they will have to call me back in to maintain
Java Script - client hack more billable hours
C - debugging more billable hours
Ruby - billable hours for rewrite to address performance issues including a ass load of hardware .NET - perfect for lock in and selling licenses, rewrite in java once it is determined that hey we need to support other platforms.