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why so many languages

Name: Anonymous 2009-02-28 14:07

wouldn't it be better if there was only one language like c++ or c#
then programmers could spend their time mastering that language
instead of re-learning the basics of another language every few years

Name: FrozenVoid 2009-02-28 14:12

>>1
Perhaps the same could be said of all countries languages?

Name: Anonymous 2009-02-28 14:15

>>1
Firstly, a lot of people just stick to one language.
Second, the generic langage would be shit

Name: Anonymous 2009-02-28 14:24

wouldn't it be better if there was only one operating system like windows or mac os x
then users could spend their time mastering that OS
instead of re-learning the basics of another OS every few years

Oh wait... this would be bad example

Name: Anonymous 2009-02-28 14:36

>>4
I don't see why that would be a bad example. Unless you are some open sores loser who thinks Microsoft is committing crimes against humanity by bundling IE and WMP with their OS.

Name: Anonymous 2009-02-28 14:44

>>5
0/10

Name: Anonymous 2009-02-28 14:57

>>5
It's a bad example, since that is essentially the situation as far as normaltm people are concerned. On your second point, it is not a ``crime against humanity" but it is against European anticompetition laws which is why companies like Opera are complaining.

IHBT

Name: Anonymous 2009-02-28 15:19

>>7
lol @ europeons.
is it illegal there to sell a car with a cd player preinstalled, too?

Name: Anonymous 2009-02-28 15:25

>>8
Yes.

Name: Anonymous 2009-02-28 15:33

>>8
That's different because a)there is no car company with a monopoly and b) the car companies don't make the cd players. Do some research before you troll /prog/

Name: Anonymous 2009-02-28 15:35

You can't write one-line Fibonacci sequence in C++/

Name: Anonymous 2009-02-28 15:56

>>10
a) microsoft doesn't have a monopoly and b) microsoft didn't make DOS.

>>11
boost::fibonacci

Name: Anonymous 2009-02-28 16:11

>>12
a) microsoft doesn't have a monopoly
depends whose metrics you use
b) microsoft didn't make DOS.
that doesn't fit with what was being said. The cd player is an
accessory which may be from any random company the car manufacturer wants whereas IE and WMP are microsoft products

I didn't really intend on getting into an argument over this but oh well

Name: Anonymous 2009-02-28 16:15

I think it doesn't really matters if other languages exist. Unlike natural languages, for which you could make a compelling argument that other languages should no longer be taught, multiple programming languages are relatively harmless, given how new the field is. I'd see little value of going ahead and standardizing on Java or C++ right now, as the free market does a much more efficient job than any regulation at making the most competitive technologies emerge.

Name: Anonymous 2009-02-28 16:20

>>14
Unlike natural languages, for which you could make a compelling argument that other languages should no longer be taught
You're a monoglot, right?

Name: Anonymous 2009-02-28 16:21

monoglot
is that another word for french?

Name: Anonymous 2009-02-28 16:23

>>14
Exactly.

Besides, different languages suit different uses and the best features crosspolinate anyway.

Name: Anonymous 2009-02-28 17:25

We should have stuck with COBOL.

Name: Anonymous 2009-02-28 17:29

From THE BOOK OF /prog/ 15:13

/prog/ hath detested the efforts of man, and decided to destroy the tower of COBOL.

Name: 2009-02-28 17:50

>>19
ALGOL precedes COBOL and is what influenced most languages of today:
ALGOL (short for ALGOrithmic Language)[1] is a family of imperative computer programming languages originally developed in the mid 1950s which greatly influenced many other languages and became the de facto way algorithms were described in textbooks and academic works for almost the next 30 years[2]. It was designed to avoid some of the perceived problems with FORTRAN and eventually gave rise to many other programming languages (including BCPL, B , C and Pascal). ALGOL introduced code blocks and was the first language to use begin end pairs for delimiting them. Fragments of ALGOL-like syntax are sometimes still used as a notation for algorithms, so-called Pidgin Algol.

Name: Anonymous 2009-02-28 17:54

>>20
Thanks, FV

Name: FrozenVoid 2009-02-28 18:01

>>21
How can you be sure its me? I don't use a tripcode

Name: Anonymous 2009-02-28 18:15

>>22
Because your posts read like a wikipedia article...oh wait...

Name: Anonymous 2009-02-28 18:20

Having just one language would be like having a tool-box with just a hammer.

Name: Anonymous 2009-02-28 20:37

because whenever a programmer wants to become famous, he creates his own language.
i'm amazed the attention whore RMS hasn't created one yet (or maybe he has)

Name: Anonymous 2009-02-28 21:16

It only should take someone less than a week to learn a new language.

Name: Anonymous 2009-02-28 22:14

>>26
What if it's actually worth learning?

Name: Anonymous 2009-02-28 22:29

maybe the dingo ate your baby

Name: Anonymous 2009-02-28 23:30

>>25
emacs lisp

Name: Anonymous 2009-02-28 23:38

>>26
It takes me close to no time at all. All I really need to learn a new language are railroad diagrams to help with learning syntax, a list of the language's featureset to help contribute to the coding strategy, and API references.

Name: Anonymous 2009-03-01 1:00

>>1
Yes, I agree that we should all be using YHBT

Name: Anonymous 2009-03-01 1:02

i find that in general, new languages are easy to learn as long as you know similar languages.
for instance, if you know C++ or java, you should be able to sit down and write C# code with just a little bit of guesswork and MSDN

Name: Anonymous 2009-03-01 1:06

>>32
Well sure, C# and Java are based on C++.

What languages do you know in the ISWIM family? Would even something as distantly related as Pascal give you panic attacks?

Name: Anonymous 2009-03-01 5:52

>>32
Here in the 21st century we have made great strides in the state of the art.  No longer can we say that "real programmers" will write FORTRAN in any language.  Oh, no, siree!  Nowadays, "real programmers" will write 'C' in any language.

That is what such lowest common denominator cross-language approach leads to -- and you'd still be left rather high and dry by the time you went the small step from, say, Java to Scala.

Name: FrozenVoid 2009-03-01 5:55

 R e a l programmers try to emulate the flexibility of JavaScript,not C.



__________________________________________
Type IHBT to leave thread

Name: Anonymous 2009-03-01 7:24

>>33
>>34
learning new programming languages is piss easy, no matter what they were based on.
you guys are pathetic

Name: FrozenVoid 2009-03-01 7:33

>>36 You wouldn't mind coding your apps in befunge,unlambda and brainfuck?



_______________________________
Stop trying to rationalize everything, will ya? Let's face it, we have a mystery on our hands!

Name: Anonymous 2009-03-01 8:19

>>37
not if i was getting paid enough

Name: FrozenVoid 2009-03-01 8:29

>>38
And if you got paid for your soul, would you give it up?

__________________________________________
In my practice, I've seen how people have allowed their humanity to drain away. Only it happened slowly instead of all at once. They didn't seem to mind...All of us - a little bit - we harden our hearts, grow callous. Only when we have to fight to stay human do we realize how precious it is to us, how dear.

Name: Anonymous 2009-03-01 8:35

>>39
i'm not a religious person.
so yes, i would.
would you like to buy my soul?
you seem to think they're worth alot; so i'll give it to you for $1000USD.
deal?

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