>>31
What do you recommend instead?
... Lisp? What else would I possibly recommend? I'm slowly being convinced that these WSLs are a problem for the computing world. Let's define some terms. WSLs are as defined above. Java, C, C++ and the like are passive-aggressive languages (PALs). They're composed largely of overcomplicated approaches to simple problems and dumb mistakes you're sure to make. Significant alternative languages (SALs) are languages like Lisp, Forth, or Haskell that provide quite a bit more power than WSLs or PALs, but whose power comes only to those who are willing to investigate new approaches — that's obviously how it has to work, since you can't get more power by using your low-power techniques.
The nature of the problem is that WSLs are obviously more appropriate for some tasks than the PAL set, with their use of automatic memory management, dynamic workflow, and dynamic typing, while not departing much from the PAL approach to design and implementation — their role is largely to hande the details when you don't give a shit. Even the most Ctarded person will admit this (although they will attempt to belittle any project for which they can't convince themselves C is an appropriate choice). SALs, however, while generally possessing the same advantages as WSLs as well as efficient compilation, require insight to understand what else they can do for your coding. Sadly, this means they just look weird to people from PAL land.
PAL programmers discover the magical land of WSLs, where memory is managed by stealthy gnomes and newborn fragments of code frolic freely without any lengthy pupal compilation stage. And they see that it's pretty good, although obviously for “real work” you still have to use a “real language”. Those of them open-minded enough to adapt to the carefree lifestyle happily spend their off hours banging out software with the natives of WSL land, under cotton candy clouds.
If there's one thing that makes WSLandians uneasy, it's the towering mountains of SAL. After sunset, ghostly lights can be seen flickering about the peaks. Rumour has it that enlightenment awaits atop those mountains, for those who can climb them and weather the unearthly storms. Every so often, a dweller below is taken by a madness and climbs the cliffs. Some don't make it up at all. Most spend a few weeks making their families below anxious before they come stumbling down, haggard and raving about the wizardry they have seen on the top of the world, but knowing that such things have no application in the real world. Others disappear entirely. Dead? Indoctrinated into some insane mountain cult? But all that's for nut jobs, not for good, solid WSLandians.