Comments on: Difference lists http://www.akropolix.net/rik0/blogs/2006/11/12/difference-lists/ Python, Dynamic and Declarative Languages, Object Oriented Software Developement Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:24:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Enrico Franchi http://www.akropolix.net/rik0/blogs/2006/11/12/difference-lists/comment-page-1/#comment-596 Enrico Franchi Thu, 16 Nov 2006 15:35:37 +0000 http://www.akropolix.net/rik0/blogs/2006/11/12/difference-lists/#comment-596 We have already discussed about it in the italian Ruby mailing list. In fact I do agree with you. Java does what it was meant to do. It is a 'simpler' C++ replacement, with 'simpler' in the sense you described above. I just find quite uninteresting the language itself (while I highly praise the 'standard' Java library and find quite interesting hotspot, too). I would only like to see Mixins in Java (that would be an easy feature to add... I wrote some code do to it -- later on this blog -- and would make a lot of software easier to write). I don't really think closures are needed (and afterall you can almost emulate them with anonymous classes, even not in such a general way). However, from a language study point of view, programming in Java is not as exciting as programming in Ruby or in Haskell. However, the program itself can be so exciting that the thing does not matter. We have already discussed about it in the italian Ruby mailing list. In fact I do agree with you. Java does what it was meant to do. It is a ’simpler’ C++ replacement, with ’simpler’ in the sense you described above.

I just find quite uninteresting the language itself (while I highly praise the ’standard’ Java library and find quite interesting hotspot, too).

I would only like to see Mixins in Java (that would be an easy feature to add… I wrote some code do to it — later on this blog — and would make a lot of software easier to write).

I don’t really think closures are needed (and afterall you can almost emulate them with anonymous classes, even not in such a general way).

However, from a language study point of view, programming in Java is not as exciting as programming in Ruby or in Haskell. However, the program itself can be so exciting that the thing does not matter.

]]> By: Paolo Dona http://www.akropolix.net/rik0/blogs/2006/11/12/difference-lists/comment-page-1/#comment-585 Paolo Dona Thu, 16 Nov 2006 08:08:25 +0000 http://www.akropolix.net/rik0/blogs/2006/11/12/difference-lists/#comment-585 Well, you're right when you say Java is not interesting anymore. But I feel people have misunderstood Java. I had a talk with James Gosling (the father of Java) at the last Italian Java Conference and, while I was asking for missing dynamic features, closures etc, he reminded me that Java was made just to let C++ programmers avoid common mistakes. So they did the garbage collection, single class inheritance, and all those things we're starting to hate. Java allowed a lot of people to make reliable software. Well, smart people always struggle with language limitations, but for the average programmer those limitations are a plus. The less they have to learn/understand, the better. You're obviously not one of them! Well, you’re right when you say Java is not interesting anymore. But I feel people have misunderstood Java. I had a talk with James Gosling (the father of Java) at the last Italian Java Conference and, while I was asking for missing dynamic features, closures etc, he reminded me that Java was made just to let C++ programmers avoid common mistakes. So they did the garbage collection, single class inheritance, and all those things we’re starting to hate. Java allowed a lot of people to make reliable software.

Well, smart people always struggle with language limitations, but for the average programmer those limitations are a plus. The less they have to learn/understand, the better. You’re obviously not one of them!

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