3 ms·
Since a few people are kind of getting on my case, I'd like to point out that I learned OCaml for coursework in functional programming and computational linguis
by rtl49 11y ago
Since a few people are kind of getting on my case, I'd like to point out that I learned OCaml for coursework in functional programming and computational linguistics. I'm not suggesting it's useless or comparable to quantum physics in difficulty. I'm only pointing out the reality that the majority of software developers have little to no exposure to functional programming. Few of them will be prepared to commit to a new programming paradigm when there are so many other employment opportunities which use more familiar frameworks and develop skills more widely applicable in the job market.
I'd also like to suggest that, for certain applications, the most touted benefit of functional programming (the ease of proving algorithms behave as intended) is not especially relevant. I would even dare to suggest that, in some cases, it may be more rational to hire a "decent" programmer than a "great" one.
This is to say nothing about the specific language features of OCaml or the utility of functional programming in general, just that the benefits need to be weighed against the costs. In an article claiming that using OCaml provides a "competitive advantage" from a business perspective, I would have expected a discussion of both.