16 ms·

> This is because JS is a good choice for most things. That's why it's one of few languages: 1) with mainstream transpilation; 2) more than one transpiler.

by Dude2023 9y ago

amelius 9y ago
Isn't that simply because, until recently, JS had a "monopoly" on languages you could use inside a browser?
- burner5692 9y ago
  Yes, that's the only reason anyone has voluntarily used JavaScript.
  - kiriakasis 9y ago
    This, is false. for many (some, if you prefer) use cases javascript is perfect.
- jerf 9y ago
  If you look at it as "compilation tends to converge on the lowest-level possible output", it all fits pretty well. Dynamic scripting languages flouted that for a long time, but now there's enough JITs floating around that show that even they tend in that direction. So if JS is the lowest possible level language, than that will be the compilation target for a program going into that context. x86 has its many, many critics, but I've never heard any of them say that x86 is bad because so many things compile to it....
themihai 9y ago
It's the only language supported by web browsers. That's the reason people still use it.
- kowdermeister 9y ago
  So how do you explain Node.js being so popular?
  - monocasa 9y ago
    Because frontend devs migrated to the backend and didn't want to learn a better language.
    - eropple 9y ago
      And those of us who went to it from those ostensibly "better" languages...? Go on. Say we're "wrong". I could use a chuckle. :)
      - tytytytytytytyt 9y ago
        Not wanting to use those better languages is effectively the same in this case. But you mentioned it being wrong first...
        eropple 9y ago
        Because I'm rather tired of the silly claims. I write Rust. I write Kotlin. I write C++. I write Ruby. And I also write JavaScript. Horses for courses--and the mind-meltingly stupid sneering nonsense should just end. Just...end. I used to smarm about it. I was wrong to. You should stop, because you are wrong now.
        tytytytytytytyt 9y ago
        > Because I'm rather tired of the silly claims. I write Rust. I write Kotlin. I write C++. I write Ruby. And I also write JavaScript. I never made any such 'claims', but I'm happy for you. I enjoy those things, too... > and the mind-meltingly stupid sneering nonsense should just end. Just...end. I used to smarm about it. I was wrong to. You're the one sneering, smarming, etc. and attempting to create drama. I never said anything about using Node being bad. Maybe you should re-read what I wrote? > You should stop, because you are wrong now. Hey, keep believing that if it makes you feel better.
urda 9y ago
The only reason JS is popular is because it holds a monopoly in the space it operates in. There are so many superior languages to it.
- wcarron 9y ago
  Jeez, this horse always gets beaten to death, twice. We get it. You hate JS. ${language_of_choice} is better because [Reasons]. In the end, it doesn't matter. JS is here to stay. If you don't want to write it, don't write code for projects that need it. Constant complaining about its faults does nothing at all except produce noise in threads like this. And, fwiw, I don't see too many C projects for Front-end solutions like e.g. React. Maybe that means JS is a superior language in the context of the problem is was made to address. Holy shit! Who would have thought that "it depends" applies to development?!
  - CaptSpify 9y ago
    A bit defensive, aren't we? I didn't see OP say anything about hating JS, just that it only got popular for the wrong reasons.
  - andromeduck 9y ago
    > Maybe that means JS is a superior language in the context of the problem is was made to address. Holy shit! Who would have thought that "it depends" applies to development?! Only in terms of access/availability but that was his point...
always_good 9y ago
Well, how many other languages are sent over the wire to be interpreted on a ubiquitous client that's been incrementally changing for decades? Is it a mystery to you why this situation is different from your favorite language that you aren't source-to-source compiling?

> This is because JS is a good choice for most things. That's why it's one of few languages: 1) with mainstream transpilation; 2) more than one transpiler.

amelius 9y ago

Isn't that simply because, until recently, JS had a "monopoly" on languages you could use inside a browser?

burner5692 9y ago
Yes, that's the only reason anyone has voluntarily used JavaScript.
- kiriakasis 9y ago
  This, is false. for many (some, if you prefer) use cases javascript is perfect.
jerf 9y ago
If you look at it as "compilation tends to converge on the lowest-level possible output", it all fits pretty well. Dynamic scripting languages flouted that for a long time, but now there's enough JITs floating around that show that even they tend in that direction. So if JS is the lowest possible level language, than that will be the compilation target for a program going into that context. x86 has its many, many critics, but I've never heard any of them say that x86 is bad because so many things compile to it....

themihai 9y ago

It's the only language supported by web browsers. That's the reason people still use it.

kowdermeister 9y ago
So how do you explain Node.js being so popular?
- monocasa 9y ago
  Because frontend devs migrated to the backend and didn't want to learn a better language.
  - eropple 9y ago
    And those of us who went to it from those ostensibly "better" languages...? Go on. Say we're "wrong". I could use a chuckle. :)
    - tytytytytytytyt 9y ago
      Not wanting to use those better languages is effectively the same in this case. But you mentioned it being wrong first...
      - eropple 9y ago
        Because I'm rather tired of the silly claims. I write Rust. I write Kotlin. I write C++. I write Ruby. And I also write JavaScript. Horses for courses--and the mind-meltingly stupid sneering nonsense should just end. Just...end. I used to smarm about it. I was wrong to. You should stop, because you are wrong now.
        tytytytytytytyt 9y ago
        > Because I'm rather tired of the silly claims. I write Rust. I write Kotlin. I write C++. I write Ruby. And I also write JavaScript. I never made any such 'claims', but I'm happy for you. I enjoy those things, too... > and the mind-meltingly stupid sneering nonsense should just end. Just...end. I used to smarm about it. I was wrong to. You're the one sneering, smarming, etc. and attempting to create drama. I never said anything about using Node being bad. Maybe you should re-read what I wrote? > You should stop, because you are wrong now. Hey, keep believing that if it makes you feel better.

urda 9y ago

The only reason JS is popular is because it holds a monopoly in the space it operates in. There are so many superior languages to it.

wcarron 9y ago
Jeez, this horse always gets beaten to death, twice. We get it. You hate JS. ${language_of_choice} is better because [Reasons]. In the end, it doesn't matter. JS is here to stay. If you don't want to write it, don't write code for projects that need it. Constant complaining about its faults does nothing at all except produce noise in threads like this. And, fwiw, I don't see too many C projects for Front-end solutions like e.g. React. Maybe that means JS is a superior language in the context of the problem is was made to address. Holy shit! Who would have thought that "it depends" applies to development?!
- CaptSpify 9y ago
  A bit defensive, aren't we? I didn't see OP say anything about hating JS, just that it only got popular for the wrong reasons.
- andromeduck 9y ago
  > Maybe that means JS is a superior language in the context of the problem is was made to address. Holy shit! Who would have thought that "it depends" applies to development?! Only in terms of access/availability but that was his point...

always_good 9y ago

Well, how many other languages are sent over the wire to be interpreted on a ubiquitous client that's been incrementally changing for decades? Is it a mystery to you why this situation is different from your favorite language that you aren't source-to-source compiling?