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>I think using PHP warrants extra points for style. Especially if literally everyone else is just using node + MongoDB.

• chriswarbo 8y ago
  > Especially if literally everyone else is just using node + MongoDB. There's definitely a "narccissism of small differences" going on in programming languages. PHP, JS, Python, Ruby, Perl are all basically the same (dynamically typed, imperative, interpreted, optional class-based-OOP, etc.). If a decision's been made to use one of these, then things like library availability and developer experience are probably much more important than particular language features or quality. Yet there's a whole bunch of fighting and in-group/out-group between these. Likewise Java and C# are essentially the same thing (I think the lawsuit banning Microsoft from bundling Java had a big influence on their push for C#, rather than actual features of the language). There also seems to be a certain level of incests among languages. I remember PHP had an RFC (request for comments) for adding generators to the language, seemingly because Python has them. I commented that it would be better to go with delimited continuations, since they're more powerful and could also use the same implementation as exception handling. My comment was not well received, presumably because delimited continuations would actually make PHP different from its kin, rather than even closer. > I think using PHP warrants extra points for style. I always feel like a "real" programming language debate should throw in the occasional curveball, like a Prolog interpreter embedded in Smalltalk or something. At least it would break the monotony. On a related note, why shouldn't a mars rover be programmed in TeX? http://sdh33b.blogspot.co.uk/2008/07/icfp-contest-2008.html http://sdh33b.blogspot.co.uk/2008/07/icfp-contest-2008.html