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Why do we as developers feel a need to constantly trash the things we don't like? If you don't like something, don't use it. Talk about the things you do like i
by ebbv 8y ago
Why do we as developers feel a need to constantly trash the things we don't like? If you don't like something, don't use it. Talk about the things you do like instead.
- ben509 8y agoBecause talking trash is fun. Maybe the discussion will identify some problems with a thing. There's an infamous piece "PHP is a fractal of bad design" that I found very insightful. But, honestly, it's mostly because it's entertaining.
- nocman 8y agoWhile I agree that it is good to not always dwell on the negative, there can be a lot of value in pointing out the deficiencies of programming languages. Some folks will just use a language without thinking about its downsides. If you use language X for a long period of time, you can become blind to areas where it is wasting your time. Again, I do agree that the tone could often be much more civil, but I would hate for experienced programmers to stop pointing out things that bother them about their programming languages. Much of the time it is not just about personal taste -- it is about real problems with the language that have a real cost.
- ebbv 8y agoI wasn't saying there's no place for constructive criticism or critiques. Those are definitely useful and important. But that's not what this article is, and I think we all know the tendency I'm talking about for people to spend more energy and feel more comfortable trashing things than talking about what they like.