I'd say JavaScript works well enough for its original goal - simple DOM manipulation in response to UI events. IMHO the trouble comes from folks who want to use

I'd say JavaScript works well enough for its original goal - simple DOM manipulation in response to UI events. IMHO the trouble comes from folks who want to use it for all kinds of over-reaching frameworks. The moment you have to discuss enumerating properties of classes, prototypes, etc., JavaScript's lack of typing becomes painfully obvious and there are just much better languages to spend your time on. I also like the original practical vision for node.js/CommonJS as an escape from the metaprogramming excess that has become Java.