This is a very old conversation; it's worth noting that dynamic compiled languages (e.g. common lisp) are a thing also. Having a good REPL can change the way

This is a very old conversation; it's worth noting that dynamic compiled languages (e.g. common lisp) are a thing also. Having a good REPL can change the way you look at it also. Weak typing and dynamism just don't go well together, but other combinations are fine. Strong dynamic typing can lead to an "exploratory" approach to coding that looks a bit like what the author describes except that you can do it in such a way that your program compiles and runs the whole time you are fleshing it out, which is nice. I find this sort of exploratory programming to be by far the most productive available in a research/prototyping mode. I do think the model falls down a bit when multiple programmers are involved, and in production. You could argue this is a feature though, as it is strong incentive to not ship the prototype ...