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> If I just make a [new language designed from scratch], the odds of anyone using it other than me are almost 0. The mechanics of how languages become popular a
by tayistay 6y ago
> If I just make a [new language designed from scratch], the odds of anyone using it other than me are almost 0. The mechanics of how languages become popular are confusing and unknown and you are very unlikely to produce the next big language, so, to a certain extent, you don’t really have a choice, if you want to actually solve real problems and actually help real people with their programming problems.
Supposing your design is good, wouldn't this just be an issue of promotion? How is a language (and the surrounding toolchain) different from other products?
- dean177 6y ago> wouldn't this just be an issue of promotion? How is a language different from other products? Network effects. Languages benefit (and become more useful) the more people use them: - You are less likely to run into compiler bugs - You are more likely to find a high quality library that solves your problem - You are more likely to be able to get help with your problems Building up the community that drives that network is a huge amount of work.