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> This really leaves not much advantage for Julia against R and Python. It's a bit of a chicken and egg problem. Really the argument is the problems with dual
by ska 5y ago
> This really leaves not much advantage for Julia against R and Python.
It's a bit of a chicken and egg problem. Really the argument is the problems with dual-language model will never go away, so Python & R face an ongoing cost disadvantage in the long run. However, they are also much more mature.
So assuming previous assertion is correct, you need to get enough people interested in Julia to grow to the tipping point.
I'm not really sure it will work, but can see the argument. After all technically superior platforms for this existed when python got started (heck, early python was next to useless for data work beyond file parsing) but that didn't dissuade it's use. The non-technical arguments made it a good-enough language and once that had momentum it's compelling.
On the third hand, what julia really needs to attract right now is mostly library/package writers - that's a tiny fraction of the users of python, but basically steers "what's next". However, for library writers, how many people might use it can be a deciding factor on investing the time...
- awaythrowact 5y ago> for library writers, how many people might use it can be a deciding factor on investing the time Yes. Especially given that a high percentage of library development these days is being done by industry, not just academia. (At least in machine learning.) They're not writing packages for fun or for academic citations, they want users.
- BadInformatics 5y agoJulia does appear to have a higher than usual proportion of package authors to total users, FWIW. I think it's both a blessing and a curse, because feedback around gaps in the ecosystem is sometimes brushed away with "write your own package". That is, because a large part of the community writes packages to scratch their own itch (I've yet to see one written for citations), they expect others to do the same (which may not be fair).