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Node is hated because programmers are highly opinionated (not in a negative way). Everything with huge usage gets hate, because everything has flaws and trade o

Node is hated because programmers are highly opinionated (not in a negative way). Everything with huge usage gets hate, because everything has flaws and trade offs. People get forced to use it at work, sometimes to solve the wrong kinds of problems for it's strengths, which amplifies the dislike. It's the nature of the beast.

yshklarov 5y ago
A fair point, but don't you think it sidesteps the matter at hand? Never mind that other systems have flaws, too. What are the specific reasons that Node.js itself is hated?
- drewcoo 5y ago
  You are reframing the question then accusing the parent of not answering your goalposts-moved scenario.
pixelgeek 5y ago
> Node is hated because programmers are highly opinionated (not in a negative way). And in a negative way as well :-) Ask me how I feel about php. This is, though, a very excellent point.
- CodeGlitch 5y ago
  > Ask me how I feel about php. Negative views about PHP is completely justified :)
  - pixelgeek 5y ago
    Don't get me started.
  - linkdd 5y ago
    Fun fact: PHP stands for "People Hate Perl"
    - ukoms 5y ago
      Perl is not a bad language. Neither is PHP. I'm using both. And to be honest - it's all about collaboration. Writing something for myself? Perl. Writing anything which will involve anyone else? PHP.
      - tonywoode 5y ago
        writing something that you don't mind if you hate after? PHP. Writing something that you don't mind if you hate after AND if you don't mind if you hate yourself after: Perl
dkarl 5y ago
I disagree. Python doesn't get anywhere near the amount of hate as Javascript. Ruby never had that level of hate. Go attracts some criticism, but it also has a lot of ardent supporters. I have extremely negative feelings about Java, but when I work on a Java project, I can't assume that everybody working with me feel the same way. Lots of people who work with Java find it tolerable or even pleasant. Javascript is like PHP; when you join a group of people working in it, you can freely shit on the language without worrying that you're going to hurt anybody's feelings, because everybody hates it. Even people who love it, hate it.
- eska 5y ago
  As an outsider, I see nodejs differently from js in general. I think nodejs has its flaws, in particular in the ecosystem, but general js is just garbage all the way. I think a lot of people see it this way.
- muzani 5y ago
  That's interesting. I hate Java and actually like JS. I used to make the same assumption too, that everyone just hated Java and it was easy to hate on. I used to apply for JS jobs, and the interview would have questions like "What do you dislike about JS?" I couldn't find much to dislike and never got those jobs. Maybe it's a sign of proficiency when you're good enough at a language to hit its limits. I'd say the other effect is when you join projects built by experienced but non-senior people, it tends to be overengineered. Overengineering shows the ugly side of a language. Everyone assumes that this is normal behaviour for the language, when it's frequently not.
- rektide 5y ago
  no other language had anywhere near the amount of users who were put onto it, regardless of their tastes. js is ubiquotous, node js highly present. and unlike these other languages there s not usually one or two ways of doing things. there's so many different frameworks, build tools, countless stacks beyond measure. when someone is force converted onto node they're more likely than not to have poor footing, be unable to make the typical sloe steady grind into proficiency they would with a less diverse language like python or ruby.
- 5y ago
dolni 5y ago
Everything has flaws and trade offs, but some things have more flaws than others. You wouldn't make this statement if to compare bogosort and quicksort, would you? JavaScript sucks. It isn't the best choice for any problem except where you are forced to use it (the web browser). The only reason we still have it is inertia. PHP is in the same camp. Programming languages have evolved. We know how to do better now.

yshklarov 5y ago

A fair point, but don't you think it sidesteps the matter at hand? Never mind that other systems have flaws, too. What are the specific reasons that Node.js itself is hated?

drewcoo 5y ago
You are reframing the question then accusing the parent of not answering your goalposts-moved scenario.

pixelgeek 5y ago

> Node is hated because programmers are highly opinionated (not in a negative way). And in a negative way as well :-) Ask me how I feel about php. This is, though, a very excellent point.

CodeGlitch 5y ago
> Ask me how I feel about php. Negative views about PHP is completely justified :)
- pixelgeek 5y ago
  Don't get me started.
- linkdd 5y ago
  Fun fact: PHP stands for "People Hate Perl"
  - ukoms 5y ago
    Perl is not a bad language. Neither is PHP. I'm using both. And to be honest - it's all about collaboration. Writing something for myself? Perl. Writing anything which will involve anyone else? PHP.
    - tonywoode 5y ago
      writing something that you don't mind if you hate after? PHP. Writing something that you don't mind if you hate after AND if you don't mind if you hate yourself after: Perl

dkarl 5y ago

I disagree. Python doesn't get anywhere near the amount of hate as Javascript. Ruby never had that level of hate. Go attracts some criticism, but it also has a lot of ardent supporters. I have extremely negative feelings about Java, but when I work on a Java project, I can't assume that everybody working with me feel the same way. Lots of people who work with Java find it tolerable or even pleasant. Javascript is like PHP; when you join a group of people working in it, you can freely shit on the language without worrying that you're going to hurt anybody's feelings, because everybody hates it. Even people who love it, hate it.

eska 5y ago
As an outsider, I see nodejs differently from js in general. I think nodejs has its flaws, in particular in the ecosystem, but general js is just garbage all the way. I think a lot of people see it this way.
muzani 5y ago
That's interesting. I hate Java and actually like JS. I used to make the same assumption too, that everyone just hated Java and it was easy to hate on. I used to apply for JS jobs, and the interview would have questions like "What do you dislike about JS?" I couldn't find much to dislike and never got those jobs. Maybe it's a sign of proficiency when you're good enough at a language to hit its limits. I'd say the other effect is when you join projects built by experienced but non-senior people, it tends to be overengineered. Overengineering shows the ugly side of a language. Everyone assumes that this is normal behaviour for the language, when it's frequently not.
rektide 5y ago
no other language had anywhere near the amount of users who were put onto it, regardless of their tastes. js is ubiquotous, node js highly present. and unlike these other languages there s not usually one or two ways of doing things. there's so many different frameworks, build tools, countless stacks beyond measure. when someone is force converted onto node they're more likely than not to have poor footing, be unable to make the typical sloe steady grind into proficiency they would with a less diverse language like python or ruby.
5y ago

dolni 5y ago

Everything has flaws and trade offs, but some things have more flaws than others. You wouldn't make this statement if to compare bogosort and quicksort, would you? JavaScript sucks. It isn't the best choice for any problem except where you are forced to use it (the web browser). The only reason we still have it is inertia. PHP is in the same camp. Programming languages have evolved. We know how to do better now.