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I mean, it's not Java, C#, Go or JS. It never was that big. But some pretty successful startups used it and some successful companies today use it. It's been

I mean, it's not Java, C#, Go or JS. It never was that big. But some pretty successful startups used it and some successful companies today use it. It's been a tool used to spawn quite a few billion+ dollar companies.

pmontra 5y ago
Honestly, is Go as big as those three other languages?
- Mikeb85 5y ago
  Not yet, but it's now in the category of "You won't get fired for picking X". It's seen as enterprise-y and 'safe' and yes, is definitely quite used. The fact it's used internally at Google and MS alone means it's got traction. I'm willing to bet lots of enterprise shops are using it for things, even if it's not #1.
- ksec 5y ago
  The important question is would you have enough choices in Job Hunting if all you know is Go. And Go seems to be close to if not already a self sustainable status.
smt88 5y ago
I agree, but we're talking about whether a language is popular, aren't we? Ruby is a fine language that some people have ridden to great success. It is still a fairly niche language. We're on a popular website written in Arc -- likely the only website written in Arc. Popularity isn't everything and I'm not suggesting it is.
- Mikeb85 5y ago
  What does popular mean? Used by X% of people or used by X people? Ruby developers is small in % but rather large as an absolute number.
  - ksec 5y ago
    Popular as in industry usage? Which is comparatively very small. Smt88 is correct in that it is increasingly a niche. Churn rate is greater than retention rate. Junior Developers cant find jobs with Ruby and Rails, and they switch to others that do find them jobs. Companies only want to hire experience Ruby Rails developers but some of them moved on. It is a vicious cycle. The point is even if Reddit was written in Arc, it has no bearing on Arc's industry status. It needs to be in a self sustainable ecosystem.
    - montblanc 5y ago
      Juniors have a hard time getting jobs period, I don't think it has anything to do with Ruby.

pmontra 5y ago

Honestly, is Go as big as those three other languages?

Mikeb85 5y ago
Not yet, but it's now in the category of "You won't get fired for picking X". It's seen as enterprise-y and 'safe' and yes, is definitely quite used. The fact it's used internally at Google and MS alone means it's got traction. I'm willing to bet lots of enterprise shops are using it for things, even if it's not #1.
ksec 5y ago
The important question is would you have enough choices in Job Hunting if all you know is Go. And Go seems to be close to if not already a self sustainable status.

smt88 5y ago

I agree, but we're talking about whether a language is popular, aren't we? Ruby is a fine language that some people have ridden to great success. It is still a fairly niche language. We're on a popular website written in Arc -- likely the only website written in Arc. Popularity isn't everything and I'm not suggesting it is.

Mikeb85 5y ago
What does popular mean? Used by X% of people or used by X people? Ruby developers is small in % but rather large as an absolute number.
- ksec 5y ago
  Popular as in industry usage? Which is comparatively very small. Smt88 is correct in that it is increasingly a niche. Churn rate is greater than retention rate. Junior Developers cant find jobs with Ruby and Rails, and they switch to others that do find them jobs. Companies only want to hire experience Ruby Rails developers but some of them moved on. It is a vicious cycle. The point is even if Reddit was written in Arc, it has no bearing on Arc's industry status. It needs to be in a self sustainable ecosystem.
  - montblanc 5y ago
    Juniors have a hard time getting jobs period, I don't think it has anything to do with Ruby.