5 ms·

TLDR: C# is our real language. F# is a thing that gets supported to the extent that unpaid volunteers do the work. VB is in back-compat legacy support mode.

jjtheblunt 4y ago
Huh? F# has Microsoft Research building it and its libraries and optimizing compilers, no?
- eyegor 4y ago
  Last time I talked to them, the entire f# team at Microsoft was still fewer than 10 people. Language features, lsp modules, visual studio support, etc. They do technically exist but it's far from a focus at ms.
  - xupybd 4y ago
    I hope that changes. F# is a very nice language to use. I hope that it survives and grows. It's my favorite functional first language.
    - andsoitis 4y ago
      do you use it professionally?
      - xupybd 4y ago
        Yes a mix of F# and C#
- unclad5968 4y ago
  I think GP gave a cynical, but fairly accurate summary. If F# is worked on by MS research, they certainly didn't communicate that in the strategy they just published. C# >We will keep evolving C# to meet the changing needs of developers and remain a state-of-the-art programming language. We will innovate eagerly and broadly in collaboration with the teams responsible for .NET libraries, developer tools, and workload support, while being careful to stay within the spirit of the language. F# > We will drive F# evolution and support the F# ecosystem with language leadership and governance. We will encourage community contributions to improve the F# language and developer experience.
  - jjtheblunt 4y ago
    Yeah, it is strange that they did not mention that part of F# directly, only obliquely in saying that they maintain compilers and toolchains and runtimes with extensive community support, or something similar, perhaps on the linked page. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/async-padl-revised-v2.pdf https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/wp-content/uploads/... There's an example of a Microsoft Research paper on F#.
    - pjmlp 4y ago
      Have you checked the date? I think nowadays only Don Syme is employed by Microsoft research.
      - pjmlp 4y ago
        Actually on the Reddit thread, they mentioned he has left Microsfot Research as well, https://githubnext.com/team/dsyme/ https://githubnext.com/team/dsyme/
        jjtheblunt 4y ago
        that's interesting...apparently transferred within Microsoft to work on future Github functionality?
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
malkia 4y ago
VB=Very Backwards compatible
jslakro 4y ago
VB is not only for compatibility. VB is a key piece between pure development and advanced Office capabilities, more commonly found in Excel with VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) We cannot forget that the biggest competitor of any new software based startup/project is a spreadsheet created by the target users
- pjmlp 4y ago
  I experienced this in first hand when doing some contracting for a lifesciences company. Many of their researchers weren't using R or Python, rather VB, as they were already quite skilled in VBA, so having IT giving them access to VB.NET was a natural evolution.
Lord_Zero 4y ago
When the average enterprise starts using F# regularly, maybe it will get the same TLC as C#. Lots of complaints about F# being the red headed stepchild but people seem to miss the fact that C# absolutely dominates on the list of languages the average Windows/Microsoft shop is using.

jjtheblunt 4y ago

Huh? F# has Microsoft Research building it and its libraries and optimizing compilers, no?

eyegor 4y ago
Last time I talked to them, the entire f# team at Microsoft was still fewer than 10 people. Language features, lsp modules, visual studio support, etc. They do technically exist but it's far from a focus at ms.
- xupybd 4y ago
  I hope that changes. F# is a very nice language to use. I hope that it survives and grows. It's my favorite functional first language.
  - andsoitis 4y ago
    do you use it professionally?
    - xupybd 4y ago
      Yes a mix of F# and C#
unclad5968 4y ago
I think GP gave a cynical, but fairly accurate summary. If F# is worked on by MS research, they certainly didn't communicate that in the strategy they just published. C# >We will keep evolving C# to meet the changing needs of developers and remain a state-of-the-art programming language. We will innovate eagerly and broadly in collaboration with the teams responsible for .NET libraries, developer tools, and workload support, while being careful to stay within the spirit of the language. F# > We will drive F# evolution and support the F# ecosystem with language leadership and governance. We will encourage community contributions to improve the F# language and developer experience.
- jjtheblunt 4y ago
  Yeah, it is strange that they did not mention that part of F# directly, only obliquely in saying that they maintain compilers and toolchains and runtimes with extensive community support, or something similar, perhaps on the linked page. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/async-padl-revised-v2.pdf https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/wp-content/uploads/... There's an example of a Microsoft Research paper on F#.
  - pjmlp 4y ago
    Have you checked the date? I think nowadays only Don Syme is employed by Microsoft research.
    - pjmlp 4y ago
      Actually on the Reddit thread, they mentioned he has left Microsfot Research as well, https://githubnext.com/team/dsyme/ https://githubnext.com/team/dsyme/
      - jjtheblunt 4y ago
        that's interesting...apparently transferred within Microsoft to work on future Github functionality?
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]

malkia 4y ago

VB=Very Backwards compatible

jslakro 4y ago

VB is not only for compatibility. VB is a key piece between pure development and advanced Office capabilities, more commonly found in Excel with VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) We cannot forget that the biggest competitor of any new software based startup/project is a spreadsheet created by the target users

pjmlp 4y ago
I experienced this in first hand when doing some contracting for a lifesciences company. Many of their researchers weren't using R or Python, rather VB, as they were already quite skilled in VBA, so having IT giving them access to VB.NET was a natural evolution.

Lord_Zero 4y ago

When the average enterprise starts using F# regularly, maybe it will get the same TLC as C#. Lots of complaints about F# being the red headed stepchild but people seem to miss the fact that C# absolutely dominates on the list of languages the average Windows/Microsoft shop is using.