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You would think by this point all languages would have standardized on a basic library. I mean, if you're not starting off with what Python (or even Mono for th

• grey-area 14y ago
  The differences between standard libraries, programming idioms, communities and ethos often play a large role in defining a new language, so surely sharing a standard library would in many ways defeat the point of trying something new? A programming language is not just a spec and a syntax, it's also a way of seeing the world - "The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.", so to get a new way of looking at things, you also need to reinvent the basics to some extent, and rethink how (for example) basics like errors, threads or strings are handled. Personally, I think it's useful to have a multipolar programming landscape, even if it sometimes leads to duplicated work, because it can give you a fresh perspective on old problems.