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I actually used the same wording as his official bio: https://blog.mozilla.org/press/bios/brendan-eich/ https://blog.mozilla.org/press/bios/brendan-eich/ I do

I actually used the same wording as his official bio: https://blog.mozilla.org/press/bios/brendan-eich/ https://blog.mozilla.org/press/bios/brendan-eich/ I do agree that "inventor" is much stronger than "creator" but in the case of something as huge as JavaScript itself, I think he deserves it :)

seanmcdirmid 13y ago
It's just plain wrong to use "invent" that way in English. He designed JavaScript, he didn't "invent" it. Designing and inventing are two very different activities. You wouldn't invent a specific language, but maybe the concept of "programming language" itself or specific language features. Lovelace invented the program, Zuse invented he programming language, and someone invented classes (probably Scandinavian) and first-order functions (probably a mathematician).
- nimble 13y ago
  invent: create or design (something that has not existed before); be the originator of. So invent and design are near synonyms. There are subtle differences, of course. For example, I don't think it would be right to accuse you of designing the distinction you're making here. ;)
  - bolder88 13y ago
    Disagree. You wouldn't say "Wow you invented a lovely picture of a house" to your kid would you. They drew a picture. Just like a programmer writes a program.
    - _greim_ 13y ago
      Incidentally, you also wouldn't say "you designed a lovely picture of a house." So the parent's point stands.
      - seanmcdirmid 13y ago
        Just because create and design are not synonyms doesn't make invent and create synonyms. Invented can be used as a pretentious form of create I guess, but it just makes the subject look like a tool. Edison invented the light bulb is ok, there weren't any economically viable light bulbs before. Eich invented JavaScript just makes Eich look bad though, there were plenty of PLs existing before that Eich borrowed from in his design.
        nimble 13y ago
        I agree with you that 'designed' is the word he probably ought to use and that 'invented' is pretentious, ... but I don't think it's wrong.
        seanmcdirmid 13y ago
        It is not black and white, just not the right shade of gray.

seanmcdirmid 13y ago

It's just plain wrong to use "invent" that way in English. He designed JavaScript, he didn't "invent" it. Designing and inventing are two very different activities. You wouldn't invent a specific language, but maybe the concept of "programming language" itself or specific language features. Lovelace invented the program, Zuse invented he programming language, and someone invented classes (probably Scandinavian) and first-order functions (probably a mathematician).

nimble 13y ago
invent: create or design (something that has not existed before); be the originator of. So invent and design are near synonyms. There are subtle differences, of course. For example, I don't think it would be right to accuse you of designing the distinction you're making here. ;)
- bolder88 13y ago
  Disagree. You wouldn't say "Wow you invented a lovely picture of a house" to your kid would you. They drew a picture. Just like a programmer writes a program.
  - _greim_ 13y ago
    Incidentally, you also wouldn't say "you designed a lovely picture of a house." So the parent's point stands.
    - seanmcdirmid 13y ago
      Just because create and design are not synonyms doesn't make invent and create synonyms. Invented can be used as a pretentious form of create I guess, but it just makes the subject look like a tool. Edison invented the light bulb is ok, there weren't any economically viable light bulbs before. Eich invented JavaScript just makes Eich look bad though, there were plenty of PLs existing before that Eich borrowed from in his design.
      - nimble 13y ago
        I agree with you that 'designed' is the word he probably ought to use and that 'invented' is pretentious, ... but I don't think it's wrong.
        seanmcdirmid 13y ago
        It is not black and white, just not the right shade of gray.