4 ms·

Who's "we"? How about we ask Google to focus on things the vast majority of Android developers actually want? Java 7/8 comes to mind. Even if we're looking for

by remon 12y ago

Who's "we"? How about we ask Google to focus on things the vast majority of Android developers actually want? Java 7/8 comes to mind. Even if we're looking for just an alternative Android dev language Scala probably wouldn't even be in the top 10.

eklavya 12y ago
What matrix are you using where Scala wouldn't make it in top 10? I would bet it would be one of the top choices.
- remon 12y ago
  Well I'll immediately admit my top 10 comment wasn't exactly based on comprehensive research and polling on the subject. That said I doubt that if such a poll would happen the results would place Scala anywhere near the top. There are just very few upsides for Google to do so. Their main reason for adding language support would be to broaden the developer base that is able to create Android applications and how many Scala developers do you know that aren't fluent in Java?
- 27182818284 12y ago
  As a new Android developer Scala wouldn't remotely have come to my mind as a feature I wanted anytime soon. The Android Studio is still in beta, the ability to test different platforms with the simulator is less than great (poor) experience still on a MacBook Pro, and the vast majority of developers come out with iOS versions of their products before Android. Those three alone need massive attention before I would even remotely want Google to focus resources on Scala development.
  - ibebrett 12y ago
    Scala is an immensely popular jvm language (as far as jvm langaugesg go). That's why it would be a good candidate.
    - zak_mc_kracken 12y ago
      Scala and Groovy both have about 2% mind share on the JVM. I wouldn't call that "immense".
      - ibebrett 12y ago
        Are you counting java in that percentage? What is the percentage of scala out of non-java jvm languages?
        zak_mc_kracken 12y ago
        It seems to be tied with Groovy at the #2 spot (about 2% each).
      - frowaway001 12y ago
        Maybe 2% developers. Mind share ... are there any great minds left in the Java ecosystem? Doesn't feel that way.
      - vorg 12y ago
        Scala and Groovy are used for two totally different use cases. Scala is used instead of Java as a systems language for building systems, whereas Groovy is used as well as Java for testing Java classes or calling them from Grails. In theory we could use Groovy as the dynamic language for Scala, but because of its type inference and syntactic tersity Scala doesn't need a Groovy.
- zak_mc_kracken 12y ago
  All the various language surveys that have come up these past months (RedMonk, TIOBE, job boards, github popularity, etc...) put Scala in a distant #30-50 slot. Certainly not in the top 90% mainstream languages.
  - eklavya 12y ago
    Please, let's be rational about this. A new language takes time to gain widespread use. Or are you telling me that Go, Scala, <put your favorite new hotness> all account for nothing? We the developer community are in a transition phase. The advancements will become mainstream but it will take time. Scala is picking up pace like anything. This has been visible to anyone following the Scala ecosystem. Not in just programmer circles, the bombardment of jobs for Scala developers in the enterprise suggests they are interested too.
    - zak_mc_kracken 12y ago
      Sure, languages take a very long time to gain adoption. Scala has been around for ten years and is still showing very little adoption while Clojure and more recently Ceylon are already receiving a lot of attention. I used to have very high hopes for Scala to become the next Java but at this point, I've moved on and hoping that another language will get that spot.
      - frowaway001 12y ago
        > while Clojure and more recently Ceylon are already receiving a lot of attention That's a nice bubble you seem to live in.
  - frowaway001 12y ago
    Number 14 on Redmonk. http://redmonk.com/sogrady/2014/06/13/language-rankings-6-14/ http://redmonk.com/sogrady/2014/06/13/language-rankings-6-14... "The next JVM language to learn" (Java-focused survey): Scala leads comfotably with 47%. http://zeroturnaround.com/rebellabs/interview-with-typesafe-4-answers-about-the-past-present-and-future-of-scala-development/ http://zeroturnaround.com/rebellabs/interview-with-typesafe-... Apart from that, you are completely missing the context. People are not looking for a random language, but for a language which is compatible with Java and Android, allows gradual migration and protects existing investment. Scala is the top-contender here.

by remon 12y ago

eklavya 12y ago

What matrix are you using where Scala wouldn't make it in top 10? I would bet it would be one of the top choices.

remon 12y ago
Well I'll immediately admit my top 10 comment wasn't exactly based on comprehensive research and polling on the subject. That said I doubt that if such a poll would happen the results would place Scala anywhere near the top. There are just very few upsides for Google to do so. Their main reason for adding language support would be to broaden the developer base that is able to create Android applications and how many Scala developers do you know that aren't fluent in Java?
27182818284 12y ago
As a new Android developer Scala wouldn't remotely have come to my mind as a feature I wanted anytime soon. The Android Studio is still in beta, the ability to test different platforms with the simulator is less than great (poor) experience still on a MacBook Pro, and the vast majority of developers come out with iOS versions of their products before Android. Those three alone need massive attention before I would even remotely want Google to focus resources on Scala development.
- ibebrett 12y ago
  Scala is an immensely popular jvm language (as far as jvm langaugesg go). That's why it would be a good candidate.
  - zak_mc_kracken 12y ago
    Scala and Groovy both have about 2% mind share on the JVM. I wouldn't call that "immense".
    - ibebrett 12y ago
      Are you counting java in that percentage? What is the percentage of scala out of non-java jvm languages?
      - zak_mc_kracken 12y ago
        It seems to be tied with Groovy at the #2 spot (about 2% each).
    - frowaway001 12y ago
      Maybe 2% developers. Mind share ... are there any great minds left in the Java ecosystem? Doesn't feel that way.
    - vorg 12y ago
      Scala and Groovy are used for two totally different use cases. Scala is used instead of Java as a systems language for building systems, whereas Groovy is used as well as Java for testing Java classes or calling them from Grails. In theory we could use Groovy as the dynamic language for Scala, but because of its type inference and syntactic tersity Scala doesn't need a Groovy.
zak_mc_kracken 12y ago
All the various language surveys that have come up these past months (RedMonk, TIOBE, job boards, github popularity, etc...) put Scala in a distant #30-50 slot. Certainly not in the top 90% mainstream languages.
- eklavya 12y ago
  Please, let's be rational about this. A new language takes time to gain widespread use. Or are you telling me that Go, Scala, <put your favorite new hotness> all account for nothing? We the developer community are in a transition phase. The advancements will become mainstream but it will take time. Scala is picking up pace like anything. This has been visible to anyone following the Scala ecosystem. Not in just programmer circles, the bombardment of jobs for Scala developers in the enterprise suggests they are interested too.
  - zak_mc_kracken 12y ago
    Sure, languages take a very long time to gain adoption. Scala has been around for ten years and is still showing very little adoption while Clojure and more recently Ceylon are already receiving a lot of attention. I used to have very high hopes for Scala to become the next Java but at this point, I've moved on and hoping that another language will get that spot.
    - frowaway001 12y ago
      > while Clojure and more recently Ceylon are already receiving a lot of attention That's a nice bubble you seem to live in.
- frowaway001 12y ago
  Number 14 on Redmonk. http://redmonk.com/sogrady/2014/06/13/language-rankings-6-14/ http://redmonk.com/sogrady/2014/06/13/language-rankings-6-14... "The next JVM language to learn" (Java-focused survey): Scala leads comfotably with 47%. http://zeroturnaround.com/rebellabs/interview-with-typesafe-4-answers-about-the-past-present-and-future-of-scala-development/ http://zeroturnaround.com/rebellabs/interview-with-typesafe-... Apart from that, you are completely missing the context. People are not looking for a random language, but for a language which is compatible with Java and Android, allows gradual migration and protects existing investment. Scala is the top-contender here.