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Depends what you define a 'scripting language' as, doesn't it? Some people argue python isn't a scripting language, because it 'compiles' to byte code. What i

Depends what you define a 'scripting language' as, doesn't it? Some people argue python isn't a scripting language, because it 'compiles' to byte code. What is the defining characteristic of a scripting language for you? That it runs in an interpreter? That you distribute source code files that are executed by a monolithic binary? That you can't compile it into a static binary? java, lua, javascript, perl, python, make, awk, powershell? Which of these doesn't tick at least one of those? The point the parent post is making is that 'scripting language' is an arbitrary term that isn't well defined. It tends to traditionally mean "relatively easy to code in language that runs slowly and has a horrible syntax". ie. bash scripts, perl scripts, make files and the like. ...but technically speaking, what makes these 'scripting languages' as distinct from other languages, like say, java? Or, indeed, go? The parent isn't arguing that go is a scripting language (I wouldn't say that either), but that it shares some common features, both good and bad (ease of writing, gc) with some other 'scripting languages'.

jerf 12y ago
"but that it shares some common features, both good and bad (ease of writing, gc) with some other 'scripting languages'." And that the useful criteria are changing, as in my reply to Retra. Who in 2014 is sitting here selecting a language based on whether or not it is "compiled" or "interpreted" as opposed to picking it based on libraries, or simple real speed (as opposed to worrying about where the speed comes from)? Who saw the wave of Javascript JIT interpreters and yelled "Crap, there goes Javascript, because now it's 'compiled' and that change now makes it suck"? The way we're going to be characterizing language families in 2020 will make such 1990 concerns look quaint and there's little reason not to start thinking about it now, since 2014 looks more like 2020 than 1990.

jerf 12y ago

"but that it shares some common features, both good and bad (ease of writing, gc) with some other 'scripting languages'." And that the useful criteria are changing, as in my reply to Retra. Who in 2014 is sitting here selecting a language based on whether or not it is "compiled" or "interpreted" as opposed to picking it based on libraries, or simple real speed (as opposed to worrying about where the speed comes from)? Who saw the wave of Javascript JIT interpreters and yelled "Crap, there goes Javascript, because now it's 'compiled' and that change now makes it suck"? The way we're going to be characterizing language families in 2020 will make such 1990 concerns look quaint and there's little reason not to start thinking about it now, since 2014 looks more like 2020 than 1990.