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I'm not sure meaningful comparisons of programming languages are even possible. It's a bit like asking if English is better than Spanish. What you can do is co

• jacquesm 17y ago
  I think that it is not like 'is english better than spanish', I think it can be: Is English or Spanish a better language to communicate in for a specific purpose, just like is Python or Clojure a better language to achieve a certain goal in. So, without the context of that goal a comparison is meaningless. But, let's say we create a certain application (let's say an accounting program, or a spreadheet) in both clojure and python, feature-for-feature identical, user interface identical and so on, then a comparison becomes possible. How long did it take to complete the project ? How easy is it to change the program to conform to some new specification ? How fast does it execute ? And so on. It all boils down to the old benchmark problem, a benchmark in a vacuum is meaningless, you have to test using real applications.
  • danh 17y ago
    Then we agree, I think. My point is that it is quite possible, even easy, to describe experiences with a language ("It was easier to communicate in Spanish in Madrid"). But it is rather pointless to debate languages in isolation ("Spanish verb conjugations must lead to more powerful novels", or somesuch). The same applies to programming languages, I think.