Closures are functions with state. Your claim that Joe is a talented programmer isn't very persuasive. Edit: maybe I should say why. I have known many programm

Closures are functions with state. Your claim that Joe is a talented programmer isn't very persuasive. Edit: maybe I should say why. I have known many programmers of the 9-5 type who do a passable job, but are not interested in learning anything. It is as if they had a limited supply of energy for learning and used it up when they were getting started. This is a common type of working programmer and you made it sound like Joe might be one.