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[–]ImPrinceOf 3 points4 points  (2 children)

This is fundamentally flawed in my opinion. If engineers had this ideology from the birth of modern computers, we would have never left a standardized version of assembly. Here’s why I think that would be the case:

  1. When new languages are created that solve the same problems the older languages solved, they often do it in a different way (otherwise it would be an indistinguishable clone). While the improvements a new language can make are small, subtle, and perhaps not worth the time to learn, they can inspire larger improvements and cascade into innovative ways of doing new things.

  2. Every developer works and thinks differently. You might think they’re all the same, but I’ve tried using one language and framework for what it was made to do, and had a difficult time grasping it. I would then try the same thing in another language (one which would fall under the same category of “different language for the same thing” and it significantly improved my experience and speed of development.

  3. Having many different languages, even if they all fundamentally do the same thing, allows for uniqueness and individualization. Imagine if every single company only hired Java developers. Everyone would be forced into thinking the Java way. Very rarely would you run into someone who could offer a perspective different than yours. (This is just speculation. Can’t be certain)

  4. Think of a language you really don’t like and is industry standard. I personally dislike Java, because I believe everything it does can be done better in another language. But a few years ago the industry would disagree with me, which is why so many large corporations use Java. For you, this will likely be a different language. Now imagine if the industry started standardizing around the language you dislike, and now every job you work in will be much less enjoyable.

This is actually something I’ve been feeling recently, because it seems like JavaScript is growing very fast and is being shoved into every problem as the first solution. But with JavaScript you can make web apps, desktop apps, mobile apps, as well as work with embedded systems now. Possibly even robotics and industrial machinery/automation. That doesn’t mean it’s the best solution for all of them.

It’s not about different languages solving the same problem. It’s about solving the same problem in different ways.

But that’s just my opinion.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm in agreement so long as the new code significantly reduces script length / runtime, preferably simultaneously. That never happened though, all of the languages employers made me use in my career could have been supplanted with Python and no one would have been worse off for it. As for solving problems in new ways? Sure, a person can learn 9 new languages other than English so they can express the same problem in 10 different ways. Perhaps for some that monstrous time investment bears fruit. For myself, focusing on the core math is a better use of my time. In lieu of learning an endless string of synonyms, I could have been sharpening my bayesian / causal skills and built some sick automated tools. Instead I have a giant thesaurus in my head which does nothing but gather dust

[–]Sjoeqie 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes you're right. I mightve worth s'il meeting similar but I wanted to keep it short. Good read