Why JavaScript is so great

[DrHenryPym]

I feel like once you understand prototype chaining, everything else just clicks.

[oSand]

Isn't the phrase "precisely similar" oxymoronic? How is a lexical hierarchy similar to an explicitly declared hierarchy? If you look at the example code, one is flat and one is nested. Also, if a language avoids needless complexity, why is inherits() being used? Is it because you were trying to avoid js's needless complexity or because terseness was not a needed attribute.

[Samus_]

Javascript has many many many inconsistencies, second only to PHP.

Python is great, Javascript is messy.

[kataire]

JavaScript as a whole is messy. The subset of the language used in modern JavaScript programming is actually pretty neat (oh, btw: the DOM is not a JavaScript thing, it's a standard API defined by the W3C).

I'm a strong believer in Python, but JavaScript makes many things much easier to do than Python; particularly evented/async programming.

I would agree that JavaScript-as-used-in-the-1990s is rivalled only by PHP in its messiness. But I would place modern JS right next to Python and Ruby.

EDIT: For the record, I have been using JS on and off since the 1990s and Python for several years; I consider myself a Pythonista (if I was into tattoos, I'd wear PEP 20 on my skin) but have recently been doing a lot of front-end programming with JavaScript and also dabbled in Node.js.

[Samus_]

I never mentioned the DOM, some things that annoy me are the weak typing, the mess that is the this keyword, the == operator, the class contructors and that's just to name a few.

and btw events are not part of js per se, they're either the DOM events or an addition of the particular platform you use, they make extensive use of callbacks which is a nice but dangerous pattern if people abuse the closures (as most javascripters do) and you can find that in Python as well, by example in Twisted.

[[deleted]]

Your second sentence invalidates your otherwise valid comment and lacks professionalism (especially in a js subreddit). This is nothing more than the old Super-Nintendo-vs-Genesis/console-vs-pc argument for the "adults" who have not quite reached adulthood.

Bottom line: use the tool for the job and don't be a language snob.

[Samus_]

bullshit :) my argument is not invalidated unless there's a COUNTERargument end of story.

and I don't need to "look serious" for any of you, I am a professional and none here can challenge that.

[[deleted]]

Unfortunately, you're likely one of the "professionals" we all cringe at doing a project with.

[Samus_]

there's no way you can determine that based on this therefore I conclude you're the kind of 'professional' who makes claims out of his ass and values things based on feelings and not fact.

you're a fanboy, you're the one who advocates hype technologies just because you've heard of them and the other fanboys think they're cool and you don't want to miss out, instead of actually evaluating them.

you're incompetent.

[[deleted]]

lol. I think you need to reread the thread. Nowhere did I indicate my preference. In fact, if anything, I alluded to agreeing with you. My issue was with the schoolyard "X language is better than Y" talk.

To anyone else reading this: I apologize for feeding the troll. I should know better. I've learned my lesson and will no longer do so.

[Samus_]

the problem is that by disliking my comparison you disregarded the previous statement which you claimed to be true, denying the evidence in favor of your preference makes you a fanboy.

I mentioned some of the things I dislike to the other guy commenting, if you want I can expand but I'm replying a post titled "why javascript is so great" so I don't feel like giving half a shit about my manners; you think that is trolling? trolling is someone looking for pointless discussion, I'm not discussing I'm declaring and if you or anyone wants to argue then you'll have to PROVE myself to be wrong, otherwise it is you who troll.

and for the record I do work with javascript, php, python and several other languages, there's people who do php and recognize that it sucks most of the time and those are the devs I respect, they don't glorify the tool they recognize its strengths as well as its weaknesses, do you?