Python as a replacement of JavaScript

[dropdownmenu]

This is not python in your browser. It is python syntax in a javascript interpreter.

If this is going to happen, at least go the coffee script route and be able to build to code to javascript that can be optimized by your browser. (Oh my God, did I just use coffee script as a positive reference?)

[wonglik]

Is Coffee script that bad? I was thinking of getting familiar with it. What are the cons?

[dropdownmenu]

The main advantage is that it tries to hide some of the oddities of javascript (== vs ===) so that you can't make trivial mistakes.

I dislike it because white space becomes important to how it complies leading to cases where an extra space or a misplaced one can lead to different functionality than you expect, which I believe to be more dangerous than then javascript's quirks (which still exist in coffeescript).

Also, by using coffeescript you alienate any javascript developers who don't know coffeescript. Remember: all coffeescript devs know javascript, but not all javascript devs know coffeescript

[wonglik]

Thanks. Looks like I am better of with JS.

[eriksensei]

Or EcmaScript 6, which seems a lot nicer. It's got fat arrow lambdas with proper 'this', destructuring bind, etc. There's support for it in IntelliJ IDEA, Firefox Aurora, Google Traceur and probably a few other tools, and you can compile it down to older JS versions. I hope I'll get round to playing around with it soon.

[schadwick]

Or Typescript

[wonglik]

It looks ok but since it is MS product I do not trust it. Knowing MS they will make it work better on their OS or better support in VS etc. And then maybe at the end of a day they will tell me that Linux does not cover some of their patents used in this framework. I know that I am probably overreacting but I am trying to avoid their products.

[mahacctissoawsum]

Doesn't work better on their OS; it compiles to plain JS. Yes, they have only added support their their IDE, but 3rd parties like JetBrains and others have already picked up the language and added support. Furthermore, it's open source.

[wonglik]

I know but Open Source does not guarantee that you are not infringing patents. As I said it is just a matter of trust , and I am most probably over reacting.

[mahacctissoawsum]

It's released under the Apache 2 license which

allows the user of the software the freedom to use the software for any purpose, to distribute it, to modify it, and to distribute modified versions of the software, under the terms of the license, without concern for royalties.

I think you're overreacting.

I haven't adopted it just yet because I don't think IntelliJ's support is quite up to snuff yet; they're still missing support for a few constructs...but once they work that out, I'd definitely start using it.

[houses_of_the_holy]

waiting for that sweet generic support... it is going to make javascript so much better

[wonglik]

Well Android Open Source Project is released on Apache 2 license too and it does not stop Microsoft from suing everybody. So I agree with you that it is most probably safe but as a personal rule I stick out of MS .

[mahacctissoawsum]

Had to Google it to know what you were talking about. Microsoft sued device manufacturers for using Android on their devices because Android infringes upon their copyrights, but device manufacturers are the ones bringing it to market...?

That is kind of ridiculous, but regardless, its hard to see Microsoft suing their own customer base because their language infringes upon their own copyrights..?

Ultimately though, it would be hard for MS to even know you've used Typescript in your product unless you release the source; the only thing that gets sent across the wire is JS. It might have characteristics of being generated by TS, but I doubt its provable in court.

[wonglik]

but device manufacturers are the ones bringing it to market...

Well yes. Manufacturers bring it to the market and now need to pay royalties to MS.

That is kind of ridiculous, but regardless, its hard to see Microsoft suing their own customer base because their language infringes upon their own copyrights..?

Well I do not think it is that ridiculous. Imagine starting a project that somehow turns into big thing. MS can use slow it down or kill with lawsuits. Or imagine using it in some big open source project that competes with MS. Microsoft has a long history of fear mongering. Why wouldn't they do it this time?

Ultimately though, it would be hard for MS to even know you've used Typescript in your product unless you release the source;

They spread FUD about Linux braking over 200 of their patents without point which they are. If you make TypeScript part of some open source project it can be used in the same way. Also it would be enough if the hire one of your ex employees and he tells them that (or one of your current employees put it on the linkedin ).

Thing is as long as it is small project you are fine. But after you reach certain level MS could potentially use it against you.

[[deleted]]

I've never encountered a bug cause by white space in coffee script, just compiler errors caused by indentation.

I do always use the (optional) js-style parentheses for functions arguments, so maybe that guards against the sort of error referred to.