An excellent point. I'm not a linguist, but I believe these issues to be related. It is my opinion that the expressiveness of the medium (software, language) determines its success or failure. Design and robustness are key for data management but for user interaction, it is the most flexible solution that wins out. English is an unholy mix of different, completely separate languages and thousands of idioms, and growing every year. It grew from a simple street language to the third most spoken language in the world.

One could argue that the web platform is doing the same thing. Just a musing for a Friday.

HBH

I just thought I'd point out that the problems that you are ascribing to JavaScript + HTML could be leveled at the English language. And yet you are comfortable posting with it. Let's face it, as long as things work and have well-defined interfaces, complaining about aesthetics is not productive. Beautiful cathedrals are just that: beautiful. But also cold and uncomfortable.

We're a messy species of semi-evolved apes.

HBH